Summary
Quick Links
In the world ofMy Hero Academia, Izuku Midoriya is one of the many characters who became a hero with a cool and memorable name. While some characters like Hawks, Eraser Head, and Mt. Lady base their hero names on their unique quirks, others take inspiration from their ambitions and goals. Then there’s Bakugo, who went to extreme lengths just to call himself “Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight,” which has truly become iconic.
While these hero names inMy Hero Academiaare more than just identifiers, as they serve as the pro heroes' pride and purpose, series creator Kohei Horikoshi shared the real process of how he came up with hero names in an interview. Contrary to the expectations that Horikoshi spent countless hours thinking of hero names, layering them with meaning and symbolism one after another, it’s actually the other way around.
How Kohei Horikoshi Really Came up With My Hero Academia’s Hero Names
It’s Not as Complicated as Fans Think
Every hero inMy Hero Academiatakes pride in their hero names. It represents their identity, personality, ambitions, and, most especially, their powers. The general public also recognizes their hero names better than their actual names, granting how they want to be perceived. Beyond the aesthetic and just sounding cool, these hero names act like their shields and a reflection of the message every hero wants to tell the world.
Outta my way now before I set you on fire.—Bakugo
On the flip side, villain names are just as important as hero names for the antagonists. While hero names often represent hope and faith, villains use code names to reject their actual names as a form of rebellion and reinvention. In addition, theirvillain names reflect their twisted ideologiesand fearsome personas. But just like any other hero names, their villain names also act as a shield to help protect their personal identity.
While many fans believe Kohei Horikoshi spends countless hours coming up with hero and villain names, it’s actually the other way around. In an interview with Viz Media,My Hero Academia’s creator sharedthe simple and candid process behind these colorful and memorable hero names:
Interviewer: The names of the heroes are very cool and interesting. How did you come up with them? What was your inspiration?
Kohei Horikoshi: I don’t recall putting that much thought into it. I think I chose names based on how they sounded. I wanted the names to be catchy and memorable and to intuitively connect with the character’s appearance. However, we haven’t had many new characters recently—the last one might have been Star and Stripe. Honestly, I don’t remember much about naming them.
As it turns out, many of the iconic names carried byfan-favorite heroes, like All Might, Endeavor, and Midnight inMy Hero Academia, were mostly a product of Horikoshi’s spur-of-the-moment decisions. Contrary to expectations that these hero names were invented through deep symbolism and countless hours of planning, they came from plain sound and intuition. In short, it’s just about what sounds right.
My Deku isn’t always going to mean useless! Kacchan, my Deku means you can do it!—Deku
Many fans tried to dissect each and every hero name of their favorite characters for many years, trying to draw connections from Japanese kanji. But knowing howHorikoshi could not even remembermuch about naming his characters is both impressive and funny. Yet still, his hero names work effectively, with each and every single one of them becoming memorable, catchy, and appropriate to the characters.
Horikoshi Confirms American Comics Also Inspired Hero Names
Horikoshi Gave Hero Names an American Comic Feel
In the same interview,Kohei Horikoshi also confirmedthe significant influence of American comics on his naming process. While Horikoshi didn’t overthink and over-engineer most of the hero names in the series, it’s clear that he had a consistent goal of making them sound and feel like they came straight out of an American comic:
Interviewer: Have American comics influenced you?
Kohei Horikoshi: Yes, though it’s really just surface-level inspiration. I consciously tried to give the heroes names that feel like they belong in American comics.
The influence of American comics, albeit “surface-level”as revealed by Horikoshi, is clearly obvious from the hero names of the characters. From All Might, Real Steel, and Phantom Thief to Earphone Jack and Rock Lock, one can easily feel the classic superhero vibe found in most American comics. It’s almost as if the influence has been ingrained in the DNA ofMy Hero Academiafrom the get-go. Even so, it’s impressive how Horikoshi took that Western influence and made it incredibly unique.
