What (real) surnames are there that sound particularly evil?

Answer #1

Chapman, Abram,Dawkins

Answer #2

Huntress Rippner Bontrolva Ripper

Answer #3

Gaylord…

Slaughter…

Blackmasspuppybloodington… though I may have misheard this last one… or completely contrived it… one never know.

Answer #4

For some strange reason, the bad guys in English language novels tend to have German-style or Russian-style names.

So if you write a Fantasy Knights and Kings story, “Ritter Arved von Drachenfels” (lit: knight arved of dragonsrock) seems to sound pretty evil.

If you write a science fiction novel, people make the bad guy “Professor Sergej Mikhaelovich” or “Dr. Fritz Roth” or something.

I don’t know why those are “evil” to English speakers. In German or Russian, they sound completely normal. Or - in case of the knight - normal for a name in a history book. Maybe they appeal to some stereotypes somewhere. I wonder whether in 10 years or so, the “evil” characters in the novels will have Arabian-style names…

Answer #5

baskerville

More Like This
Funadvice Logo

© FUNADVICE 2025 · 212bydesign LLC

Answering questions since 2006

[email protected]

Miami, Florida, USA