That doesn't mean you need to saddle your villain with a name like Ted or Mary, but think about plausibility before naming your villain. If you're dying to use a dark, twisted name, create a nickname your villain adopts. Need more advice? The following five tips will help you in choosing a name.

Names for Villains Tip 1: Picking a neutral name

Like I mentioned earlier, choosing a name based on traditional factors is the easiest way to achieve plausibility. Think about where and when the villain was born. If you're wondering what names were popular during a certain period, the Social Security Administration lists baby name popularity according to year.

But let's face it. Choosing a neutral name can suck out some of the fun of naming someone delightfully evil. If you can't bear to settle for a conventional name, read on.

Names for Villains Tip 2: Using evil-sounding names or names with dark meanings

Do you want to slyly suggest to your readers your character is a sadistic bastard? Be careful if you decide to choose a name with implicit evilness. If a name is stuffed with x's, k's, y's, and z's, readers can almost automatically assume the character is evil or at least morally ambiguous. Names with dark meanings have the same problem. Often overused, a name like Damien will give away that your character has slightly evil tendencies.

They are often used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes. Whereas superheroes often wield fantastic powers, the supervillain possesses commensurate powers and abilities so that he can present a daunting challenge to the hero. Even without actual magical or superhuman powers, the supervillain often possesses a genius intellect that allows him to draft complex schemes or create fantastic devices. Many supervillains share some typical characteristics of real world dictators, mobsters, and terrorists and often have aspirations of world domination or universal leadership.[1][2]

Superheroes and supervillains often mirror each other in their powers, abilities, or origins. Often the only difference between the two is that the hero uses his extraordinary powers to help others, while the villain uses his powers for selfish purposes.