A Note on the Names of Selected Characters and Villains in Dick Tracy

Abstract

Abstract This article provides a brief history of the comic strip Dick Tracy (1931) and its creator, author, and illustrator Chester Gould (1900-1985). Gould was very inventive and creative in naming the characters that populated his strip. He provided distinctive names to the rogues that populated his strip. Their names reflected physical, psychological, or behavioral traits that emphasized deviance as a way to distinguish them from honest, hardworking citizens. In the 1930s and 1940s, the villains in Dick Tracy were distinctive and unique because of their idiosyncratic traits. The main characters also had unique names that represented positive traits. Minorities likewise had names that were stereotypic in nature. The comic strip regained its popularity in 1990 with the release of the very successful Disney movie "Dick Tracy".

Keywords

• FORENAMES
• GIVEN NAMES
• TWENTIETH-CENTURY
• COMPETITION
• AVOIDANCE
• NAMING BEHAVIOR