Despite not featuring Batman, Joker was a huge success, but it changed a lot of the Clown Prince of Crime's lore, including his name. The 2019 movie told the origin story of the iconic Batman villain, and while there have been many different origins for the character in the comics, his background had never really been explored in any of the movies. Joker follows Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a struggling stand-up comedian who is driven to murder after being bullied. The film is full of mystery and leads audiences to question what's real and what's not, including whether Arthur is Thomas Wayne's son, potentially making him Bruce Wayne's half-brother.
Joker deviated from the source material a lot, and it worked for the most part, as the movie managed to gross over $1 billion worldwide despite having a relatively small budget of $60 million (via Box Office Mojo). However, one interesting choice made that doesn't follow the lore whatsoever is the antagonist's name in the film. Arthur Fleck is a completely original name when it comes to the Joker, as it has never once been his given name, an alias, or anything else. In a movie full of plot twists, the seemingly random name of Arthur Fleck is one of the biggest head-scratchers, but there's an explanation behind it.
Arthur Fleck Isn’t Even His Real Name
Following the altercation with Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) when Arthur confronts him about possibly being his father, it's revealed that not only is the billionaire not his dad, but Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy) isn't even his biological mother, either. Arthur finds adoption papers showing that Penny adopted him as a baby and named him Arthur. This means that he may have had a different name before he was adopted. However, none of the information given to the audience is 100 percent true, as Arthur is an unreliable narrator, and given that Thomas Wayne has motives of his own, he could just as easily be lying and have forged adoption papers.
A Theory Suggests It’s A Reference To Ben Affleck
While Joker is packed with DC Easter eggs, the main character's name could be one, too. Arthur Fleck is an oddly specific surname, and while it could be pulled out of nowhere by writer/director Todd Phillips, a theory suggests that it's actually a cheeky reference to Ben Affleck. The character's name sounds a lot like Affleck when shortened to A. Fleck. There isn't much weight behind the theory other than the fact that Affleck played Batman in the DCEU, but even then, Joker is a standalone movie and sits completely outside that universe. However, it's completely plausible that Phillips, known for comedies like The Hangover, would make such a joke.
Joker Has Had Many Different Names
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There are so many different versions of the Joker, some of which are running alongside each other, as The Batman features the Joker and the DCU will introduce a new incarnation, too. A lot of them have different names, and that's if their names are even revealed, whether it's Joe Kerr, Oberon Sexton, or Melvin White. And though their names are most often Jack or a derivative of Jack, such as Jack Napier or Jack White, they're still different names. That means that there's ultimately no one right answer to what the Joker's name is, and Arthur Fleck in Joker is as good as any.