102 Detective Names From TV, Books, And Movies

With the advent of streaming services, the popularity of true crime content is on the rise.

From podcasts to TV shows to documentaries and books, the mystery genre is the one that is loved by all. Over the past several decades, there have been some major standouts in this classic genre.

These stories play with framing and form and end with the perfect twist ending. They are well loved by all with a clue-finding and crime-solving itch. The characters in these stories have inspired thousands of other writers. If you are one of them, we have compiled a list of 102 Detective Names from detectives stories, popular books, movies, and TV shows to inspire your own character names.

A lot of people consider Sherlock Holmes to be the greatest detective of all. He is also one of the most popular ones. His attention to detail, observational skills, patience and his ability to talk to people and get information from them are some of the defining characteristics of any detective.

This list of detective names includes famous detectives, popular detectives and detectives famous for their wits. You can also check out the best hacker names and the best adventurer names for more inspiration.

Here is a list of male detective names.

1. Adrian Monk, a police consultant from the TV series ‘Monk’. One of the famous detectives.

2. Albert Campion, an aristocrat who appears in the TV show ‘Campion’. A famous detective known for his wits.

3. Alex Cross, a former FBI agent and tempered psychologist who appears in movies and several books. One of the famous detectives.

4. Arsène Lupin, a master of disguise in books, several TV series, numerous movies, and comics.

5. Barnaby Jones, from ‘Barnaby Jones’ who comes out of retirement after the murder of his son. One of the most famous detectives.

6. Boston Blackie, a reformed jewel thief who made appearances in multiple movies. A private detective.

7. Brother Cadfael, a monk from the early twelfth century in the TV series 'Cadfael'.

8. Bulldog Drummond, from ‘Calling Bulldog Drummond’.

9. C. Auguste Dupin, an upper-class gentleman who appears in multiple novels in the mid nineteenth century.

10. Dan Adams, from ‘Coronado 9’.

11. Dave Robicheaux, a former New Orleans officer in two movies and a book series.

12. David Addison, from ‘Moonlighting’.

13. Dennis Chase, from ‘21 Beacon Street’.

14. Dick Barton, an ex-Commando appearing in a TV series, radio series, and multiple movies. One of the most tough detectives.

15. Dirk Gently, a famous detective known for his investigating abilities.

16. Don Corey, owner of Checkmate Inc., a detective agency based in San Francisco.

17. Dr. Gideon Fell, from ‘The Man Who Could Not Shudder’.

18. Duncan Maclain, a blind detective.

19. Easy (Ezekiel) Rawlins, a World War II veteran, appearing in the movie ‘Devil In A Blue Dress’.

20. Ellery Queen, a mystery editor and writer of a magazine.

21. Encyclopedia Brown, one of the most famous detectives.

22. Father Brown, another of the most famous detectives.

23. Garrett, a private investigator who works with the Dead Man, his partner, in a novel series.

24. Gay Falcon, one of the famous detectives on this list.

25. Hamilton Nash, from ‘The Dain Curse’. One of the most famous detectives.

26. Hercule Poirot, a private detective famous for his wits. One of the most famous detective names.

27. Jack Casey, a photographer who helps solve crimes.

28. Jack Irish, from Australian movies.

29. Jackson Brodie, from ‘Case Histories'.

30. Jeff Randall, from ‘Randall And Hopkirk’.

31. Jim Rockford, from ‘The Rockford Files’.

32. Joe Mannix, from TV show ‘Mannix’.

33. John Shaft, a classy and suave private investigator who appears in three movies.

34. Johnny Midnight, from ‘Johnny Midnight’.

35. Jonathan Creek, a creative consultant working with a magician in a TV show by the same name.

36. Joseph Rouletabille, a journalist who appears in a novel series and several movies.

37. Lew Archer, a world-weary private detective working in Southern California.

38. Martin Kane, from ‘The New Adventures Of Martin Kane’.

39. Matt Helm, a private investigator and a retired spy in the TV show of the same name.

40. Matthew Scudder, an alcoholic, ex-police officer who appears in multiple novels.

41. Mike Hammer, a private investigator who doesn't shy away from violence in a novel series, multiple TV series, and movies.

42. Nick Carter, a master detective in a movie and a long-running radio show of the same name.

43. Nick Ryder, from the TV show ‘Riptide’.

44. Patrick Jane, from ‘The Mentalist’.

45. Peter Gunn, from ‘Peter Gunn’.

46. Phillip Marlowe, appears in multiple novels, movies, and TV series.

47. Rex Randolph, from ‘Bourbon Street Beat’.

48. Richard Castle, from ‘Castle’.

49. Richard Diamond, a private detective from ‘Richard Diamond, Private Detective’.

50. Shell Scott, a six-foot-two private eye and an ex-marine in multiple novels.

51. Sherlock Holmes, this private detective appears in multiple short stories, novels, movies, and TV series.

52. Thomas Magnum, a private investigator in Hawaii.

Here is a list of famous female detective names.

53. Agatha Raisin, a famous detective and former public relations professional who appears in several novels and a TV series.

54. Alex Morrow, a female detective working in a dark and moody society, appears in a series of crime novels.

55. Amelia Peabody, a rich egyptologist appearing in a novel series.

56. Anna Lee, a smart, competent, and sly detective working at a private security firm, Brierly Security, appears in a TV series and several novels.

57. Antoinette Conway, a cynical, tenacious, and blunt detective who appears in a novel series.

58. Barbara Havers, a sergeant working in Scotland Yard who is a poignant character in the TV show ‘The Inspector Lynley Series’.

59. Beatrice Adela Bradley, a widowed socialite, appears in ‘The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries’.

60. Bertha Cool, an atypical widow and a professional private investigator who partners with a disbarred lawyer, appears in multiple novels.

61. Brenda Leigh Johnson, the Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, appears in TNT's ‘The Closer’.

62. Catherine Willows, a forensic scientist and crime scene investigator working in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in the TV show ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’.

63. Carlotta Carlyle, an ex-cop, ex-cabbie private investigator who appears in a novel series.

64. Chris Cagney, a police officer working in Manhattan who solves everything from gambling rings to murder, appears in the police procedural TV show ‘Cagney And Lacey’. This is one of the most famous detective names.

65. Claire DeWitt, a teen detective working in Brooklyn who follows the detective Jacques Silette in a novel series.

66. Clarice Starling, a strong and assertive FBI agent who appears in the books ‘Hannibal’ and ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ and movies of the same names. One of the most famous detective names.

67. Cordelia Gray, a young woman who inherits a detective agency, appears in two novels and a TV series.

68. Dana Scully, a professional and skeptical FBI agent in all seasons of the supernatural series ‘The X-Files’ and the subsequent movies.

69. Darlene O’Hara, an NYPD detective who appears in a book series.

70. Elouise “Lou” Norton, a homicide detective working in South Central Los Angeles, appears in a book series.

71. Enola Holmes, sister of the renowned Sherlock Holmes, appears in the movie of the same name and the novel series ‘The Enola Holmes Mysteries’.

72. Frankie Drake, the first woman private investigator in '20s Toronto in the TV show ‘Frankie Drake Mysteries’.

73. Honey West, an ocelot owner and a detective in a novel series and a TV show by the same name.

74. Jane Marple, an amateur detective who appears in several novels and short stories.

75. Jane Tennison, from ‘Prime Suspect’.

76. Jessica Fletcher, a widowed writer, living in Cabot Cove, Laine appears in the TV show ‘Murder She Wrote’.

77. Jessica Jones, the female detective and superhero of the Marvel Universe who appears in multiple comics and her own Netflix TV series. One of the most famous detective names.

78. Joan Watson, the former partner of Sherlock Holmes and a private detective in the TV show ‘Elementary’.

79. Kinsey Millhone, a tough-talking private investigator and a former cop, appears in an alphabetized mystery novel series.

80. Lisbeth Salander, a private investigator and a world-renowned hacker, appears in the book ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’.

81. Madelyn ‘Maddie’ Hayes, a clever former model and the owner of a detective agency, appears in the TV show ‘Moonlighting’.

82. Mary Beth Lacey, a police officer working in New York City in the hit police procedural TV series ‘Cagney And Lacey’.

83. Mary Russell, a teenage bookworm, bumps into Sherlock Holmes and becomes his apprentice in the novel ‘The Sussex Downs’.

84. Miss Marple, an old spinster, appears in a novel series, short stories TV series, and multiple movies. She is a very popular detective character, among the most famous and popular detectives.

85. Modesty Blaise, a daring investigator with a criminal history, is featured in some short stories and multiple novels.

86. Nancy Drew, a young, high-school graduate and detective who is featured in several books, movies, and TV series.

87. Olivia Benson, a powerful, female police captain who leads the SUV squad in the TV show ‘Law And Order: SUV’.

88. Phryne Fisher, a wealthy aristocrat and detective in the novels series and the TV show ‘Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries’.

89. Precious Ramotswe, a female private investigator who features in multiple novels and the TV show ‘The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency’.

90. Rosemary Boxer, a gardening detective in the TV show ‘Rosemary And Thyme’.

91. Sally Lockhart, a teenage girl who is a detective, she is featured in a novel series and multiple movies.

92. Sarah Keate, a nurse who appears in several medical mystery novels.

93. Sharon McCone, an investigator working at All Souls, appears as the lead protagonist in several short stories and novels.

94. Sister Fidelma, a Celtic nun, appears as a protagonist in the novel series ‘Sister Fidelma Mysteries’, set in the mid seventh century.

95. Stella Gibson, a famous detective superintendent, working for the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the TV show ‘The Fall’.

96. Stephanie Plum, a female bounty hunter who solves crimes in more than 20 novels and a movie starring Katherine Heigl.

97. Sydney Kells, the investigator in the New York detective agency and the daughter of a deceased policeman in the TV show ‘Sydney’.

98. Temperance Brennan, an anthropologist, kinesiologist, and forensic anthropologist who solves crimes on the TV show ‘Bones’.

99. Trixie Belden, a young private investigator who solves crimes with her friend Honey Wheeler or the group named Bob-Whites of the Glen in a series of mystery novels.

100. V.I. Warshawski, an athletic private investigator, appears in multiple novels, short stories, and a movie of the same name.

101. Velma Dinkley, a part of the Scooby gang, unmasks the baddie in several TV series and movies. One of the best detective names on the list!

102. Veronica Mars, from ‘Veronica Mars’.

Kidadl has lots of great names articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for famous  detective names, then why not take a look at some different names, such as the best wizard names or the best noble names to inspire you.