Superman Comic Books

Did You Know?

Where the name "Clark Kent" came from...

As you know, Clark Kent is Superman's secret identity. But where did the name come from?



Some might try to tell you that creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster named Clark Kent after two popular pulp heroes of the time - Doc Savage and The Shadow, otherwise known as Kent Savage Jr. and Kent Allard. But that's not true...

Comic book editor Julius Schwartz revealed in an interview with Starlog Magazine (found in issue #330 published in January 2005) that he once asked Jerry Siegel where he came up with the name "Clark Kent" for Superman's alter-ego...

"When I saw Jerry Siegel, I asked him, "What is the real story? Where did the name Clark Kent come from?"

He smiled and said, "It's very simple. I named Clark after the most romantic movie idol of the age, Clark Gable."

I said, "I anticipated that. But where did Kent come from?"

He thought for a while and smiled and then he said, "Oh, I'll tell you. My wife's brother-in-law is Kent Taylor, a movie actor from back in the 40's."

So Kent came from Kent Taylor."

So now you know, that's where the name Clark Kent came from.