DC Officially Admits That Wonder Woman's Codename Makes No Sense... But That's a Good Thing

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for WONDER WOMAN #18!

In a surprising revelation, Wonder Woman admits that even she doesn’t fully understand her own codename—a striking contrast to the Diana of the Absolute Universe, who knows its true meaning and origin. However, for Earth-Prime Diana, ‘Wonder Woman’ carries an unexpected and bittersweet sentimental value, making it more meaningful than ever before.

....Diana is essentially saying that “Wonder Woman” means “Steve.”

The highly anticipated Wonder Woman #18—by Tom King, Daniel Sampere, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles—delivers the long-awaited showdown between Diana and the Sovereign. After adjusting to life as a new mother to her and the late Steve Trevor’s daughter, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Marston Prince, Diana now takes the fight directly to the Sovereign at the White House.

As she advances across the lawn, she faces several obstacles, including Darkseid’s daughter, Grail—leading to a striking exchange where Diana admits she doesn’t fully understand the meaning behind her Wonder Woman moniker.

Wonder Woman Confesses She Doesn’t Fully Understand Her Own Codename

Comic Page Comes From Tom King’s Wonder Woman #18 (2025) – Art by Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey

As Wonder Woman approaches the White House, she is confronted by General Glory—a new ‘hero’ best described as the lovechild of Captain America and Homelander. In his attempt to stop Diana, General Glory makes the mistake of derogatorily referring to her as “a girl in a tiara.” Diana swiftly corrects him with an uppercut to the chin, proclaiming her name: “Wonder Woman.” At this point, Grail makes her entrance, laughing at Diana’s declaration and asking, “Wonder Woman? By the pits of Apokolips. What is that? Besides an arrogant absurdity?”

In response to Grail's question, Diana responds, “You ask a fine question. For I cannot tell you all it means. I only know it was what they called me when I first came to this good country.” In this moment, both a DC villain and Diana express uncertainty about the Wonder Woman name. While Grail's confusion is clearly antagonistic, Wonder Woman appears genuinely unsure of what her name may signify beyond its origins. This revelation is surprising, especially considering that her Justice League counterparts, like Batman and Superman, would likely have a clear answer for the meaning of their names—Bruce would probably say that Batman represents vengeance, while Clark would claim that Superman signifies hope.

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Wonder Woman Unveils the Unexpected Sentimental Meaning Behind Her Iconic Name

Comic Page Comes From Tom King’s Wonder Woman #18 (2025) – Art by Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey

However, the fact that Diana doesn’t provide an explicit definition for her moniker pays off beautifully on the next page as she anchors its meaning to Steve Trevor, ultimately giving ‘Wonder Woman’ an unexpected yet significant sentimental value. Following her statement that her moniker “was what they called [her] when [she] first came to this good country,” she poignantly adds, “With my Steven.” In this moment, King effectively connects the Wonder Woman moniker to Diana’s love and memory of Steve.

Essentially, Diana is saying that “Wonder Woman” means “Steve.” Given that this entire series has emphasized Diana’s love for him, “Steve” can be interpreted as meaning “love,” which means that Wonder Woman essentially signifies love. Taking it a step further, her moniker could represent the ‘persistence of love despite all adversities,’ as Diana’s love for Steve has only grown stronger, not diminished, following his death. This interpretation aligns perfectly with the core value that defines Diana’s character above all others.

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Absolute Wonder Woman Revealed the True Meaning & Origin of the ‘Wonder Woman’ Moniker

Comic Panel Comes from Kelly Thompson’s Absolute Wonder Woman #3 (2025) – Art by Hayden Sherman & Jordie Bellaire

Absolute Wonder Woman #3 barbara minerva 2

While King may have intricately connected the origins and meaning of the Wonder Woman moniker to Steve Trevor and, by association, to love, Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman’s Absolute Wonder Woman#3 presents a different origin and meaning. Rushing to confront the monstrous Tetracide—a world-ending beast—Diana accidentally bumps into another woman, who is revealed to be Barbara Minerva, better known on Earth-Prime as Cheetah. Catching Barbara before she falls, Diana urges her to find safety before refocusing on the Tetracide. However, just as Diana turns to leave, Barbara calls after her, “Wonder Woman!” prompting Diana to pause.

When Diana asks about the name, Barbara explains, “The Amazons… It’s what they would call their champion… the absolute best of them.” The mention of the Amazons immediately catches Diana’s attention, especially since it was previously revealed that Circe, her mother, was banned from using the word ‘Amazon’ and from revealing Diana’s heritage. Despite this, Diana eventually discovered that she was an Amazon. This moment provides a stunning twist on the meaning and origin of Wonder Woman, effectively redefining the moniker as ‘the best of Earth’s best warriors.’

How Did Wonder Woman Originally Get Her Name in Comics?

Main Cover by Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey for Tom King’s Wonder Woman #19 (2025)

With these recent redefinitions of the meaning behind the Wonder Woman moniker, fans may be interested to learn about its true origin in the comics. Traditionally, the origin of the name has often been attributed to the press in most narratives. This idea that the press is responsible for naming Wonder Woman has been a consistent theme throughout her comic history, from the Pre-Crisis era in William Moulton Marston’s Sensation Comics #1 (1941) to the Post-Crisis revamp, where George Pérez employed the same trope in his Wonder Woman run in issue #4. Therefore, it’s incredibly refreshing to see both King and Thompson introduce a new twist on theWonder Woman moniker.