What’s Behind the Names of Zenless Zone Zero’s Agents?

New Eridu is packed with strange, stylish characters, and anyone who spends real time with Zenless Zone Zero eventually starts wondering where all these names actually came from. Some are lifted straight from mythology. Others borrow from real historical figures, old folklore, or language roots that most players would never guess just from looking at a character splash art. Digging into these names turns out to be one of the more rewarding rabbit holes in the game, so here’s a walk through where some of the most recognizable Agents got their names.

Belle and Wise Carry the Weight of a Sun God’s Son

The two Proxies players control throughout the story, Belle and Wise, share a hidden identity: Phaethon. That name isn’t random flavor text. In Greek mythology, Phaethon was the son of Helios, the sun god, and the name itself roughly translates to “burning” or “radiant.” The myth follows Phaethon begging his father to let him drive the sun chariot for one day, only for things to spiral out of control until Zeus has no choice but to strike him down to stop the destruction. Considering how much responsibility falls on Belle and Wise as they guide people through the Hollows, borrowing this name feels intentional rather than decorative.

A Wild West Legend Hiding Inside a Cyborg Gunslinger

Billy Kid is probably one of the easiest names to trace back to something real. Billy the Kid, the historical outlaw whose actual name was Henry McCarty, became one of the most mythologized figures of the American frontier, immortalized in film and fiction long after his death. Giving that name to a fast-drawing, dual-pistol-wielding Agent isn’t subtle, but it works.

Nekomata takes a very different route, pulling from Japanese folklore instead of history. A nekomata, according to old Japanese stories, is what happens when a cat lives long enough for its tail to split into two — at that point, it supposedly gains supernatural abilities. The character’s two-tailed design and quick, blade-heavy combat style line up with that legend almost perfectly.

Victoria Housekeeping Co. Leans Into European Folklore

This faction draws heavily on old-world mythology and language. Von Lycaon’s surname comes from the Greek myth of King Lycaon, a ruler who was turned into a wolf by Zeus as punishment for his cruelty — the same myth that gave English the word “lycanthrope.” Combined with his cold, wolf-inspired design, the reference isn’t hard to spot once you know it. Then there’s the “Von” attached to his name, which in German tradition signals noble birth, typically used before the name of a family’s ancestral land. That detail fits neatly with his role as a refined butler serving a noble household.

Ellen Joe rounds out the group with a design built around a great white shark — her tail, her cold personality, even her fighting style all lean into that inspiration, making her one of the more nature-driven Agents in the cast.

Sons of Calydon Pull From a Greek Boar Hunt

Even the faction name here has mythological roots. “Calydon” references the Calydonian Boar Hunt, a well-known Greek myth involving a monstrous boar sent to terrorize the land as divine punishment. Caesar King, the faction’s shield-wielding leader, borrows her surname from Julius Caesar, the Roman general and statesman remembered for his command on the battlefield — a fitting namesake for a character who leads from the front.

Jane Doe: A Name That’s Also a Clue

Over in the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, most names follow fairly ordinary patterns, but Jane Doe stands out. “Jane Doe” is a real placeholder term used in English-speaking countries for an unidentified woman, often in legal or medical situations where someone’s identity hasn’t been confirmed. Given how much mystery surrounds this character’s true nature throughout the story, the name works almost like a built-in warning label.

Section 6 Draws Straight From Japanese Language

Hoshimi Miyabi’s first name comes from the Japanese word “miyabi,” which refers to elegance, courtly refinement, and grace — qualities that match her composed personality and katana-based fighting style closely. Soukaku’s design as a blue oni ties back to oni folklore, a well-known category of horned, immensely strong demon-like beings found throughout Japanese mythology. Tsukishiro Yanagi’s given name simply means “willow tree” in Japanese, a plant long associated with flexibility and grace, which mirrors her fluid movement in combat.

Obol Squad Keeps Things Military

Not every faction leans on mythology. The Obol Squad, made up of Agents like Soldier 11 and Trigger, sticks to straightforward military-style codenames that reflect their disciplined roles within the New Eridu Defense Force. It’s a deliberate contrast to the folklore-heavy names found elsewhere in the roster.

Names That Reward a Closer Look

This kind of layered naming isn’t new for miHoYo — it’s a pattern that shows up across their other titles too, but Zenless Zone Zero puts its own spin on it by blending mythology, real history, and language roots into a cast that already stands out visually. Knowing the story behind a name like Lycaon or Phaethon doesn’t change how these characters play, but it does make meeting them for the first time feel a little more layered.

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Wrapping Up

Whether it’s a Greek sun god, an Old West outlaw, or a Japanese word for elegance, the names scattered across Zenless Zone Zero’s roster carry more weight than they first appear to. As miHoYo keeps expanding the cast with new factions, there’s a good chance this naming tradition sticks around, giving players even more small details to uncover the next time a new Agent shows up on a banner.