<p>From what I have been able to gather, the name is at best a <em>late adaption</em> of a fan name, given to the character to make referring to her easier. Which is why it's just the word for &quot;spider&quot; (Kumo), combined with a feminizing suffix (-ko).</p>
<p>The web novel's Character Introduction 2 (as I found it translated) states (minor name spoilers):</p>
<blockquote class="spoiler">
<p> Shiraori 白織  —  nameless 名前なし

 The protagonist, referred to as Shiro within the story and Kumoko outside the story, but almost never called by her real name. It couldn’t be helped that her name didn’t come out for such a long time. [...]</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As you noticed, it has later started to appear in the light novel as well as the anime's ending.</p>
<p>And, of course, the name does seem <em>official enough</em> to be use by merch.<br />
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/K5vdX.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/K5vdX.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Sources:<br />
<a href="https://kumodesu.fandom.com/wiki/Kumoko#Trivia" rel="nofollow noreferrer">So I'm a Spider, So What? Wiki - Kumoko - Trivia</a> (<strong>heavy</strong> spoilers)<br />
<a href="https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7975cr/516/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kumo desu ga, Nani ka? web novel - Character Introduction 2</a> (<strong>heavy</strong> spoilers)<br />
<a href="https://www.goodsmile.info/en/product/10757/Nendoroid+Kumoko.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">GoodSmile Company Nendroid Kumoko store page</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-15T06:18:23.060Z
I didn't link to the web novel translation, as it seemed kinda unofficial. So, I decided to treat it like a fansub; will refer, won't link.
DJ Pirtu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-27T11:34:34.210Z
I added the link to the original, untranslated web novel page instead.
Aaa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-14T17:59:38.497Z
2021-08-03T16:02:01.133Z
2021-08-03T16:02:01.133Z
DJ Pirtu
<p>I'd heard Kumoko was an unofficial name for the protagonist of <em>So I'm a Spider, so What?</em>, so I didn't expect to actually encounter it in either the light novels but it's there. In Yen Press's translation of the first volume, it appears on pages 199 and 200, in <em>Chapter 11: Still Clearing the Lower Stratum</em> :</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I mean, if I learned how to use these, I would basically be a magical girl... Well, a magical spider, anyway. Like &quot;Kumoko the Spider Girl&quot; or something.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>Damn. It looks like I won't be able to call myself Magical Girl Kumoko for a while yet.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The name also appears in the ending songs of the anime. If this is an unofficial name, it seems it's been adopted. Do the original light novels really have something different in place of this text and never use the name? Or is the name merely considered unofficial because Kumoko's name appears as &quot;nameless&quot; when she Appraises herself?</p>

<so-im-a-spider-so-what>
Is Kumoko really an unofficial name?
# Is Kumoko really an unofficial name?
Posted by: username_0 on 2021-07-12
I'd heard Kumoko was an unofficial name for the protagonist of *So I'm a Spider, so What?*, so I didn't expect to actually encounter it in either the light novels but it's there. In Yen Press's translation of the first volume, it appears on pages 199 and 200, in *Chapter 11: Still Clearing the Lower Stratum* :

> I mean, if I learned how to use these, I would basically be a magical girl... Well, a magical spider, anyway. Like "Kumoko the Spider Girl" or something.

> Damn. It looks like I won't be able to call myself Magical Girl Kumoko for a while yet.

The name also appears in the ending songs of the anime. If this is an unofficial name, it seems it's been adopted. Do the original light novels really have something different in place of this text and never use the name? Or is the name merely considered unofficial because Kumoko's name appears as "nameless" when she Appraises herself?
**Tags:** so-im-a-spider-so-what
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2021-07-14. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
From what I have been able to gather, the name is at best a *late adaption* of a fan name, given to the character to make referring to her easier. Which is why it's just the word for "spider" (Kumo), combined with a feminizing suffix (-ko).

The web novel's Character Introduction 2 (as I found it translated) states (minor name spoilers):

> Shiraori 白織 — nameless 名前なし
> The protagonist, referred to as Shiro within the story and Kumoko outside the story, but almost never called by her real name. It couldn’t be helped that her name didn’t come out for such a long time. [...]

As you noticed, it has later started to appear in the light novel as well as the anime's ending.

And, of course, the name does seem *official enough* to be use by merch.  
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/K5vdX.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/K5vdX.png)

Sources:  
[So I'm a Spider, So What? Wiki - Kumoko - Trivia](https://kumodesu.fandom.com/wiki/Kumoko#Trivia) (**heavy** spoilers)  
[Kumo desu ga, Nani ka? web novel - Character Introduction 2](https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7975cr/516/) (**heavy** spoilers)  
[GoodSmile Company Nendroid Kumoko store page](https://www.goodsmile.info/en/product/10757/Nendoroid+Kumoko.html)
> **Comments:**
> **username_1** (2021-07-15): I didn't link to the web novel translation, as it seemed kinda unofficial. So, I decided to treat it like a fansub; will refer, won't link.  
> **username_2** (2021-07-27): I added the link to the original, untranslated web novel page instead.  
---
