Following the conclusion of the MCU's Infinity Saga, many of the world's original heroes are no longer a fixture of the franchise, whether due to a character's retirement, death, or otherwise. In any case, this leaves certain names and positions in superhero groups open for new talent.
The MCU has already made a point of showing that some titles will be ed along - as with Sam Wilson taking up the mantle of Captain America - but this isn't the only way that heroes obtain new names. Whether they're attaining their comic book moniker after years onscreen - as Wanda did in WandaVision -or taking on a different title to reflect a character arc - seen with Clint Barton as Ronin - the MCU has not shied away from shaking up its characters' public personas.
Gamora - Requiem
The events of Avengers: Endgame left the MCU with a past version of Gamora roaming the galaxy, the repercussions of which have yet to be seen, leaving room for the character to make different choices and become someone new.
A surefire way to show this would be for Gamora to take on the name Requiem, which she assumes in the comics after killing Thanos, when his last words haunt her. With Thanos in the MCU also gone, it would make sense that this past iteration of Gamora would wonder at her involvement in his death, given that she hadn't experienced everything the original Gamora had.
Kate Bishop - Hawkeye
At the conclusion of Hawkeye's first season, Kate Bishop is seen talking with Clint, trying to figure out what her own superhero name should be. The answer could be deceptively simple, if she were to take on the Hawkeye name as Clint steps back to spend more time with his family.
Even if Clint were to remain involved in the action, though, having 2 Hawkeyes could still work, as evidenced by the comics, and taking on this Avenger name would show Kate's importance to the future of the MCU, wherever Kate might show up next, as well as her connection to her mentor and personal hero.
Nick Fury - The Unseen
As one of the MCU's most long-running recurring characters, it seems about time that Nick Fury get his own alter ego, and Disney+ series Secret Invasion could prove the perfect opportunity.
Set to focus on Fury dealing with a sect of the Skrulls who've infiltrated Earth, Secret Invasion will explore a subterfuge that's perfectly familiar to the former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director. In the comics Fury has acted as the Unseen, a messenger of Uatu the Watcher, and his now-intergalactic concerns in the MCU could allow him to work as a secretly powerful figure once more.
Maya Lopez - Echo
Maya Lopez has already made a big impact on heroes of the MCU in Hawkeye, and is sure to continue to do so with her own series Echo currently in production, in which she will likely act under the titular name.
Among the things that only comic book fans know about Echo is the fact that she has photographic reflexes, allowing her to mimic - or echo - the combat styles of those she fights, contributing to her heroic title. Giving her this name onscreen both ties Maya back to the comics and gives the show a jumping-off point to explore more of her abilities.
Harley Keener - Iron Lad
After his first appearance in Iron Man 3, Harley Keener seemingly disappeared from the MCU until he had a cameo appearance in Avengers: Endgame. As actor Ty Simpkins has revealed that he has a 3 movie contract with Marvel, it looks like he'll be back in at least one future MCU project.
A return for Harley - now a young man - could see him donning a suit of armor similar to that of Tony Stark's, as happens in the comics when he uses the alias Iron Lad. The character could easily fit into projects Armor Wars in this way, or else alongside Peter Parker in future Spider-Man appearances, given the pair's shared connection to Tony.
Yelena Belova - Black Widow
Yelena was one of many girls trained with the purpose of becoming a Black Widow, but the assassin does not use this name in her career in the same way that her sister Natasha did. Given the events of Endgame and Hawkeye, though, this could change.
For Yelena, taking on the moniker of Black Widow in a heroic light as Natasha did as a member of the Avengers could be a way for her to further honor her sister's memory, without the bad associations to Clint she'd held before confronting him. Yelena will always be a Black Widow in some ways, but using it proudly as an alias could open up new avenues for the character.
Cassie Lang - Stature
Cassie Lang appeared in the first 2 Ant-Man films as a child, and has been recast as a young woman (played by Kathryn Newton) for the Quantumania, where she could very well follow in her father's footsteps by becoming the hero known as Stature.
In the comics, Cassie as Stature has powers to increase and decrease her size, and it was with these powers that she became a founding member of the Young Avengers. With the introduction of other Young Avengers (like Kate Bishop and America Chavez) into the MCU, it seems only natural that Cassie would gain her powers, ready for any future teen team-ups.
Monica Rambeau - Spectrum
A character that's been around heroes her whole life, Monica Rambeau has strong connections to Carol Danvers, and on screen, gained powers of her own during WandaVision, including energy absorption and phasing abilities.
Whilst there are some great The Marvels, Monica's versatile powers are sure to be further uncovered.
Loki - Ikol
The end of Loki's first season saw the whole world changing around its protagonist, literally, as the multiverse was established, and ramifications will effect Loki's future in season 2.
Whilst the trickster has had some of the funniest quotes in the MCU, a return to some of his villainous tendencies could be in store as consequence of the show's ending. This could be represented in a name change, which the god has had many of in the comics, including Ikol, a former incarnation of Loki with a complicated history, perfectly suited to a show that includes so many variants.
Thor - Odinson
Thor may have left with the Guardians after Avengers: Endgame, but his anticipated return to Earth in Thor: Love and Thunder is sure to come with a few surprises, namely that Jane Foster is to take on the moniker of Thor herself.
In the comics when this occurred the original Thor opted to go by the name Odinson, and it stands to reason this could also happen in the MCU. Not only would this choice help avoid confusion, but it would allow the character to explore his identity in a whole new way, outside of its entanglement with his powers.
