OK, setting is a world similar to ours, except that every so often these beings from another dimension (known as wraiths) come and try to take over the place. Or sometimes just come to get away from enemies in their dimension, or to cause mayhem for fun (not everyone's that ambitious, after all). The protagonist is a teenaged girl who wants to join this superhero team that uses secret technology to fight wraiths. The plot kicks off with her and her friend sneaking into their base and poking around looking for some neat weapons to steal so she can prove she's wraith-fighting material. Thing is, I need a cool name for the team my protagonist wants to join, and I have no ideas. (Or actually my sole idea is Masters' Blasters, which is taken already.)
Consider where the name comes from. Were they given the name in mockery by a cynical public? Is it a label applied to the group by the news organization (newspapers, galactic media, wandering bards). Maybe it's a name given by their underground of supporters. Or is it a name chosen by the team to impress through the media? It's propaganda. The question is, who does it serve?
Probably chosen by them. But really, I don't care much what I call them. I just need to call them something.
I'm running into a very similar issue with my book, only trying to find something that sounds banal enough to be ignored by government bureaucrats. What's the nature of the Wraiths? The word, to me, sounds spiritual/supernatural. Maybe call them the Exorcists, or the Exterminators? Maybe something like the Specials or the Unusuals. You could also have fun with various acronyms, like the InterDimensional Extermination Agency (IDEA). Though, acronyms seem better suited for government-sponsored groups, rather than private citizens going out and monster-busting.
Like ManOrAstroMan said, the imagery associated with Wraith conjures up an image of something not quite tangible. Instead of the team being focused on the idea of fighting wraiths, they could instead be about standing firm, or solid in the face of these inter-dimensional nasties. It's not a hugely inspiring name, but things that come to mind for me are The Grounded, or The Stuck. Of course this doesn't work if the team is also doing inter-dimensional travel, unless the suggestion of them doing it goes against their motto/ideals, and causes a rift in the ranks. One of the best types of conflict is when allies are united by a goal, but divided by method.
When I think of the word Wraith, I think of the soul catcher things on horse back with massive balck cloaks and no face in the Lord of the Rings trilogy...what were they called? Something banal - how about Wraith Rovers
That sounds like Carmex and carnage put together. It makes me think of a zombie with lip balm. Also, Carnifex is the name of a death metal band. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I think something simple that compares to what they do to catch the wraiths might work. -Diggers -Hunters -Trappers -Seekers -Righters (make things right again) -Equalizers
