"If you were a darts player, what would your nickname and walk-on song be?"
It's a question any self-respecting darts fan has asked themselves, and also anyone unfortunate enough to be sitting next to them while it's on TV.
For the 128 players competing for a share of the £5 million prize fund at this year's World Darts Championship, that fantasy has become reality.
Nicknames are an opportunity to build an identity and convey a sense of who you really are (or who you want to be). Walk-on songs are there either to get the notoriously fickle darts crowd on side with an arm-in-arm singalong, or to add further weight to your personal brand.
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The nicknames of the top players at this year's world championship have become as much a part of their persona and popularity as anything they have achieved on stage. However, while some have stuck with their walk-on song through thick and thin, others have seen fit to change things up from time to time.
But how did darts' biggest stars pick their names, and why did they opt for their current song?
Luke 'The Nuke' Littler
Nickname: 'The Nuke'
Why: "Me and my dad were just sitting in the pub. I was like 13 or 14 and I didn't have a nickname at the time, and it just went well with my name," Littler told Sky Sports.
"We sat down thinking and then Luke the Nuke came to us, obviously because it rhymes."
Walk-on song: "Greenlight" by Pitbull ft. Flo Rida & LunchMoney Lewis
Why: "Me and my dad went to Wrestlemania 33 seven years ago now and it was in Florida, Orlando, it was my first time being there and it was just a good song," Littler told the JaackMaate Happy Hour podcast.
"I was singing my head off as a 10-year-old, and whenever I did make it, I was still playing football at the time; that's going to be my walk-on song.
"For the time being, I will keep it; I haven't even thought about using other songs."
'Cool Hand Luke' Humphries
Nickname: 'Cool Hand Luke'
Why: 'Cool Hand Luke' is a reference to the 1967 film of the same name. It fits nicely into the high-pressure environment of elite darts.
But Humphries supposedly came close to losing the nickname as it was very similar to the nickname being used by Martin Lukeman ('Cool Man Luke').
Lukeman told the Weekly Dartscast in 2022 that when the pair faced off on the Challenge Tour they decided that whoever won the match got to keep their name. Humphries' success allowed the name to stick.
Walk-on song: "I Predict a Riot" by Kaiser Chiefs
Why: Up until April 2024, Humphries had made his way to the stage to DNCE's "Cake by the Ocean", but as a big Leeds United fan, Humphries opted to switch to Kaiser Chief's "I Predict a Riot" in time for a Premier League night in the city and he has used it ever since.
'Mighty Mike' Michael van Gerwen
Nickname: 'MVG', 'Mighty Mike', 'The Green Machine'
Why: Such is his status as one of the best players in darts history, Van Gerwen is referred to by three different nicknames.
The first, as a an acronym of his name, is obvious enough to everyone. 'Mighty Mike' is said to refer to his dominant stage presence and impressive form at the oche. 'The Green Machine' refers both to the awe-inspiring performances of his peak years and trademark lime green shirt he wears in competition.
Walk-on song: "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes
Why: A popular melody with football fans, "Seven Nation Army" has long-been chanted with the lyrics 'Oh Michael van Gerwen.'
The chant was used by Manchester United fans for striker Robin van Persie and the Dutchman has told Dutch website AD.nl that he took inspiration from the Old Trafford terraces.
''That came during the time when Robin van Persie played at Manchester United,'' Van Gerwen said.
''Then they sang: 'Oh, Robin van Persie.' The same goes for Vincent [van der Voort]. His walk-on is derived from a supporters' song from the time Rafael van der Vaart played at Tottenham Hotspur."
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Stephen 'The Bullet' Bunting
Nickname: 'The Bullet'
Why: Bunting is said to have taken on his moniker due to his rapid scoring and accuracy from the oche.
Walk-on song: "Titanium" by David Guetta ft. Sia
Why: Bunting's song choice proves a hit in every tournament he plays in, but he did not always walk on to David Guetta's dance track.
He switched to "Titanium" from The Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird" -- known for its repetitive "the bird is the word" lyric.
"'Titanium' is my son's favourite song so that was the reason behind that, and it's got the bulletproof tag line," he told Sky Sports.
"I got rid of the bird because it was just a lot of hard work. I had to get on stage and do the Peter Griffin dance."
Jonny 'The Ferret' Clayton
Nickname: 'The Ferret'
Why: Clayton explained the origins of his nickname while filming a social media video for the PDC earlier this year.
"It's through rugby. You come out of your youth rugby at 19 and then you go into your senior level. Now it's changed and I don't think I was nine stone soaking wet," he said.
"They were all taking the mic out of me, the laugh was because I played scrum-half and you go digging for the ball, they said if you ever went onto Gladiators you could have been 'The Ferret' and you know when things stick."
Walk-on song: "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry
Why: If 'The Ferret' had his own way, he would be walking out to "Mr. Brightside" but, he says, for the intervention of his wife.
The Killers tune has since become synonymous with Nathan Aspinall.
Clayton told the Tops and Tales podcast in June: "Well, right, you couldn't believe this or not, but I think Ellen, my wife, has cost me thousands in the Premier League because the walk-on song I wanted was Mr. Brightside. Serious to God. So I blame Ellen.
"Yeah, it was Mr. Brightside, and she said: 'No, I think something else. I don't think that would be good.' So it's her fault. So yeah, that's true. Mr. Brightside."
Instead, Clayton is introduced via Chuck Berry's 1958 rock 'n' roll classic Johnny B. Goode.
"It's still iconic in its own way, you know. It's got my name in it," Clayton, who unfortunately does not imitate Berry's duck walk, said.
Danny 'The Freeze' Noppert
Nickname: 'The Freeze'
Why: Noppert's nickname is said to reference his calm on-stage demeanour and serve as a nod to his birthplace of Friesland in the Netherlands which sounds similar to the English word 'Freeze'.
Walk-on song: "High Hopes" by Panic! at the Disco
Why: "That song means a great deal to me," he has explained. "There's a line in it that says, 'As mama said, don't give up,' and every time I hear it, I think about my parents. Both of them have passed away, and that lyric always brings them to mind.
"It gives me an emotional lift and pushes me to give everything I have, no matter the situation. I carry their memory with me in everything I do on stage. I know they'd be incredibly proud of how far I've come."
James 'The Machine' Wade
Nickname: 'The Machine'
Why: The 42-year-old told The Guardian in a 2009 interview that the name was picked for him by Sky Sports.
"Apparently I have a throw like a machine. I am very, er, machine-like. Sky Sports gave me that nickname," Wade said.
"I'm not really one for nicknames; I didn't have one for a while and they said I had to have one for the Premier League. They told me I was having 'The Machine', so I am 'The Machine'.
Walk-on song: "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John
Why: Having previously used Thin Lizzy's "Boys are Back in Town", Wade opted to switch to Elton John's "I'm Still Standing" two years ago. He has been open about navigating life on the darts circuit with bipolar disorder and ADHD and he felt the song was fitting with his quest to climb back up the rankings.
Writing in his column in the Daily Star in 2023, he said: [Elton John's song] feels massively appropriate given the challenges I have faced and the way the sport has changed since I first arrived on the scene.
"It is also a nod to the mental health charities that I am constantly looking to support and publicise, particularly Bipolar UK who have asked that I talk openly about my battles and the ability to work through them.
"I want people to see my walk-ons as a triumph in survival and a rallying cry to challenge yourself and persuade yourself that you can do things that make you uncomfortable."
Chris 'Hollywood' Dobey
Nickname: 'Hollywood'
Why: "My nickname started off as a little joke," Dobey told the Daily Express in 2017. "I used to come in wearing what I want for darts -- shorts, a peak baseball cap, whatever I felt comfortable in. Someone shouted 'Who do you think you are, some kind of Hollywood star?' The name stuck."
Walk-on song: "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
Why: For years, Dobey had made his way to the stage to '"Let's Get Ready to Rumble," but he recently opted to switch to The Beatles' classic partly because of its popularity with his fellow Newcastle United supporters.
"I feel like I needed a change. I've looked for a long time now. It's something that makes the crowd happy now and it's a well-known song," Dobey said. "And it resonates with Newcastle. It's the song that Newcastle United fans sing.
"It does mean a lot that way as well and it's got something from the North-East to take with it."
Gerwyn 'The Iceman' Price
Nickname: 'The Iceman'
Why: Price told Sky Sports that 'The Iceman' was his friend's idea.
"I didn't have a name and my mate said why don't you be called ''The Iceman' Price?'.
"It sort of rhymes with your name and you've got to have Ice Ice Baby, and I just stuck with it. It just came off the back of one of my mate's giving it to me!"
Walk-on song: "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla (although Price's song often changes and has done recently)
Why: As mentioned above, the song was picked to go alongside his nickname.
'The Giant' Gian van Veen
Nickname: 'The Giant'
Why: The Dutchman's nickname refers to his 6 foot 4 inch frame and it is one letter off his first name.
Walk-on song: "Astronomia" by Vicetone & Tony Igy / "Loose Wrist" by Marco Schuitmaker, Donny and Russo
Why: Van Veen has tended to enter to the heavy house remix "Astronomia" but he has also changed things up by using "Loose Wrist" -- a darts song created by Marco Schuitmaker, Donny and Russo.
"A few months back, I was approached by Russo if he could make an attendance number for me. At the time I said: fine," Van Veen told AD.nl. "A few weeks later Russo told me he had enlisted the help of Marco Schuitmaker and Donnie and asked me if I wanted to use it at the World Darts Championship. There's a nice beat in it so I like that."
Nathan 'The Asp' Aspinall
Nickname: 'The Asp'
Why: There's no specific backstory here. The nickname is simply a shortened/punned version of his surname cut back to what is the modern anglicisation of the Ancient Greek word "aspis" which refers to a venomous species of snake found in in the Nile region.
Walk-on song: "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers
Why: "Mr. Brightside" has proved so popular that some have argued it has helped his case for inclusion in the Premier League. Aspinall explained the decision behind his signature tune in an interview with Planet Sport last year.
"I was trying to think of a song a few years ago and I was out. It was New Years Eve, I just got beat in the 2019 semifinal [of the world championship] against Michael Smith. I went out that night and I was trying to think of a new song. Mr. Brightside came on and everyone went mental. I was like 'that's the one.'
"It's worked wonders for me. My popularity just from that song has been massive."
Rob 'Voltage' Cross
Nickname: 'Voltage'
Why: Cross is nicknamed 'Voltage' because he was an electrician before becoming a professional darts player.
Walk-on song: "Hot Hot Hot" by Arrow
Why: Cross has experimented with a few walk-ons but is most associated with the sunny sounding "Hot Hot Hot." But he told Sky Sports that it was not necessarily his choice.
"When I started out we went through a fair few songs. I developed a lot faster so it was hard to get a walk-on song.
"We had this one chosen, we had input from the PDC. It wasn't my personal choice. Target and everyone around me had an input so I ended up with that song. I don't mind it, it's alright but it's what to have at the right time, I suppose."
Michael 'Bully Boy' Smith
Nickname: 'Bully Boy'
Why: Smith explained in an interview with the Mirror that his moniker derives from a previous job helping deliver calves on a farm.
"I used to work on a cattle farm in Littleborough, and I loved it, but it was hard graft and I wouldn't do it for a living," he said. "That's where I got my 'Bully Boy' nickname -- it was nothing to do with darts. When the cows gave birth, the farm owner -- who used to be a bouncer at my auntie's pub -- got me to help with tagging the new-born calves.
"For 35 minutes, I got slammed in cowpats and cow's muck. They didn't always like it and I had one on its back, my fingers in its nose, legs in the air. He called me a bully, and that's how the nickname stuck.
"For the record, I'm not a bully or an aggressive person by nature -- far from it -- but when I needed a nickname, that's what came to mind."
Walk-on song: "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon
Why: The former world champion admitted to Sky Sports that he isn't a particular fan of his own entry music.
"My walk-on has kind of stuck now. I thought about Robin S, "Show Me Love" and I was thinking of "Dance Monkey" -- that was my favourite tune at one time.
"There were a couple of songs that my son Junior liked, it was all off 'Sing' and 'Trolls', so cartoon music. They are really good, but I just think I'm stuck with 'Walk the Moon' now. I don't even have it on my phone. I've heard it so many times I don't really like it! Everyone else seems to though so I don't think I'll change now, I'm associated with that song now."
Peter 'Snakebite' Wright
Nickname: 'Snakebite'
Why: Despite earlier reports to the contrary, Wright has said his nickname is nothing to do with the drink snakebite -- a mix of cider and lager.
"I just like snakes. I'm a bit like a snake -- I'm a quiet person who likes to be left alone, but if you keep poking me, I'll bite you," he told the BBC.
Walk-on song: "Don't Stop the Party" by Pitbull ft. TJR
Why: Wright has been associated with several walk-on songs during his years on stage. He is, though, most associated with Pitbull's "Don't Stop the Party."
He told Sky Sports he picks the song that he thinks will get the crowd going.
"Obviously I've had quite a few walk-on tunes. I choose a walk on tune that actually means something to me or I think we can get a crowd involved," Wright said.
"I listen to the radio during the day when I practice then you put yourself in that position, imagine myself walking onto that tune and whether it will be good or not."