In the manga My Hero Academia, Izuku Midoriya adopts the superhero name Deku. The name begins as an insulting nickname but is later reclaimed and given a more positive meaning in his heroic identity.
Izuku starts the series without a Quirk, the superpower possessed by most of the population. After proving his courage to the legendary hero All Might, he inherits One For All and enrolls at U.A. High School. His development involves learning to use that power without seriously injuring himself.
The nickname “Deku” comes from the Japanese word deku, which can suggest a useless person or wooden doll. Ochaco Uraraka helps Izuku reinterpret it as a name suggesting someone who can accomplish things. “Deku” is therefore not the character’s birth name: his given name is Izuku Midoriya, and the hero name reflects his growth and determination.