In The Matrix (1999), the hacker known online as Neo is named Thomas Anderson.
Thomas Anderson works as a computer programmer during the day and secretly explores computer networks under the alias Neo. The name “Neo” is an anagram of “One,” reflecting the prophecy that he may be the person capable of changing the struggle between humans and machines.
The film deliberately presents Thomas Anderson and Neo as two identities belonging to the same person. His office life is tightly controlled and routine, while his nighttime hacking reflects his suspicion that the world is not what it seems. Morpheus and Trinity eventually find him and guide him toward the truth about the Matrix.
A frequent mistake is to answer “Neo” when the question asks for his first name. Neo is his hacker alias and later his chosen identity; Thomas is his given first name. Keanu Reeves plays the character in the film, which was released in 1999.