Stark

Stark is a surname of German origin derived from the adjective stark, meaning strong or powerful. Over centuries it spread to English-speaking lands and is now found among populations in Europe and the Americas. In addition to its use as a family name, Stark appears as a toponymic element in various place names across the United States, including counties and towns named Stark.

In popular culture, Stark is most widely recognized as the surname of Tony Stark, the Marvel Comics character known as Iron Man. In the comics and in films, Tony Stark is a genius inventor and industrialist; his company is Stark Industries, a major fictional corporation within the Marvel Universe. The name has also been used for various other fictional characters and works.

The word stark is also an English adjective with several senses: it can mean bare, empty, or severe, as in stark landscape or stark contrast. It can also imply blunt or complete, as in stark honesty. The term’s usage in English predates its appearance as a surname and as a place name, and it remains common in descriptive language as well as in personal and geographic identifiers.