Exploring Nintendo's Japanese Character Names

I think everyone knows that games undergo localization changes from one region to another. In Japan, the original names of beloved characters, items, and kingdoms often reveal clever puns, cultural references, or entirely different personalities compared to the international versions we grew up playing. In this guide, we explore the authentic Japanese names of Nintendo's most famous characters.

The inspiration for this topic originally sparked after chatting about gaming trivia shared by my friend Rodrigo Coelho, who runs a well-known YouTube channel covering everything Nintendo. Exploring how these Japanese names reflect folklore, culinary jokes, and wordplay shows just how much creative care goes into character design.

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What does the name "Nintendo" mean?

In Japanese, the company name Nintendo is written with three kanji characters: [任天堂]. This combination is commonly translated as "leave luck to heaven" or "entrust your destiny to the heavens."

Breaking down the characters reveals the nuance behind this phrasing. The ideogram [天] (ten) represents heaven or the celestial realm, while [堂] (dō) denotes a hall, temple, or sanctuary. Together, [天堂] (tendō) evokes a sacred hall or paradise. The initial character [任] (nin) carries the core meaning of responsibility, duty, or entrustment, connecting directly to the verb makaseru [任せる], which means to leave something in someone else's hands.

Historians often connect the name to the traditional Japanese proverb Un o ten ni makaseru [運を天に任せる], meaning to leave one's fortune in the hands of fate and accept whatever destiny brings.

Another popular historical angle points to Nintendo's founding in Kyoto in 1889 as a manufacturer of traditional hanafuda flower cards [花札]. Because card games at the time were frequently tied to underground gambling parlors, the concept of tempting fate while upholding personal duty resonated strongly. The colorful seasonal illustrations on hanafuda decks were also celebrated for their picturesque beauty, harmonizing with the paradise imagery in the name.

Names of Nintendo games and consoles in Japanese

Game titles also undergo significant adaptation between regions. For example, The Legend of Zelda is known in Japan as Zeruda no Densetsu [ゼルダの伝説]. The worldwide phenomenon Pokémon originated as Poketto Monsutā [ポケットモンスター], literally Pocket Monsters, before being abbreviated into its globally recognized brand.

One of the most famous linguistic easter eggs appears in the adventure mode of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, known in English as World of Light. In Japanese, the mode is titled Tomoshibi no Hoshi [灯火の星], meaning Star of Light. When the kanji readings are reversed using Sino-Japanese on'yomi phonetics, the title sounds like Hoshi no Kābī [星のカービィ], the Japanese title of Kirby of the Stars. Game director Masahiro Sakurai, who created Kirby, noted that while the phonetic similarity was an extraordinary coincidence, it delighted fans who watched Kirby escape Galeem's cosmic beam as the sole survivor.

Hardware names share similar historical differences. The iconic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Super NES were launched in Japan as the Famicom [ファミコン] and Super Famicom, short for Family Computer. While Western localizations frequently adapt or transliterate foreign terms into English, exploring gaming vocabulary in Japanese provides immense insight for enthusiasts. For readers interested in wider pop culture terms, our guide to essential Japanese otaku vocabulary breaks down similar linguistic trends.

Names of Nintendo characters in Japanese: Super Mario

The Mushroom Kingdom features some of the most striking localization differences in video game history. Several iconic characters originally received names rooted in culinary humor, Japanese folklore, or visual puns that were replaced when translated for Western audiences:

• Bowser (Kuppa / クッパ): Creator Shigeru Miyamoto wanted a fierce, powerful name for the villain. He named him after gukbap, a hearty Korean beef and rice soup that he enjoyed at restaurants, initially mistaking the name for a spicy barbecue meat dish.
• Toad (Kinopio / キノピオ): The helpful mushroom attendant takes his name from kinoko [キノコ], the Japanese word for mushroom, blended with the playful suffix pio to sound like a cheerful character.
• Goomba (Kuribō / クリボー): Although designed conceptually as mushrooms, the early pixel sprite resembled a chestnut, known in Japanese as kuri [栗]. Developers affectionately nicknamed the creature "Chestnut Boy" (Kuribō), and the name became permanent in Japan.
• Princess Peach (Pīchi-hime / ピーチ姫): Originally introduced to Western players as Princess Toadstool in the 1980s, Nintendo unified her worldwide identity starting with Super Mario 64, returning to her original Japanese royal title of Peach.

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

English Name	Japanese	Romanization
Mario	マリオ	Mario
Luigi	ルイージ	Ruīji
Princess Peach	ピーチ姫	Pīchi Hime
Bowser	クッパ	Kuppa
Bowser Jr.	クッパJr.	Kuppa Jr.
Toad	キノピオ	Kinopio
Goomba	クリボー	Kuribō
Koopa Troopa	ノコノコ	Nokonoko
Koopa Paratroopa	パタパタ	Pata-pata
Rosalina	ロゼッタ	Rozetta
Luma	チコ	Chiko
Polari	バトラー	Batorā
Ray	マンタロウ	Mantarō
Bomb Boo	ボムテレサ	Bomu Teresa
Lakitu	ジュゲム	Jugemu
Bullet Bill	キラー	Kirā
Cataquack	ポイハナ	Poihana
Cheep Cheep	プクプク	Pukupuku
Electrogoomba	タコボー	Takobō
Gringill	アナゴン	Anagon
Kamek	カメック	Kamekku
Mandibug	クワカブト	Kuwakabuto
Mecha-Bowser	ミニメカクッパ	Mini Meka Kuppa
Piranha Plant	パックンフラワー	Pakkun Furawā
Spiny Piranha Plant	トゲトゲパックン	Togetoge Pakkun
Pokey	ココサンボ	Koko Sanbo
Pumpkinhead Goomba	カボクリボー	Kabo Kuribō
Thwomp	ドッスン	Dossun
Topman	トゲベーゴマン	Toge Bēgoman
Tox Box	オニマスドン	Onimasudon
Tweester	砂風くん	Suna Kaze-kun
Urchin	ウニゾー	Unizō
Wiggler	ハナチャン	Hana-chan
Baron Brrr	カチコチキング	Kachikochi King
Bouldergeist	ポルタ	Poruta
Bugaboom	クワカブトキング	Kuwakabuto Kingu

Names of Nintendo characters: Super Smash Bros in Japanese

The crossover roster of Super Smash Bros provides one of the best ways to observe how character designations vary between Japan and the rest of the world. While many names remain identical due to global branding, several legendary fighters have distinct identities in Japanese. Much like the naming patterns found in our list of Japanese character names and meanings, these titles often carry cultural references, honorifics, or unique puns.

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

English Name	Japanese	Romanization
Mario	マリオ	Mario
Donkey Kong	ドンキーコング	Donkī Kongu
Link	リンク	Rinku
Samus	サムス	Samusu
Yoshi	ヨッシー	Yosshī
Kirby	カービィ	Kābī
Fox	フォックス	Fokkusu
Pikachu	ピカチュウ	Pikachū
Luigi	ルイージ	Ruīji
Ness	ネス	Nesu
Captain Falcon	キャプテン・ファルコン	Kyaputen Farukon
Jigglypuff	プリン	Purin
Peach	ピーチ	Pīchi
Bowser	クッパ	Kuppa
Ice Climbers	アイスクライマー	Aisu Kuraimā
Sheik	シーク	Shīku
Zelda	ゼルダ	Zeruda
Dr. Mario	ドクターマリオ	Dokutā Mario
Pichu	ピチュー	Pichū
Falco	ファルコ	Faruko
Marth	マルス	Marusu
Young Link	こどもリンク	Kodomo Rinku
Ganondorf	ガノンドロフ	Ganondorofu
Mewtwo	ミュウツー	Myūtsū
Mr. Game & Watch	Mr.ゲーム&ウォッチ	Misutā Gēmu & Wotchi
Meta Knight	メタナイト	Meta Naito
Pit	ピット	Pitto
Zero Suit Samus	ゼロスーツサムス	Zero Sūtsu Samusu
Wario	ワリオ	Wario
Snake	スネーク	Sunēku
Ike	アイク	Aiku
Diddy Kong	ディディーコング	Didī Kongu
Lucas	リュカ	Ryuka
Sonic	ソニック	Sonikku
King Dedede	デデデ大王	Dedede Daiō
Olimar	ピクミン&オリマー	Pikumin & Orimā
Lucario	ルカリオ	Rukario
R.O.B.	ロボット	Robotto
Toon Link	トゥーンリンク	Tūn Rinku
Wolf	ウルフ	Urufu
Villager	むらびと	Murabito
Mega Man	ロックマン	Rokkuman
Wii Fit Trainer	Wii Fit トレーナー	Wī Fitto Torēnā
Rosalina & Luma	ロゼッタ&チコ	Rozetta & Chiko
Little Mac	リトル・マック	Ritoru Makku
Greninja	ゲッコウガ	Gekkouga
Palutena	パルテナ	Parutena
Robin	ルフレ	Rufure
Shulk	シュルク	Shuruku
Bowser Jr.	クッパJr.	Kuppa Jr.
Duck Hunt	ダックハント	Dakku Hanto
Corrin	カムイ	Kamui
Inkling	インクリング	Inkuringu
Ridley	リドリー	Ridorī
King K. Rool	キングクルール	Kingu Kurūru
Isabelle	しずえ	Shizue
Incineroar	ガオガエン	Gaogaen

Comparing these Japanese and international character names highlights how localization bridges cultural gaps. Whether it is Shigeru Miyamoto naming Bowser after a comforting Korean soup or Masahiro Sakurai weaving clever wordplay into Smash Bros game modes, these details add an extra layer of appreciation to every playthrough.

Which Japanese character name surprised you the most? Did you prefer the original Japanese titles or the localized Western names? Share your thoughts in the comments below!