You think you know them. You grew up with the red and green hats, the high-pitched "wahoo," and the constant kidnappings. But honestly, the history behind Mario Bros character names is way weirder than most fans realize. It isn't just a list of random Japanese sounds translated for Western kids. It’s a messy, decades-long saga involving angry landlords, legal battles with Universal Studios, and some very specific 80s rock stars.
The Landlord Who Changed Everything
Let's get the big one out of the way. Mario wasn't always Mario. In 1981, he was "Jumpman." Before that? Shigeru Miyamoto just called him "Mr. Video." He was supposed to be a placeholder character that Miyamoto hoped to sneak into every game he made, kinda like a Hitchcock cameo.
But then the American branch of Nintendo got involved. While they were working in a warehouse in Tukwila, Washington, their landlord—a man named Mario Segale—reportedly barged into a meeting demanding back rent. The team was stressed. They were broke. But they had a sense of humor. They decided to name their protagonist after the man knocking on their door.
Segale wasn't exactly a gamer. In a 1993 interview with the Seattle Times, when asked about his digital namesake, he famously joked, "I’m still waiting for my royalty checks."
The Brother Nobody Asked For
Luigi’s birth in 1983 was even more practical. Nintendo needed a second player for the Mario Bros. arcade game. They couldn't afford new memory for a totally different character, so they just palette-swapped Mario’s red to green.
The name? It's a pun.
In Japanese, ruigi means "similar." Since he was literally just a green copy of his brother, the name fit perfectly. It’s a bit of a "little brother" tragedy when your name is literally just the word for "the other guy who looks like that one."
Why Peach and Bowser Keep Changing
If you grew up in the 80s or early 90s, you didn't know a "Princess Peach." You knew Princess Toadstool.
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It wasn't a mistake. It was a localization choice. Nintendo of America thought "Peach" sounded too Japanese or perhaps just not "regal" enough for a US audience. It wasn't until 1996’s Super Mario 64 that she finally sent us a letter signed "Peach," effectively killing off the Toadstool moniker for good.
The Turtle King’s Identity Crisis
Bowser has a similar dual identity. In Japan, he is exclusively known as Koopa (or Kuppa).
The name comes from a Korean dish called gukbap. Miyamoto was hungry. He was considering naming the villain after various spicy foods, and gukbap won out. When the game moved West, "Koopa" became the name of the entire species, and the leader was given the more intimidating name "Bowser."
Honestly, "King Gukbap" doesn't have the same ring to it.
The Musical Secrets of the Koopalings
Most people assume the Koopalings are Bowser's kids. They aren't. Not anymore.
Miyamoto officially retconned this years ago, stating that Bowser Jr. is the only biological heir. The other seven are just high-ranking minions. But their names are a treasure trove for music nerds. Dayvv Brooks, a former Nintendo employee, was tasked with naming them for the US release of Super Mario Bros. 3.
Look at the roster:
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- Ludwig von Koopa: Named after Beethoven, obviously.
- Lemmy Koopa: A nod to Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead.
- Iggy Koopa: Named after the "Godfather of Punk," Iggy Pop.
- Wendy O. Koopa: A tribute to Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics.
- Morton Koopa Jr.: Named after talk show host Morton Downey Jr.
- Roy Koopa: Named after the legendary Roy Orbison.
- Larry Koopa: This is the outlier. Brooks says he just looked like a "Larry."
The Legal Legend of Donkey Kong
We can't talk about Mario Bros character names without mentioning the ape that started it all.
Universal Studios sued Nintendo, claiming Donkey Kong was a rip-off of King Kong. It was a David vs. Goliath moment. Nintendo’s lawyer, John Kirby, saved the company by proving that Universal had previously argued King Kong was in the public domain.
How did Nintendo thank him? They named a pink, round, vacuum-mouthed hero "Kirby."
As for the "Donkey" part? Miyamoto wanted a name that meant "stupid" or "stubborn" ape. He used a Japanese-to-English dictionary, found "Donkey" for stubborn, and "Kong" for gorilla. He thought it was perfect. The American staff laughed, but the name stuck.
Forgotten Faces: Pauline and Stanley
Before Peach, there was Pauline.
She was the "Lady" in the original 1981 arcade game. She was named after Polly James, the wife of Nintendo employee Don James. For decades, she was forgotten, replaced by the blonde princess. Then, Super Mario Odyssey happened, and suddenly Pauline was the Mayor of New Donk City.
And then there's Stanley the Bugman.
He was the protagonist of Donkey Kong 3. He hasn't been seen in a mainline game in decades. Most fans have no idea who he is, yet he’s technically part of the family. He’s the "forgotten" brother of the Mario universe, left behind while the others became global icons.
Semantic Evolution: Wario and Waluigi
The villains' names are linguistic gymnastics.
Wario is a portmanteau of the Japanese word warui (meaning bad) and Mario. It literally means "Bad Mario."
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Waluigi takes it a step further.
Warui + Luigi = Waruigi.
But in Japanese, the sounds "L" and "R" are interchangeable. It’s a perfect pun that works in two languages simultaneously. Most people just think they added a "Wa" to be annoying, but it’s actually some of the smartest naming in gaming history.
The Truth About the "Mario Brothers" Last Name
Do they have a last name? It depends on who you ask and what year it is.
In the 1993 live-action movie—the one with the weird lizard people—the characters are named Mario Mario and Luigi Mario. This was a joke based on the fact that they are called the "Mario Brothers."
For years, Nintendo denied this. Shigeru Miyamoto told Game Informer that just like Mickey Mouse, Mario is just Mario. He has no last name.
However, in 2015, during the 30th-anniversary festival in Tokyo, Miyamoto seemingly changed his mind and "confirmed" that their names are indeed Mario Mario and Luigi Mario.
It’s canon. It’s ridiculous. It’s Nintendo.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Check the manuals: If you find an old NES manual, you'll see "Princess Toadstool." These are becoming collector's items partly because of the name changes.
- Listen to the Japanese audio: In games like Smash Bros, listen to how the announcer says "Koopa" instead of "Bowser."
- Observe the Koopaling designs: Now that you know they are named after rock stars, look at Roy’s glasses or Wendy’s attitude. The character designs finally make sense.
If you want to track the evolution of these names further, the best place to start is the original arcade flyers from the early 80s. They show a version of gaming history that Nintendo has mostly polished away, but the "stubborn" donkey and the "similar" brother are still there, hiding in the code.
To continue your journey into Mushroom Kingdom history, you should look into the specific development notes of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, where many of the modern enemy names were first solidified.