Super Mario fans just realising where iconic character got his name
Mario is arguably one of the most popular video game characters of all time – but fans are only just discovering how the Italian plumber got his name. If you know anything about gaming, you probably know who Mario is. Not only is he the star of the Super Mario series and several other games in the wider Mario franchise, but he's also the mascot for Nintendo.
The Mario franchise is the best-selling video game franchise of all time, with more than 830 million copies sold – including 430 million from Super Mario games alone. You'll see people dressed as Mario at fancy dress parties and Halloween events, and he's instantly recognisable around the world. But why is he called Mario?
Mario first appeared in the 1981 game Donkey Kong, but at the time, he was simply known as "Jumpman". It wasn't until the 1982 sequel, Donkey Kong Jr., that he was renamed Mario and started on his path to global stardom.
Fans have been left baffled after discovering why the name was changed and how the developers settled on Mario. The question was asked by a fan on the forum Quora, when they asked: "Why is Mario called Mario?"
Those in the know were quick to respond, with many saying the name has interesting origins. It turns out the character was named after Mario Segale, an American businessman and real estate developer.
Segale owned a warehouse in Tukwila, Washington, that Nintendo was renting out in the early 1980s. When Minoru Arakawa, the founder and former president of Nintendo of America, fell behind on his rent for the warehouse, Segale turned up to "angrily remind" him about his payment - and ended up inspiring the team.
One fan wrote on Quora: "Could have been Shigeru Miyamoto, but I'm going with former Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa as a means to mock their then-landlord Mario Seagale, which in turn, turned Jumpman into Mario when the character became the antagonist in Donkey Kong Jr."
Another explained: "Mario is called Mario because he was named after Mario Segale, who was the landlord of Nintendo of America's office, after barging in on a company meeting to demand payment of overdue rent."
The history behind the name was also explored in Jeff Ryan's book, Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America, in which he claimed Segale had almost "jumped up and down himself" in anger about the rent, making him look just like Jumpman.
The book states: "Around this time, the Tukwila warehouse's owner showed up in person to angrily remind Arakawa about the rent. As the legend goes, the owner, Mario Segale, interrupted a conversation over what to call Jumpman. Segale said his piece, and he grew so incensed he almost jumped up and down himself.
"After the landlord left, the eviction threat delivered, someone suggested the name Mario. It was a joke, since both men had moustaches. But everyone liked the name.
"If Mr. Segale had only shaved that morning, who can say what name the character on the screen might have been given? Super Carlos? Super Ivan? Super Stavros? Would that alternate-universe name have made a difference in Nintendo's success? Under any other name, would Mario play as sweet?"
Mario will next appear in Mario Kart World for the Nintendo Switch 2, which will be released as a launch game for the new console on June 5th.
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