Home › Japan › Game Characters' Real-Life Inspirations › Mario
Mario's Real Name: Named after Mario Segale
creator/company confirmed
Mario (マリオ) 本名: Named after Mario Segale (マリオ・シーガル)
Answer: Mario was named after Mario Segale, the landlord of Nintendo of America's first US warehouse. Before that, the character was called "Jumpman."
Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong (1981), designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, where he was called Jumpman. As Nintendo of America prepared the game in the US, the character was renamed Mario. The widely reported account from Nintendo of America staff is that the name came from Mario Segale, who owned the warehouse in Tukwila, Washington, that Nintendo rented, after he confronted them about late rent.
Miyamoto has said in interviews that the name was given by Nintendo of America and that he liked it. Segale, a real-estate developer, rarely spoke about it. He died in 2018, and his death was covered by major outlets including The Seattle Times and The New York Times.
FAQ
Who was Mario named after? Mario Segale, Nintendo of America's warehouse landlord.
What was Mario's original name? Jumpman, in Donkey Kong (1981).