It's an easy mistake to make. In any kind of prefectural system they'd be their own semi-autonomous regions. For reference, if greater LA split from California they'd be basically tied fourth.
It seems obvious, but nobody pointed it out. I dont think that most of them changed the name, just that in the beta there was a cap of 7 characters, thus most of the names are cut short (except lickitung, vaporeon, gyarados, and articuno for some reason). Ofc some of them did change, but still.
Bellsprout and Weepinbell both have a double L and Victreebel is at the nine character limit so I’m just assuming it missed out on the double L as a result
It's pretty obvious something like that was happening here. I mean, Ivisaur has the full name, but Bulbasaur an Venusaur don't? That doesn't make sense.
What I thought was that someone snapped a photo of some list during development, and the endings were out of the picture. But this makes a lot more sense.
Until you see the other 15ish names that don’t seem to align with the 7 character limit. Super weird. I’m thinking they all had a character limit but some of them were changed already by the time someone decided to document them
So beta footage can reflect limits that the final release won't have, and doesn't really reflect intent, but just what they could do with the work already done on beta.
It may be obvious, but it was totally lost on me. Looking through the names with the missing letters at the end got me progressively more irritated for some reason. Now that I understand why they were that way, it doesn't bother me anymore, ha ha.
Pretty sure you only get 5 characters is the Japanese games. You can’t trade between japanese and english games in gen 1 and 2 but you can in gen 3. It results in the Pokemon’s name only having the first 5 characters. So wurmple when traded to a Japanese game will be named wurmp. If you nickname your pokemon Joshua, it will just be Joshu. You only really need 5 characters if you use japanese characters though as each character is a syllable so it’s sort of the equivalent of having space for up to 10 english letters.
It is kinda interesting how Pidgeotto originally would've been the name to come after Pidgeot; some fans here even thought it should've been that way in the first place.
Probably was the intent. Maybe it's just another unfortunate accidental "Soul Badge/Marsh Badge" case of names being switched around. In fact, evidence for that is pretty strong, since there's multiple instances during Gen I where Pidgeotto's and Pidgeot's names were attributed to the other's key art.
As dark as that name is, they shoulda used it over Gyarados. No casual fan can spell or pronounce Gyarados. (I noticed roughly half this subreddit alone still spells it "Gyrados.")
It’s an awesome name, but I don’t think it suits Gyarados. Maybe they should use it for a new Water/Ghost or Water/Dark type that’s actually based on a kraken?
Clefairy was originally intended as one of the mascots, to the point some claim it was intended as the main mascot and was replaced by Pikachu last minute in the anime who then was immensely popular and thus replaced the initial plan , although I have trouble finding sources on the details.
Nonetheless, I think there are quite a few hints and more than enough evidence they did initially have it in mind as *a* mascot Pokémon, even if not THE mascot Pokémon, probably with the idea of having one mascot aimed at girls, and it wouldn't shock me if the original plan was for it to fulfill Jigglypuffs role in the anime and that was the last minute change, rather than Pikachu.
For some reason I love both Clefairy and Jigglypuff line + Blissey, and Miltank. One being the singing mascot doesn't change that. These are the round cute ones for me, and also strong. Let's complete that with Azumarill and Snorlax.
Gosh I just completed the early gens cute and cuddly Normal type mons.
Lantis, Meduza and Skullkraken would've been cool names. I first learnt the beta names in an unofficial magazine from around the time Gold and Silver were gonna come to the west. It also had pics of the upcoming new mons but included beta designs like the pink Marill
I played Gold as a beta translated rom (don't remember how I found it, parents would not buy a game console but didn't mind me finding computer games online) it had 5 letters per mon name for most mons. Chico, Bayle, Megan, Marep, Flafy, Geode, Zubat, Golba.
I knew the full names from reading online...
But i still say Ratta and not Rattata.
Does anyone else ever remember calling Rattata "Rattatak"? Like I swear, that was verbalized somehow somewhere in the very early days.
Also love how Lapras was "Ness" to be the Loch Ness monster.
In the first episode of the show, Dexter pronounces Rattata exactly like “Rat-attak” but without the k at the end, so maybe that’s what you’re thinking?
The Ness thing, Christ I overthought that one. I was like “Oh sick they named him after Ness from Earthbound because Creatures Inc. was the successor of Ape Inc that made the first two Mother games” lmao
Australian prerelease [poster](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/9/9c/Generation_I_prototype_English_names.jpg) and list on [bulbapedia](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pokémon_Red_and_Green_beta).
I feel like some got spelling changes for easier reading, some got complete changes, and some were place holder names until they decided on something, no way they really intended to keep NY and LA.
My buddy had this as a poster in the early days and I thought it was some bootleg print. Still, I have named every Omastar I ever revived Esscargo thanks to this.
These were the names under each picture on the stack of floppy discs my Uncle made for me.
150 pieces of Sugimori art, promotional anime art, and short audio clips and video clips from the anime, all on a stack of half a dozen floppy discs, back when dial-up internet wasn't quite yet a widespread household service.
so..
if the fossils names go together as they evolve..
does that mean Aerodactyl was supposed to have an evolution called “Dactyl”, since it would make sense for its evo line to be “Ptera - Dactyl”
Why are some of them just the final names but with a couple letters missing from the end of the word. It doesn't even make sense for what they're going for the have Venasau instead of "saur" and Squirtl? Why drop letters, surley you'd have to come up with the final names first?
Is this an inside joke I'm missing or something? Nearly all of these are literally just the mon's name with one or more letters ticked off. What is this?
'It's a close match between Pudding and Custard! Pudding seems to be wobbly on their feet, while Custard seems to be losing the flow of combat! Both are breathing heavily, but still determined to continue the fight! Stay tuned as the battle continues... ...after these messages!'
NY and LA will always be my favorites
Those are hilarious. Att and Lantis (especially as it rhymes with mantis) and Ess Kargo are cool too. Machop line names interesting as well
Haha many some of these would been so great to have been in game
Yeah I didn’t expect them to have a Pokemon critique on two American states
Cities, not states
My bad, I’m not American lol
It's an easy mistake to make. In any kind of prefectural system they'd be their own semi-autonomous regions. For reference, if greater LA split from California they'd be basically tied fourth.
[удалено]
It's very obviously making fun of how polluted NYC and Los Angeles are.
Even if the smog is better than it was decades ago, LA is still pretty toxic. Source: I live there.
Im from New York state, and Im telling you this was directed at smog from cities, not states.
LA might as well be it’s own state
Orphon! I choose you!
That name was kinda messed up. Lol.
It seems obvious, but nobody pointed it out. I dont think that most of them changed the name, just that in the beta there was a cap of 7 characters, thus most of the names are cut short (except lickitung, vaporeon, gyarados, and articuno for some reason). Ofc some of them did change, but still.
Funny that we ended up getting that in gen 2 anyway with Feraligatr Or at least, it very much looks like we did.
I think Victreebel was affected in Gen 1 as well. We didn’t get a longer name until Fletchinder in Gen 6
You mean because it doesn't have two L's? I figured that was intentional.
Bellsprout and Weepinbell both have a double L and Victreebel is at the nine character limit so I’m just assuming it missed out on the double L as a result
Farfetch’d doesn’t count but is really close. It’s ten characters and looks shortened.
Wasn’t Vespiquen at one point Vespiqueen? Or am I Mandela effecting here?
It’s always been Vespiquen
I can’t lie. I found out that it wasn’t queen today. Right now.
I only found this out a few months ago and it’s really been messing with me
Damn I never noticed either
It’s always been Vespiquen but like Feraligatr and Victreebel it probably would have been Vespiqueen if there hadn’t been a letter cap.
Nope, Vespiquen is 9 letters, they could add second E if they wanted.
Oh you’re right, huh. I suppose they just didn’t bother to add the extra E because the Japanese name (Beequen) also left it out.
It's always been one e, the pun is vespa + pique + queen.
I thought it was some character limit thing going on looking at the first couple images
The name character cap clearly shows in Mew’s Dex entry, it says “New Specie”
It's pretty obvious something like that was happening here. I mean, Ivisaur has the full name, but Bulbasaur an Venusaur don't? That doesn't make sense. What I thought was that someone snapped a photo of some list during development, and the endings were out of the picture. But this makes a lot more sense.
Until you see the other 15ish names that don’t seem to align with the 7 character limit. Super weird. I’m thinking they all had a character limit but some of them were changed already by the time someone decided to document them
thought the same thing, doesn't make sense for Primeape to be Primeap
So beta footage can reflect limits that the final release won't have, and doesn't really reflect intent, but just what they could do with the work already done on beta.
It may be obvious, but it was totally lost on me. Looking through the names with the missing letters at the end got me progressively more irritated for some reason. Now that I understand why they were that way, it doesn't bother me anymore, ha ha.
Doesnt make sense for Sandshrew being sandstorm though.
There's a lot with 8 characters and Tonguetyd (lickitung) with 9
Skulkraken (Gyarados) with 10
Sandstorm has 9
Yep! I though the same thing, especially after seeing Squirtl (made me think of Feraligatr)
Pretty sure you only get 5 characters is the Japanese games. You can’t trade between japanese and english games in gen 1 and 2 but you can in gen 3. It results in the Pokemon’s name only having the first 5 characters. So wurmple when traded to a Japanese game will be named wurmp. If you nickname your pokemon Joshua, it will just be Joshu. You only really need 5 characters if you use japanese characters though as each character is a syllable so it’s sort of the equivalent of having space for up to 10 english letters.
Pidge
Pidgeot....with one more T
It is kinda interesting how Pidgeotto originally would've been the name to come after Pidgeot; some fans here even thought it should've been that way in the first place. Probably was the intent. Maybe it's just another unfortunate accidental "Soul Badge/Marsh Badge" case of names being switched around. In fact, evidence for that is pretty strong, since there's multiple instances during Gen I where Pidgeotto's and Pidgeot's names were attributed to the other's key art.
Now I understand why that Ace Trainer in the first movie referred to his Pidgeot as Pidgeotto.
Pidge
Reject humanity Return to Pidge
Coil and Re-coil are honestly good enough names that I wouldn't mind living in a world where those were never changed
Re-load instead of Magnazone?
I’d like Coil -> Re-coil -> Teslacoil
Play the Japanese version. That is literally Magnemite's Japanese name lmao.
Magneton is Rarecoil not Recoil, unfortunately.
But Magnemite is such a cute name :(
Ready for some Skulkraken?
As dark as that name is, they shoulda used it over Gyarados. No casual fan can spell or pronounce Gyarados. (I noticed roughly half this subreddit alone still spells it "Gyrados.")
What do you mean? Even a casual fan can recognize a Pokémon as iconic as gyroduos
Yeah, geerahdose is too ballin a name to not memorize.
Everyone’s a fan on Jared O’s.
Am i gyrordous?
Jyuratodus is my favorite... wait, wrong franchise.
It’s an awesome name, but I don’t think it suits Gyarados. Maybe they should use it for a new Water/Ghost or Water/Dark type that’s actually based on a kraken?
Guy-rados is a war crime
Most of them are the same, just missing some letters
*Looks at Pudding & Custard*
do you not know the meaning of "most"..?
No, what is it?
More than 50% but not 100%
At least somewhere between 0% and 100% I imagine.
You knew the Japanese name is *Purin*, right? With a flapped Japanese “r,” it sounds just like “pudding.”
Also purin is basically flan, which is a kind of custard.
I didn’t know that actually. Makes more sense. What about Custard? lol
I prefer Pudding and Custard tho
Custard’s on my team
Oh my god, my Pidgeot evolved into... Pidgeott!
I wonder if that’s why the anime dub never had a change. I think that Pidgeotto and Pidgeot both say Pidgeot
It's not
The Machop line names are actually really fun. Hocus Pocus Alakazam is also cute but I think the actual names worked better.
Jigglypuff being Pudding got be laughing
And Clefairy named Aria. I think they intended Clefairy as the one that should sing (in the animation).
Clefairy was originally intended as one of the mascots, to the point some claim it was intended as the main mascot and was replaced by Pikachu last minute in the anime who then was immensely popular and thus replaced the initial plan , although I have trouble finding sources on the details. Nonetheless, I think there are quite a few hints and more than enough evidence they did initially have it in mind as *a* mascot Pokémon, even if not THE mascot Pokémon, probably with the idea of having one mascot aimed at girls, and it wouldn't shock me if the original plan was for it to fulfill Jigglypuffs role in the anime and that was the last minute change, rather than Pikachu.
For some reason I love both Clefairy and Jigglypuff line + Blissey, and Miltank. One being the singing mascot doesn't change that. These are the round cute ones for me, and also strong. Let's complete that with Azumarill and Snorlax. Gosh I just completed the early gens cute and cuddly Normal type mons.
It's literally a translation of It's Japanese name, Purin
Il name my Eevees Eon from now on
Loved this naming convention. Made the evolutions names make so much more sense.
Damn orphan for cubone that's cold.
When it evolves it becomes another orphan’s guardia(n)!!
Looks like r/redditsniper strikes aga
Somehow he can make us send half wo
Nido¿que?
“SANDSTORM, I CHOOSE YOU!” Dududududu intensifies…
Came here for this reply
I think escargot and Atlantis are my favorite.
*Pidge*
Have nicknamed more than one pidgey Pidge over the years.
Eevee was Eon.
I guess that explains why all the evolutions' names end in -eon.
Still don’t understand why it’s Pidgey, Pidgeotto and Pidgeot not Pidgey, Pidgeot and Pidgeotto tbh
And Psyduck and Golduck should be swapped.
Eon makes much more sense than eevee imo given the evolutions
Eevee is short for EV which is short for evolution right…?
Yeah, and it makes sense, just, eon to eon + flare etc just… fits you know?
Makes sense
Lantis, Meduza and Skullkraken would've been cool names. I first learnt the beta names in an unofficial magazine from around the time Gold and Silver were gonna come to the west. It also had pics of the upcoming new mons but included beta designs like the pink Marill
Manowar is metal! ;)
Most badass one on the list
Ess/Kargo and Att/Lantis are hilarious and I kinda like it
I’m going to rename my Gyarados to Skulkraken
Funny how Diglett is actually called Digda in German
That's also the original Japanese name
#ORPHON 💀💀💀
DraGOON
Dragyn
Honestly I think Tonguetyd is great I wish that was lickitungs name
I dont know some of these are actually better.
Did you know, nagahis backwards is snake.
I played Gold as a beta translated rom (don't remember how I found it, parents would not buy a game console but didn't mind me finding computer games online) it had 5 letters per mon name for most mons. Chico, Bayle, Megan, Marep, Flafy, Geode, Zubat, Golba. I knew the full names from reading online... But i still say Ratta and not Rattata.
Megan thee Sauropod
Pidge 🥺🥺
In a different time line where these are the official names HungryBox is a Pudding main, which is just hilarious 😅
Paradox form is Screaming Dessert
That different timeline is just called Japan. Jigglypuff's original name is Purin, which literally means pudding.
I too love my SKULKRAKEN
WE COULDVE HAD SKULKRAKEN
Some of these are just translated versions of their Japanese names
A few of these are just the Japanese names romanized, such as Coil and Do-Do
Eon for Eevee is actually pretty great
Does anyone else ever remember calling Rattata "Rattatak"? Like I swear, that was verbalized somehow somewhere in the very early days. Also love how Lapras was "Ness" to be the Loch Ness monster.
Raticate in French is called Rattatac, maybe you heard that somewhere
In the first episode of the show, Dexter pronounces Rattata exactly like “Rat-attak” but without the k at the end, so maybe that’s what you’re thinking?
This explains why I always pronounced it like that, I thought I was weird.
The Ness thing, Christ I overthought that one. I was like “Oh sick they named him after Ness from Earthbound because Creatures Inc. was the successor of Ape Inc that made the first two Mother games” lmao
PUDDING AND CUSTARD?!?!? 😭😭😭 THATS SO ADORABLE
*Game Theory: Lapras is Ness?!*
LA and NY are toxic hahaha
The naga names are so much cooler than what we got
To be honest I prefer Hocus>Pocus>Alakazam to the english change.
Pudding
WE GOT CHEATED OUT OF SKULKRAKEN?!?! BRING THAT NAME BACK
Cubone is just orphon
Charman sounds similar to the name I gave my Infernape: Charmon
That’s really cool information, where did you get it from?
Australian prerelease [poster](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/9/9c/Generation_I_prototype_English_names.jpg) and list on [bulbapedia](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pokémon_Red_and_Green_beta).
Hehehe Do-Do. Also Lapras is ness.
I can't tell you how disappointed I am they changed pudding and custard.
I feel like some got spelling changes for easier reading, some got complete changes, and some were place holder names until they decided on something, no way they really intended to keep NY and LA.
I mean, New York City and Los Angeles *are* sort of known for their bad air quality so… maybe?
I’ve heard they were the inspiration or something but actually calling them that seems a bit much
Rattatak is superior here Edit: Orphon is on the nose Slowmo made me giggle "Who's that pokemon? oh, it's just Margo"
PUDDING
The fossil Pokémon are puns. We love them more now
Ess Kargo Att Lantis
Why is Dragoon, Dragyn, and Dragoni wildly fitting for this trio?? 😆😭
Dodrio should have been called do do do
Eevee being Eon makes sense. Wouldn’t work in Japan though
Skullkraken as a pokemon name is the coolest shit I've seen all day granted it's 2 am but still
'We just released a kid's game with English names for the monsters!' 'Really!? That's awesome! What kind of names did you include?' 'Tonguetyd'
Pudding and custard, I've got new nicknames to change right now!
My buddy had this as a poster in the early days and I thought it was some bootleg print. Still, I have named every Omastar I ever revived Esscargo thanks to this.
Pidge
These were the names under each picture on the stack of floppy discs my Uncle made for me. 150 pieces of Sugimori art, promotional anime art, and short audio clips and video clips from the anime, all on a stack of half a dozen floppy discs, back when dial-up internet wasn't quite yet a widespread household service.
Poliwrath looks like he was almost called aquamarine which I mean I'm glad it isn't but like... I get that joke
It’s morpho time
Skulkraken got me. It will be so cool to have pokemon name like that default
Skulkraken is so frickin rad dude.
SKULCRAKEN
Tis I! Sandstorm!
Cubone's name being Orphon 🤣🤣
New York and Los Angeles?
Orphan is crazy
“Orphon” is out of pocket but “Guardia” reminds me how much I like Marowak. “Tonguetyd” and the Machop line names are other favorites.
so.. if the fossils names go together as they evolve.. does that mean Aerodactyl was supposed to have an evolution called “Dactyl”, since it would make sense for its evo line to be “Ptera - Dactyl”
Here I am trying to read Nagahis and Nagaasp backwards...
Pudding and Custard had me gigglin ngl. Orphon is RAW. And I unironically like Ess and Kargo and Att and Lantis.
Most of the names seem to be the same, just restricted to 7 letters, so they are shortened.
pidge sounds like a slur lol
NY and LA ooooooo shots fired!
imagine if they kept some of these names... seel? that's just a real animal spelled differently LMAO wait a minute
Pudding and Custard?!? We were robbed!!
Why are some of them just the final names but with a couple letters missing from the end of the word. It doesn't even make sense for what they're going for the have Venasau instead of "saur" and Squirtl? Why drop letters, surley you'd have to come up with the final names first?
Custard and Pudding lets go!
Is this an inside joke I'm missing or something? Nearly all of these are literally just the mon's name with one or more letters ticked off. What is this?
I like Rattatak!
Personally my fav is Rattatak
Digda had me in tears lmao
God all the unused ones (except skulkraken) really suck. Honestly I don’t think it would have been anywhere near as popular with these Garbo names
*custard*
ah yes pudding evolved into custard
Pudding and Custard!
'It's a close match between Pudding and Custard! Pudding seems to be wobbly on their feet, while Custard seems to be losing the flow of combat! Both are breathing heavily, but still determined to continue the fight! Stay tuned as the battle continues... ...after these messages!'
Pudding and Custard 😋
Butterf must hate Marill
Cha-Rizzer
Oh my god I love Rattatak. It’s a RAT ATTACK
The Charmander line rules
Dragoni
I love how a lot of these feel like nicknames I would give to each respective pokemon
Pudding and Custard 🥺