People often ask, what is Mario’s last name? So, we’re plumbing the depths of the Mario family tree, and finding the answer once and for all.
Mario. Cher. Zendaya. Madonna. Adele. What do they all have in common? If you ask most people, it’s the fact they only have one name. But, Mario isn’t a pop star with a unique moniker so iconic he doesn’t need a second name, he’s just a man. Just an ordinary plumbing man. So, he must have a second name, right? Wait, what is Mario’s last name?
What is Mario’s last name?
First things first, it’s important to consider that Nintendo has bestowed many names upon the man we now know as Mario. Over the years, Mario has evolved, and his moniker has changed alongside him. First of all, during the development of the original 1981 Donkey Kong arcade cabinet, the development team just called the main character “Ossan” which basically means middle-aged man in Japanese. However, soon creator Shigeru Miyamoto started to call him Mr. Video.
Then, when Nintendo released the Donkey Kong arcade cabinet, the developers named the mustachioed man “Jumpman”, and you can even spot a brief cameo from Jumpman in The Super Mario Bros. Movie by an arcade cabinet in the diner near the start of the film. Of course, Donkey Kong was the real star of the eponymous arcade cabinet, and Mario wouldn’t earn his name until his own game.
In 1983 Nintendo developed and released the Mario Bros. arcade game, finally giving Jumpman a more personal title. Nintendo named the character after Mario Segale, an Italian-American man who was the landlord of a warehouse used by Nintendo of America.
The next change to Mario’s name came in 1993, with the debut of the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie starring Bob Hoskins as the titular hero and John Leguizamo as Luigi. While it’s played as a joke, during the film Mario reveals that he and Luigi call themselves the Mario Bros because they share the last name, Mario. Making them Mario Mario, and Luigi Mario.
Nintendo has done a lot to distance itself from the original Super Mario Bros. movie, and for good reason, but in 2012 Game Informer held an interview with Mario’s creator Shigeru Miyamoto, where he touched on that strange naming convention. Miyamoto comments “So, they made him “Mario Mario.” I heard this and laughed rather loudly. Of course, this was ultimately included in the film. Based on the film, that’s [how] their names ended up. But, just like Mickey Mouse doesn’t really have a last name, Mario is really just Mario and Luigi is really just Luigi.”
Well, there we have it, folks. We hope that convoluted explanation finally puts your queries to bed! If you want even more great Mario goodness, be sure to check out our guide to the best Mario wallpapers next.
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Nathan Ellingsworth Nate is a Pokémon obsessed Nintendo historian, old enough to remember the original grey Game Boy and he’s probably played every Nintendo game you can think of. While he adores Zelda, Mario, and RPGs, he also loves to highlight indie games and has a soft spot for a good soundtrack. With words in TheGamer, Nintendo Life, Lock On, and plenty of Nintendo magazines, he’s always out to bring you the best news and guides on Pokémon and Switch games. That’s when he isn’t collecting amiibo, shiny Pokémon, or building a competitive team.