Cartoons

The names of international cartoon characters usually are maintained in the original language, but sometimes they are translated into the local language. In general, the reasons to do it are very complex. It might be historical reasons: Nowadays it is more globalized, but in the past, when the dubbing and the editorial teams were more fragmented, it was more common to adapt, not only to the script or the orthography but also to find a complete new and different title. Those are the cultural reasons. The translator may consider that the name needs to be changed, otherwise, it would sound bad.

Disney’s ducks

Huey, Dewey & Louie

It is surprising how often the names of the three nephews have been adapted to the local audiences. More than other cartoon characters. As can be seen, just some languages use English names literally or their transcription. Others chose native names that sound more familiar: in Spanish (diminutive of John, George, James in Spain; Hugh, James, and Louis in America; except in Argentina where they are Hugh, Frank, and Louis), Portuguese (diminutive of Hugh, Joseph, Louis; in Brazil before had other names) and Catalan (diminutive of John, George, James).

Names are sound: The most peculiar cases are the onomatopoeias: in Italian “qua qua”, In Dutch “kwak kwak” or “kwaak kwaak” and in Danish is “rap rap”. Icelandic probably took the names from Danish, however, they say “bra bra” so the onomatopoeic reference is not so evident.

Donald Duck

On the other hand, his uncle’s name changes very little. As a matter of fact, only a few languages do not know him as Donald. For example, in Italian “Paolino” is translated as Paul (Paperino is “gosling or duckling”); Danish “Anders” and Icelandic “Andrés” are Andrew; in Swedish is Carl “Kalle”; in Finnish “Aku” could be translated as Augustin; “Paško” is the Slavic name for Pascal, and in Slovenian “Jaka” is Jacob or James, same as Erzya “Jaku”.

Scrooge McDuck

Donald’s uncle is known as Scrooge McDuck. The name “Scrooge” is relatively modern, having been created by Charles Dickens and first appearing in his famous story “A Christmas Carol” in 1843. While this name is widely recognized in some countries, most countries opt to use a translated version in their local language.

On one side, it is possible to translate his name into their local languages. For example, in Polish, he is known as Sknerus McKwacz, and in Turkish, he is Varyemez Amca. An interesting point here is that Turkish (and other languages) has two words for uncle: “amca” for a paternal uncle and “dayı” for a maternal uncle. The thing is that Scrooge is supposed to be a maternal uncle.

On the other hand, some countries choose to use local names like Joakim or Dagobert. This is an easy solution, but it loses the original wordplay. In some languages, the name isn’t even a proper name but one derived from the word “duck.”

Mickey Mouse

FAQ:

Who does not know the name of this cartoon?

Is there on the planet someone who does not call him Mickey Mouse? Well, it does. In many cases, languages choose to adopt the name Mickey phonetically: Miki. Much better! Some even dare to do it with his surname “Maus”. However, in German, it is not, it the translation of mouse. So it does Czech Myšák, Hungarian Egér, Finnish Hiiri, or Turkish Fare among others.

“In my country, we do not call it…”

True. But it has changed over time. Remember that he is almost 100 years old. Even the original one was supposed to be called Mortimer. Eventually, Disney’s wife advised him not to do so. As you can see in the gallery, in Brazil was known as “Camundongo Mickey” and “Ratinho Curioso” (Curious mouse). In the 40s and 50s as “Ratón Miguelín or Miguelito” in Spain. “Mikkle Mus” was the name in Denmark until 1949, in pre-war Yugoslavia a copy was known as “Mika Miš”.

Probably the most exotic name is “Michael Musculus”. Latin cartoons exist. Now go and buy one. It is worth mentioning that the similarity between muscle and little mouse is not a coincidence:

“Muscle: from Latin musculus “a muscle,” literally “a little mouse,” diminutive of mus “mouse”. So-called because the shape and movement of some muscles (notably biceps) were thought to resemble mice. The analogy was made in Greek, too, where mys is both “mouse” and “muscle”

source: https://www.etymonline.com/word/muscle

So who is Topolino?

The most famous cartoon by Walt Disney is known as Topolino in Italy. Topo means “mouse”, guess what -lino means.

What about Musse Pigg?

Isn’t it a pig? Nop. In Swedish it really means “cheerful” and mus is “mouse”. So we guess it must be an imaginative name like “the animated mouse”.

Goofy

Dippy Dawg wasan old dog-like character, in the thirties, he changed his name to Goofy, and several aliases were also used. However many kids from around the world know him by a different name. In Portuguese and Danish, Pateta and Hopo can be translated as “fool”. Danish Fedtmule is literally “fat-muzzle”. Norwegian, Swedish, and Sami names mean something like “Long-leg”. Šilja or Šiljo are words to describe an “unusually tall man”. French dingo is derived from dingue “mad, someone who is nuts”. But do you what is literally nuts? Bunduq in Arabic is the word also used for hazelnuts. Other names from the green group do not have a translation. Or do they? Do you know the meaning of Kliunkis? Write it down in the comment section.

Chip and Dale

The original name in English of the couple of chipmunks is a pun on the name of the 18th-century cabinet maker and furniture designer Thomas Chippendale. In the East, the name is usually adapted, while in the East different names are used.

In German in 1952 they came up with the name “Ahörnchen und Beehörnchen”, literally “A-squirrel & B-squirrel” (from Eichhörnchen). You see German ingenuity at its best. But when the TV cartoon began its emission they were renamed “Chip und Chap”. It resembles the translation of Danish, Italian, and Spanish in Spain.

Another language that changed names was Swedish, the first name was The Two Rats. Not very catchy. Later they tried with “herr och fru vessla” (Mr. and Miss Weasel). Currently, “Piff och Puff” are their names.

In the Arabic-speaking countries, they changed from French “Tic et Toc” to Arabic “Shib w Adil”, even though nowadays they are “Sanajib” and “Sanjub”.

In other languages, it seems that there is no reason behind the name. I am really concerned about the Portuguese one: “Tico e Teco“, literally penis and piece. I am quite sure I have made a mistake translating this one. In Dutch, the characters are “Knabbel en Babbel”, which sounds like “Knibble and Babble”. It is one of my favorites.

But definitely the most interesting story in the Finnish one: Chimpmuks are maaorava (literally, ground + squirrel). Recently, in 2008 it was proposed a new name tikutakut, which is based on “Tiku ja Taku“, the name of Chip and Dale in Finnish. The English word chipmunks comes from an Ojibwe word ačitamo˙nˀ, which means squirrels.

The Smurfs

The name of the Smurfs is a made-up word in most languages. Wikipedia says:

“according to Peyo, the original author of the Smurfs comic strip, the term and the accompanying language of the Smurfs came during a meal he had with his colleague and friend André Franquin at the Belgian Coast. Having momentarily forgotten the word “salt”, Peyo asked him to pass the schtroumpf:

“Passe-moi… le schtroumpf !”

Franquin jokingly replied:

“Tiens, voilà le schtroumpf, et quand tu auras fini de le schtroumpfer, tu me le reschtroumpferas !”

(Here’s the Schtroumpf, when you are done schtroumpfing, schtroumpf it back.) And the two spent the rest of that weekend speaking in schtroumpf language.

Later it was adapted to Dutch into Smurf by Armand van Raalte. Some languages chose the French word and others the Dutch. But we have seen in other cases, translators sometimes wake up feeling creative. In 1969 Miguel Agustí came up with the word “pitufo” in Spanish, from Catalan “Patufet”, the local version of Tom Thumb, Little Thumb, or Thumbling. However, the Catalan name had a different origin. It was translated two years before by Albert Jané. He took the name of a local small imaginary being. In 80’s they mushroomed in the East, in Czechoslovakia the name was meant to sound similar to a shade of blue “šmolka”.

Yogi bear

Television has undeniably positioned Yogi Bear, the beloved Hanna-Barbera cartoon character, as a universal icon embodying charm and wit. However, the mention of “Yogi” might not prompt the same recognition from Czechs and Hungarians. In Czechia, the character is known as Béďa, while in Hungary, he goes by Laci. Similarly, Portuguese speakers are familiar with the show featuring “Zé Colmeia.”

The Powerpuff Girls

The Flintstones

The Jetsons

The Jetsons, a cartoon TV show, enjoys widespread recognition with various title adaptations, such as “Familien Jetson” (Family Jetson) in Danish and “Die Jetsons” (in German Die is The). But wait, why Italian looks so different? The Jetson was a Hanna-Barbera animated sitcom from the 60s depicted life in the future during the Space Age. It came after The Flintstones, its counter-part, which was set in the Stone Age. In Italy, where The Flintstones were known as “Gli antenati” (the ancestors), The Jetsons were titled “I pronipoti” (the descendants) upon airing. In Spanish (also in Galician and Catalan) the name is different. They are called “Los Supersónicos” (The Supersonics).

The Simpsons

Itchy & Scratchy

Family guy

Asterix

Dogmatix or Idéfix

The loyal canine companion of Obélix in the original French rendition of Asterix, is Idéfix. Out of need, some languages introduced subtle modifications due to the absence of the letter ‘X,’ replacing it with ‘KS.’ Idéfix is derived from the French term “Idée fixe,” meaning “fixed idea” or “obsession,” the name transforms into variations like “idea-fix” or “ideia-fix”, which sounds closer to the Iberian languages.

However, the most innovative alteration occurs in the English translations, where he is playfully named Dogmatix. A clever amalgamation of “dog” and “dogmatic.”

Idéfix is characterized by his petite size, white fur, and a distinctive black spot on his back. This appearance leads to names such as Malix “Little one” in Croatian and in Serbian, “Garoviks” (Гаровикс), signifying a mongrel or a black dog.

Some names have fallen out of use, for example, the Greek “Katrulix” (Κατρουλίξ), translating to “he who pees himself,” or the Italian “Ercolino,” meaning “Little Hercules.” The reasoning behind these translations remains a curious mystery.

Intriguingly, there are still unanswered questions about Idéfix’s name in certain languages, particularly in Icelandic. If you have any additional information about the missing languages, we encourage you to participate by sharing them in the comment section.

Getafix or Panoramix

The name of the wise and potion-brewing druid from the Asterix comic series undergoes intriguing linguistic transformations when translated into various languages: He was created under the name “Panoramix” in the original French version and that is the name we find in many other adaptations. This is not a French name but a Greek word meaning “He who sees everything”

In the Finnish and Estonian books, he is Akvavitix and Aquavitix, respectively. It might sound like something aquatic. Somehow this is true: Akvavit, is actually an alcoholic beverage from Scandinavia, whose name is derived from the Latin “aqua vitae,” meaning “water of life.”

In the Danish, German, Norwegian, and Swedish editions, he is “Miraculix,” underscoring the miraculous quality of his elixirs.

Within the English adaptations, variations abound. In the UK, he retains the moniker Getafix, cleverly playing on “get a fix,” highlighting the villagers’ dependence on his magical potion. In the Serbian version, a whimsical twist appears as “Aspirininks.” Isn’t Aspirin the modern German potion?

Conversely, in the US, he adopts the name Magigimmix, a clever play on “magic.” A similar strategy is employed in the Hungarian rendition, where he goes by “Magicoturmix.”

Beauty and the Beast: Cogsworth

Meet Henry Cogsworth, a character in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” He serves as the enchanted castle’s majordomo and transforms into a clock due to the curse. Cogsworth’s appearance aptly mirrors his meticulous and controlling nature, featuring a body adorned with gears and pendulums. The clever inclusion of the English term “cog,” the Polish name “Trybik,” and the Dutch term “Pendule” in his design pays homage to his clock-like characteristics.

Across various languages, Cogsworth’s name takes on different forms. In Portuguese, he is simply referred to as “Relógio” and “Horloge,” and in Arabic as “time”. Additionally, his name becomes an onomatopoeia in some languages, such as the Spanish and Croatian “ding dong” or the Hungarian “Mr. Tick Tock.”

Wally or Waldo?

Wally, also known as Waldo in Canada and the USA, is a character from the British children’s puzzle book series, conceived by the creative genius of English illustrator Martin Handford in 1987. Featuring the iconic character Wally, recognizable by his red-and-white striped attire, the readers to locate Wally amidst intricately detailed and bustling scenes.

Susuwatari

The names of a Japanese fictitious sprite, suswatari (Japanese: ススワタリ / 煤渡り “wandering soot”), from the movies My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and Spirited Away (2001). Also called Makkuro kurosuke (まっくろくろすけ; “makkuro” meaning “pitch black”, “kuro” meaning “black” and “-suke” being a common ending for boy names). How did other languages translate it?