Mario’s original name was Jumpman , the name used for him in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong before he was officially christened “Mario.”

Quick Scoop: Mario’s Name Journey

Before he became the world‑famous plumber we know today, the character went through a few placeholder names during development.

  • Early internal nickname: Ossan (Japanese for “middle‑aged guy”), used by the development team as a generic label.
  • Concept nickname: Mr. Video , reflecting Shigeru Miyamoto’s idea of a reusable “go‑to” game character.
  • First public name: Jumpman , used in Donkey Kong’s English instructions and related materials.
  • Later official name: Mario , inspired by Nintendo of America’s landlord, Mario Segale, during the game’s U.S. localization.

So if you’re asking “what was Mario’s original name” in the sense of what players first saw on Donkey Kong, the best single answer is Jumpman.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.