After whom was the rival character Shigeru named in the original Pokémon games?

The rival character Shigeru was named after Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto.

In the original Pokémon games, the player begins in Pallet Town and competes against a rival whose default Japanese name is Shigeru. The character is Professor Oak's grandson and repeatedly challenges the player during the journey.

Satoshi Tajiri named the rival after Miyamoto, whom he regarded as a mentor and role model. The protagonist's Japanese name, Satoshi, was connected to Tajiri himself, creating a personal contrast between creator and rival figures.

International versions gave the rival the default name Gary, so players who first encountered the English releases may not recognize Shigeru. Gary is the localized counterpart of the same character, not a different rival.