The British TV show Dragons' Den is adapted from the Japanese business reality format Money Tigers.
Money Tigers was created in Japan as a programme in which entrepreneurs presented business proposals to wealthy investors. The format was later adapted for different countries, with each version changing the panel, language and local business culture while retaining the central pitch-and-investment structure.
The British adaptation launched in 2005. Its investors are called dragons, a name that became part of the show's identity and distinguished the UK title from other international versions. In the United States, the related format is known as Shark Tank.
Money Tigers is therefore the original format title, not the name of the British programme or a nickname for its investors. The format's international success explains why similar pitch programmes appear under different titles around the world.