What Japanese title was used for the Pokémon franchise?

The Pokémon franchise’s original Japanese title was Pocket Monsters.

The Japanese name is ポケットモンスター, romanized as Poketto Monsutā. Pokémon is a shortened contraction of those two words, formed by combining “pocket” and “monsters.” The accented é in the international branding helps distinguish the official name and its pronunciation.

The first Japanese games were released under the title Pocket Monsters Red and Green. The anime also began as Pocket Monsters in Japan, while international markets generally adopted Pokémon as the franchise name.

The phrase “Pocket Monsters” is not a separate later series or a different group of creatures. It is the original name behind the global brand. The abbreviation became especially useful because “Pocket Monsters” was already associated with earlier entertainment properties in some markets.