What name did McDonald’s give its 1960 corporate mascot clown?

McDonald’s gave its corporate mascot clown the name Ronald McDonald in 1960. The name helped turn a local television advertising character into a central figure in the company’s national branding.

The character was created during a period when McDonald’s was developing more memorable television marketing. Early advertisements presented Ronald as a clown associated with the restaurant, and later campaigns placed him in the broader McDonaldland universe alongside other branded characters.

Ronald McDonald’s name is sometimes mixed up with the name of the restaurant’s founder or with the company’s earlier mascot, Speedee. Speedee represented the original fast-service system, while Ronald became the recognizable clown mascot used in family-oriented advertising.