What name was Pokémon originally known by in Japanese?

Pokémon was originally known by the Japanese name Pocket Monsters.

The Japanese brand name is ポケットモンスター, romanized as Poketto Monsutā and translated as Pocket Monsters. “Pokémon” is the internationally used contraction of that name, with an accent added to distinguish the intended pronunciation and spelling.

The original name reflects the franchise’s central idea: creatures small enough to be carried in capsules and trained for battles. The first games were marketed in Japan as Pocket Monsters Red and Green, while the anime was also initially known as Pocket Monsters.

The wording can be confused with the names of individual games or media adaptations. Pocket Monsters is the original franchise name, not a specific Pokémon species, a region, or a game mode. International branding adopted Pokémon because “Pocket Monsters” faced trademark and naming complications in some markets.