What name was used for the Pokémon project before it became Pocket Monsters?

The Pokémon project was initially called Capsule Monsters before it became Pocket Monsters.

Satoshi Tajiri’s early concept centered on collecting creatures in capsules and exchanging them with other players. Game Freak staff commonly shortened the working title to “Capumon” during development.

The phrase “Capsule Monsters” could not be trademarked, so the project was renamed Pocket Monsters. The Japanese title became Poketto Monsutā, while the internationally familiar shortened form Pokémon was later used as the brand name.

The capsule idea remained visible in the finished games through Poké Balls, which store and deploy Pokémon. The title change therefore altered the branding without removing the central visual concept. The project’s name history is distinct from the franchise’s creator and its first game titles.