Goofy’s original character name was Dippy Dawg.
The character first appeared in the 1932 Mickey Mouse cartoon Mickey’s Revue. He was credited as Dippy Dawg and was portrayed as an older, bearded country character whose loud laugh and clumsy behavior made him stand out from the other performers.
Disney soon changed the character’s presentation. By 1934, he was increasingly known as Goofy, a shorter and more memorable name that matched his comic personality. His design also evolved, including the removal of his beard and the development of the tall, anthropomorphic dog appearance familiar today.
Goofy is often confused with Pluto because both are canine Disney characters. Pluto is Mickey’s pet and generally behaves like a dog, while Goofy is a human-like character who speaks, walks upright, wears clothes, and takes part in family, school, and workplace stories.