What was McDonaldland’s original name for the character later known as Grimace?

McDonaldland’s original name for the character later known as Grimace was Evil Grimace.

Grimace debuted in McDonald’s advertising in 1971 as a larger, more villainous character. Early versions had four arms and were associated with stealing milkshakes. McDonald’s later redesigned the character, removed the extra arms, and changed his personality into the friendly, simple companion widely recognized today.

The character’s transformation illustrates how McDonald’s branding evolved toward warmer, more family-friendly personalities. The later Grimace became a regular companion to Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland characters rather than a threat to customers’ drinks.

People sometimes assume that “Purple Grimace” was the original character name because of his color. That phrase describes his appearance, not the original branding name. The early advertising name was Evil Grimace.