What was Pokémon known as in Japan when the franchise began?

When the franchise began in Japan, Pokémon was known as Pocket Monsters.

The Japanese title is Poketto Monsutā, written as ポケットモンスター. The shortened international name Pokémon comes from that phrase and uses an accented e to distinguish the brand’s pronunciation and spelling. The original Japanese game titles were Pocket Monsters Red and Green.

The name reflects the series’ central idea: creatures are carried in compact devices and trained for battles, while also being collected and exchanged between players. The abbreviation became especially useful as the franchise expanded into games, animation, cards, films, and merchandise.

The title is sometimes confused with Digimon because both franchises feature collectible digital or creature-based characters. They are separate properties with different creators and histories. Pokémon’s original Japanese name was already established before the English-language brand became globally familiar.