What was the original full name of the Pokémon franchise?

The original full name of the Pokémon franchise was Pocket Monsters.

The Japanese brand was launched as Pocket Monsters, written in Japanese as Poketto Monsutā. The shorter international form, Pokémon, became the familiar name used for the games, anime, cards, films, and merchandise.

During early development, Satoshi Tajiri initially called the project Capsule Monsters. The name was later changed because Capsule Monsters could not be trademarked. Pocket Monsters became the official title, appearing in the Japanese names of the first games and the original anime.

International releases used Pokémon rather than a direct translation of Pocket Monsters. The acute accent over the e was added to guide pronunciation for audiences unfamiliar with the word. “Pokémon” refers both to the franchise and to the fictional creatures themselves; the word is unchanged in singular and plural usage.