What was the original Japanese name for the Pokémon video-game project?

The original Japanese name for the Pokémon video-game project was Pocket Monsters.

Satoshi Tajiri initially called the project Capsule Monsters, inspired partly by the idea of creatures being stored in capsules. That name could not be trademarked, so the project was renamed Pocket Monsters. The Japanese releases were titled Pocket Monsters Red and Green.

The shortened form Pokémon comes from the Japanese pronunciation of Pocket Monsters. In English-language markets, the accent mark was retained in the spelling Pokémon to distinguish the brand’s pronunciation and identity. The name refers to the franchise broadly, including games, animation, cards, films, and merchandise.

Some audiences assume Pokémon began as the English title, but the Japanese name came first. Another frequent confusion is treating Capsule Monsters as a released game title; it was an early working name rather than the final commercial name.