McDonald’s clown mascot was originally called Donald McDonald before he became known as Ronald McDonald.
The early name appeared in the character’s first promotional development during the 1960s. The character was designed to connect the McDonald’s name with a friendly clown figure who could appeal to children. His name was later changed to Ronald McDonald, which became the enduring identity used in advertising and public appearances.
This detail is easy to confuse with other early McDonald’s characters. Speedee was an earlier service-system mascot, while the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese were later additions to the wider McDonaldland cast. None of those names was the original name of the clown mascot.
Ronald eventually became one of the best-known elements of McDonald’s branding. The change from Donald to Ronald also made the character’s name more distinctive and more closely associated with the company’s brand identity.