What was the original name of the project that became Pokémon?

The project that became Pokémon was originally called Capsule Monsters. Satoshi Tajiri first imagined a Game Boy experience in which players could collect creatures in capsules and exchange them with one another.

The concept drew on Tajiri's childhood interest in catching insects and on the Game Boy's link cable. He wanted the cable to represent creatures traveling between players, turning communication between handheld consoles into a core game mechanic. The project was later shortened informally to Capumon.

The name Capsule Monsters proved difficult to trademark, so the developers changed it to Pocket Monsters. That title became the Japanese name of the games and animated series. For international markets, the shortened form Pokémon was used, with an acute accent over the e to guide pronunciation.

The original name is sometimes confused with later terms such as Poké Balls, which are the in-game devices used to catch Pokémon. Capsules helped inspire the early concept, but Poké Balls became the familiar final-world object in the finished games.