What was the title of the "Seinfeld" pilot episode?

The title of the "Seinfeld" pilot episode was "The Seinfeld Chronicles." The 23-minute pilot first aired on NBC on July 5, 1989, before the series adopted the shorter title "Seinfeld."

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David wrote the pilot, which blends Seinfeld's stand-up routines with conversations about everyday observations. It introduces Jerry, George Costanza, and Kramer—but Kramer is called Kessler in this episode. Elaine Benes had not yet been added to the cast.

The pilot was initially developed under working titles including "Stand Up" and "The Jerry Seinfeld Show." Test audiences reacted poorly, and NBC did not immediately order a full season. The network ultimately broadcast the episode and later gave the sitcom a small first-season order.

A common mix-up is calling the episode simply "The Pilot." That is a descriptive label used in some references, but "The Seinfeld Chronicles" is the episode's canonical title. The series itself was renamed "Seinfeld" to avoid confusion with another television program.