Grimace was originally known as the “Evil Grimace.”
The character first appeared in the early 1970s with a very different role from the friendly purple figure familiar to later McDonald's advertising. The original Grimace was described as an antagonist who had four arms and took customers' milkshakes. McDonald's later redesigned him as a large, purple, friendly companion for Ronald McDonald.
This redesign changed the character from a product-stealing villain into a simple, child-friendly mascot. The shortened name “Grimace” remained, but the personality and appearance were substantially softened.
The history is easy to confuse because most modern references show only the later version. Grimace's unusual evolution illustrates how advertising characters can be revised when a brand wants a warmer and more approachable tone.