Segale was a businessman and a real estate developer

Super Mario is one of the earliest games in the world that enjoyed immense success. In fact, despite its release in 1985, the game still enjoys popularity. However, many may not be aware that Super Mario, the video game's main character, is named after a real person.

Donkey Kong

Before Super Mario, the name was originally Donkey Kong.

Nintendo's overdue rent

Nintendo's headquarters in America was on a rented property, and the company had not paid rent for some time.

Mario Segale

Mario Segale, the property owner, was unhappy with Nintendo's late payments and berated Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa.

Kong to Mario

To please Segale, Minoru Arakawa changed the game's name from Donkey Kong to Super Mario. Nintendo also cleared dues.

Contradictory

Over the years, many Nintendo officials have disagreed with the story, but in 2015, Mario's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, confirmed that Super Mario was indeed named after Mario Segale.