What is Donald Duck’s real name?

In 2024, Donald Duck celebrated his 90th birthday. Mickey Mouse’s best friend appeared in the 1930s, being created by Mickey Mouse himself. Walt Disney after the filmmaker listens to the voice actor Clarence Nash creating animal sounds on the radio.

His official debut was in the short film “The Clever Chicken” as part of the Silly Symphonies series, in 1934, with the actor himself. Nash voicing the character. In fact, he was responsible for giving voice to the character until his death in 1985.

In a statement to Recreio, the translator of the character’s comics in Brazil, Edenilson Rodriguesrevealed that the reason Donald has remained adored by the public for almost 100 years is his easy identification.

“He’s funny, his voice is very distinctive, and above all, he looks like everyone else because he’s full of problems,” says Rodrigues. “In the comics, Donald Duck has problems with his girlfriend, he has no money… he’s just ordinary! He’s a character who’s unlucky, earns little, works a lot, is responsible for his nephews and I think people identify with that. In the animations, he’s still a fun and hot-headed character, but at the same time, he’s kind… there are so many qualities that people end up identifying with him in some way.”

But, despite having a huge legion of fans around the world, did you know that Donald Duck is not his real name?

Real name

In fact, his full name in the original version is Donald Fauntleroy Duck. Furthermore, when he first arrived in Brazil in 1936, through issue no. 312 of Suplemento Juvenil, a youth magazine launched in 1934 by the pioneer of adventure comics in Brazil, Adolfo Aizen, he was also known by two other names: Don Fernandinho or Pato Fernandinho.

“Donald debuted in 1936 in Brazil, in a very rare magazine, and his name was not Pato Donald, he was called Don Fernando and Don Fernandinho, since this was a rhyming comic book,” Rivaldo Ribeiro told the press at the event celebrating Donald Duck’s 90th birthday.

His real name, however, ended up appearing in Brazilian comics even before his official debut in the national publishing market, in issue no. 313 of the same magazine. And Donald’s debut in Brazil happened in the comic “Pato Donald”, published by Editora Melhoramentos in 1943 and in the magazine “O Pato Donald – number 01”, launched in 1950 by Editora Abril.