Goku

Known in the Japanese version as Son Gokou, the main character of Dragon Ball is based on the main character from the ancient Chinese legend Journey to the West. Son Gokou is the Japanese translation of the Chinese name Son Wukong.

Son Wukong was the Monkey King, born from stone thousands of years ago. Son Gokou was based on this character, who was generally kind and good-willed, but also sometimes naive and dangerous. The story of Dragon Ball itself was originally based heavily on that legend, and many similarities appear throughout the series.

Gohan

Gohan is the Japanese word for cooked rice and is also connected to meals like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is also important to remember that Gohan was named after Goku’s adoptive grandfather.

Goten

Pronounced “Goteyn,” Goku’s second son has a name that connects directly to his father’s name. The first character in both names, “Go,” is shared. “Ku” means sky, while “ten” means heaven.

Bulma and Family

Bulma is a play on bloomers, which were women’s undergarments first introduced in the 1800s.

Everyone in Bulma’s family is named after some type of undergarment. Dr. Briefs and Trunks are both variations of underwear names, while Bulma’s daughter Bra is exactly what it sounds like.

Tien

Known as Tenshinhan in the Japanese version, his name is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese words “Tien Chu Fan,” a type of fried rice.

Chiaotzu

Known as Chaozu in the Japanese version, his name is the direct Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word for dumpling.

Krillin

Even though Krillin is not really bald, Akira Toriyama loved to make fun of his lack of hair anyway, which is why his Japanese name is Kuririn. Kuririn is a variation of the Japanese word “kurumi,” meaning chestnut.

Yamcha

This former bashful bandit’s name means dim sum, a form of Chinese food similar to dumplings.

Master Roshi

Master Roshi has two titles in the Japanese version of Dragon Ball. One is Muten Roshi, which means Master Roshi. The other is Kame Sennin, which means Turtle Sage.

Everything about Master Roshi has to do with turtles. Even his house is called Kame House, which means Turtle House.

Emperor Pilaf

This little emperor’s name is actually a type of Turkish rice dish. Pilaf means sautéed, seasoned rice.

Shao and Mai

Even though they are two different characters, Emperor Pilaf’s unlucky subordinates are a two-in-one pun. Their names combined, “shao-mai,” refer to a dim sum dumpling dish.

Piccolo Daimaou and Family

Piccolo Daimaou is the evil half of the original Piccolo. He is the “father” of the Piccolo we all know in Dragon Ball Z.

His name means Piccolo “The Great Demon King,” or Piccolo Satan, which complements his good half, Kami, whose name means God.

Before giving birth to Piccolo, Daimaou spawned a few other family members: Piano, Drum, Tambourine, and Cymbal. Everyone is named after a musical instrument of some sort.

Frieza’s Family

Frieza, his brother Cooler, and his father King Cold are all named after chilly things. After all, a good villain should give you the chills.

Frieza’s Men

In the Japanese version of Dragon Ball Z, many of Frieza’s men were named after types of fruit, like Kiwi, Apple, Raspberry, and Blueberry.

His two most powerful henchmen also have fruit-based names. Dodoria is a brown fruit about the size of an egg, also called Chinese gooseberry. Zarbon is a fruit known in America as pomelo.

Ginyu

Ginyu is a variation of the Japanese word “gyunu,” which means milk. That makes the Ginyu Force essentially the Dairy Force.

Jeice

Jeice is a pun on “juusu,” better known as juice.

Burter

In the Japanese version, Burter’s name is Baata, which means butter.

Guldo

Known in the Japanese version as Gurudo, his name is a pun on “yoguuruto,” or yogurt.

Recoome

In Japan, Recoome’s name is Rikuumu, a jumbled version of “kurimu,” which means cream.

Bibidi

Bibidi is the father of Babidi and the creator of Buu.

Babidi

Babidi is the maniacal son of Bibidi, bent on ruling the universe by resurrecting his father’s incredibly dangerous weapon.

Buu

Buu is one of the strongest and most mindless villains in Dragon Ball Z.

Put the three names together and you get “Bibidi, Babidi, Buu!”

Saiyans

Known in the Japanese version as Saiya-jin, or Saiya People, the word “Saiya” is a jumbled version of the Japanese word “yasai,” which means vegetable. In other words, they are the Vegetable People.

The race the Saiyans destroyed in order to take over their planet, the Tsufuru-jin, known as the Tuffles in America, is an arrangement of the Japanese word “furutsu,” or fruit. The big joke is that it was the Vegetable People versus the Fruit People.

Every Saiyan’s name is a play on some type of vegetable. The vegetable theme also appears in TV specials and movies.

Vegeta

The Prince of all Saiyans is rightfully named after his race, vegetable.

Nappa

Vegeta’s bodyguard is named after a type of lettuce. Is that implying that he has a head of lettuce?

Raditz

Goku’s evil brother’s name is a play on the word radish. That makes sense, since both are strong and bitter.

Kakarot

Better known as Goku, this Saiyan raised on Earth was born with a name that is a play on the word carrot.

Broly

In the Dragon Ball Z movies, the powerful and evil Saiyan Broly is a pun on broccoli.

Nameks

Nameks are taken from the Japanese word “namekuji,” meaning slug. Every Namek has a name somehow related to sliding, slimy creatures.

In Dragon Ball Z Movie 4, they went so far as to call the old Namekian villain Slug.

Dende

Dende’s name comes from the Japanese word “denden-mushi,” a term used to describe mollusks of the gastropod class.

Kargo

Dende’s little friend’s name comes from escargot, the French cuisine made with snails.

Nail

This one is pretty obvious. Nail’s name is just “snail” without the “s.”

Jackie Chun

Master Roshi’s alter ego is named after the famous actor and stuntman Jackie Chan.

Jackie Chan is a big fan of Dragon Ball, and Akira Toriyama is likewise a big fan of Jackie Chan. Toriyama has even said that Jackie Chan’s movie Drunken Master 2, released in America as Legend of the Drunken Master, inspired him while creating parts of Dragon Ball Z.

Mr. Satan

Although no specific reason has been given, this so-called World Champion is named after the Prince of Darkness.

Videl

Mr. Satan’s daughter is a pun on the word Devil. Rearrange the letters and you get Videl.

Ox King

In the Japanese version, Ox King’s name is Gyuu Mao, which means Bull Demon King.

He was a character in the Chinese legend Journey to the West, from which Goku’s name was also taken. His wife was a beautiful but moody woman who protected their most prized treasure, a fan that could extinguish any flame. Fans familiar with Dragon Ball should be able to make the connections.

Bubbles

King Kai’s little buddy is named after Michael Jackson’s pet monkey.

Oolong

The shape-changing pig’s name is derived from the Chinese words “Wu Long.” Wu Long literally means Black Dragon, but it is also a type of black tea.

Marron

Krillin and Android 18’s daughter does not fare any better than her dad when it comes to names. Marron is French for chestnut.

Pan

Gohan’s daughter’s name means bread in Japanese and Spanish.