Etymology

Here is a list of explanations behind names in the English release of Little King's Story.

Characters

Every character in Little King's Story is named after a type of food or drink. However, some of the references to this motif have been lost in translation between the Japanese and English versions.

In the Japanese version, all citizens' generated names are also based on food and drink.

Corobo Bred (コロボ・ブレッド, Korobo Bureddo)

Corobo's first name appears to be based on a Japanese brand of slow-cooker. This name could have been chosen due to containing [koro], which resembles the Latin word corona meaning "crown" and other derivative or related words in other languages. His last name is an alternative spelling of "bread".

Alpoko Castle's third iteration is called "Bran Palace," in reference to bran, a type of grain used in cereal.

Howser Oreganostein (ハウザー・オレガノシュタイン, Hauzā Oreganoshutain)

Howser's name could be a reference to Hausa, a culture of people known for producing Hausa food, which consists of grains and herbs. Oreganostein is based on "oregano", a type of herb.

Pancho (パンチョ, Pancho)

Pancho's name is possibly based on the widely known "Pancho Spaghetti" food chain in Japan. Pancho could also have been chosen as a double reference to the Mexican revolutionary Francis "Pancho" Villa, or Sancho, the steed from the Don Quixote series.

Liam Rice (リアム, Riamu)

Liam's name could be a reference to the Greek dish "Briam", which can use rice as a main ingredient. This would also explain Liam's last name being Rice.

Verde Sous (ヴェルデ, Ve-rude)

Verde's first name translates as "green" in several languages, including Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, and is likely a reference to "salsa verde", a dish typically produced by sous chefs, especially in Japanese culture. Her last name, "Sous", supports this connection.

Kampbell (コツトン, Kotsuton)

Kampbell's English name is a reference to the soup brand "Campbell's", while his Japanese name, Kotsuton, is related to "katsudon", a popular Japanese soup dish made with pork. Kotsuton is also an anagram of "Tonkotsu", the name of his religion in the Japanese version, which shares its name with "tonkotsu" ramen, another soup dish made with pork.

Skinny Ray (ガリガリレイ, Garigarirei)

Skinny Ray's Japanese name is a pun on the astronomer Galileo and "garri", a type of grain originating from Nigeria. In English, the "Garigari" has been mistranslated as "Skinny", and the "rei" has been romanised as "Ray". In French, Spanish, Italian and German, the Galileo reference has been retained.

Ginger Kyde (ジャー・ジンジャー, Jā Jinjā)

Ginger is likely named after the spice of the same name. "Kyde" is a possible reference to a colloquial term for banana bread, whereas in the Japanese version, "Jar" is a reference to a container that holds ginger spices.

Apricot Fizz ( アプリコット・フィズ, Apurikotto Fizu)

"Apricot Fizz" is a type of cocktail, although "Princess Apricot" doubles as a direct reference to "Princess Peach" from the Super Mario series.

Scarlet Bouquet (スカーレット・ブーケ, Sukāretto Būke)

Scarlet's first name is a reference to the mixed drink "Scarlet O'Hara", made with peach liqueur and cranberry juice, and "Bouquet" is a term related to the smell of wine.

Monica Spumoni (モニカ・スプモーニ, Monika Supumōni)

Spumoni's last name is based on the Italian cocktail of the same name, from the Italian word spumare meaning literally "to foam up."

Shizuka Moroboshi (諸星シズカ, Moroboshi Shizuka)

Both of Shizuka's names are common Japanese names. However, her first name comes from the sake (Japanese rice-based alcohol) known as "Ginga Shizuka" due to its name translating roughly as "galaxy", and her last name quite literally translates as "of many stars."

Kokomo Pine (ココモパイン, Kokomopain)

Kokomo Pine's name is derivative of the popular drink, coconut pineapple.

Ferne Branca (フェルネ・ブランカ, Ferune Buranka)

Ferne's full name is a reference to the Italian liqueur, "Fernet-Branca."

Martel Daisy (マーテルデイジー, Māteru Deijī)

Martel Daisy's name is a combination of two references to the alcoholic drink, brandy: Martell, a brand of Cognac house, which produce Cognac brandy, and Brandy Daisy, a popular brandy cocktail.

Onii King (オニーキング, Onīkingu)

The Onii, and by extension the Onii King, are named after the Japanese demons known as "oni". However, the name may also be a reference to the popular "Oni Ramen" food chain in Japan.

Duvroc (ドブローク, Doburōku)

Duvroc's name is a heavily translated and romanised version of his Japanese name, Doburōku, which resembles Doburoku, a strong sake (Japanese rice-based alcohol) used mostly as an ingredient. This makes sense, as Duvroc is an alcoholic from a Japanese-inspired kingdom.

Shishkebaboo (シシカバブ, Shishikababu)

Shishkebaboo's name is a transliteration on his Japanese name, Shishikababu, which is the Japanese word for "shish kebab". This is in reference to how he becomes impaled.

Omelet (オムレット, Omuretto)

Omelet's name is based on the omelette egg dish, but is also a pun on Shakespeare's play "Hamlet", which is quoted by Omelet himself in Little King's Story. This pun is more explicit in the Spanish and Italian versions.

TV Dinnah (TVランチ, Tībī Ranchi)

TV Dinnah is an alternative spelling of TV dinner, a slang term for a microwaveable meal. His Japanese name, "TV Lunch", is a made-up term.

Long Sauvage (ロングソバージュ, Rongusobāju)

Long Sauvage's name in Japanese is a pun on the French hairstyle "sauvage" and the soba (ソバ) in his name appears to be a reference to soba noodles, hence why his mountain is called "Sobamanjaro". This food was likely chosen to be a part of his name due to the way that Long Sauvage's long, stringy beard resembles a noodle dish.

Jumbo Champloon (ジャンボチャンプルン, Janbochanpurun)

Jumbo Champloon's name refers to Chanpurū, a stir-fry dish originating from the Okinawa Prefecture, a series of islands in southern Japan. The food was likely chosen to be his name due to its messy, thrown-together nature, and because Jumbo Champloon also originates from New Island, which in itself is a series of islands. "Jumbo" not only describes his size, but is also a commonly used adjective in Japan when requesting a larger version or portion of a meal, similar to its use in Western cultures (e.g. a Jumbo burger.)