Character name origins

File:Muppet Name Etymology.jpg

Muppet Name Etymology by CollegeHumor

Characters named after their performers

The Muppets

• Betsy Bird - named after Betsy Baytos
• Cynthia Birdley - named after Cynthia Adler
• Fletcher Bird - named after Graham Fletcher
• Frank - a Frank Oz lookalike
• Jerry - a Jerry Nelson lookalike
• Jim- a Jim Henson lookalike
• Lou - named after Louise Gold

Sesame Street

• Big Jeffy - named after Jeff Moss
• Jeffy - named after Jeff Moss
• Calypso Calloway - named after Northern Calloway
• Chrissy - named after Christopher Cerf
• Little Chrissy - named after Christopher Cerf
• Davey Monkey - named after David Rudman
• Fran - named after Fran Brill
• Miss Fran - named after Fran Brill
• Farmer Frankie - named after Frank Oz
• Frances Oznowicz - named after Frank Oz
• Little Jerry - named after Jerry Nelson
• Mr. Jerry - named after Jerry Nelson
• Joe Marley - named after Joey Mazzarino
• Joey Dickens - named after Joey Mazzarino
• Joey Monkey - named after Joey Mazzarino
• Louisey - named after Louise Gold
• Richard - named after Richard Hunt
• Rockin' Richard - named after Richard Hunt
• Pammy - named after Pam Arciero
• Diva D'Abruzzo - named after Stephanie D'Abruzzo
• Frank and Jerry - In this sketch (EKA: Episode 1090), two Muppets are named Frank and Jerry, in reference to their performers, Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson, respectively.
• Kevin and Kathryn - In a Professor Grover sketch about school (EKA: Episode 2626), two classmates are named Kevin and Kathryn, in reference to their performers, Kevin Clash and Kathryn Mullen, respectively.

Fraggle Rock

• Phil Fraggle - named after Philip Balsam

The Animal Show

• Dave the Human - Dave Goelz (puppet performed by Bill Barretta)

Other

• It was originally suggested that Zoe on Sesame Street be named after her performed, Fran Brill. Fran didn't want a puppet named after her, so she suggested naming the puppet Zoe after the J. D. Salinger novel Franny and Zooey.

Characters named after other people

• Bert and Ernie - See Are Bert and Ernie named after characters from It's a Wonderful Life?
• Bunsen Honeydew - Named after chemist Robert Bunsen (of bunsen burner fame), and the honeydew melon.
• Donnie and Marie Dodo - Named after Donny and Marie Osmond.
• Fozzie Bear - see Fozzie's name
• Humphrey and Ingrid - Named after Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
• Kermit the Frog - See Was Kermit named after a childhood friend of Jim Henson?
• Miss Piggy - Named after Peggy Lee
• Mokey - named after a childhood friend of Jim Henson.
• Prairie Dawn - named after an actress named Prairie Dorn.
• Rizzo - named after Ratso Rizzo from Midnight Cowboy.
• Svengali - After a character in George du Maurier's novel Trilby.

Characters named after places

• Astoria - named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
• Belmont - Named after the horse racing track Belmont Park.
• The Bouncing Borcellino Brothers - After the Italian hat company Borcellino.
• Waldorf - Named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
• Wembley - Named after Wembley Stadium.
• Signor Baffi - Named after Signor Baffi's Italian restaurant.
• Statler - Named after the Statler Hotel in New York City.
• Oscar the Grouch - Named after Oscar's Tavern in Manhattan.

Characters named after filmmaking techniques

• Gobo - Short for "go between"; a lighting term used in film, television and theatre.
• Traveling Matt - From "traveling matte," a technique used in television and film to insert a foreground object into a prerecorded background image.
• Waldo - After the Waldo, the electronic device used to perform him.

Characters whose names are puns

• Abby Cadabby - a play on "abracadabra"
• Anne Phibian - a play on "amphibian"
• A. Ligator - a play on "aligator"
• Bestov Breed - a play on "best of breed"
• Gonnigan - a play on "gone again"
• Herry Monster - a play on "hairy monster"
• Hugh Mungous - a play on "humongous"
• Hypocritic Oaf - a play on "hippocratic oath"
• Lotta Chatter - a play on "lot of chatter"
• Mr. Mason Dixon - a play on "the Mason Dixon line"
• Dr. Nobel Price - a play on "Nobel Prize"
• Phil Harmonic - a play on "Philharmonic
• Sal Minella - a play on "salmonella"
• Sopwith the Camel - a play on "Sopwith Camel"
• Tatooey Rat - a play on "ratatouille"
• Lew Zealand - a play on "New Zealand"

Other name origins

• Beaker - named after the piece of lab equipment.
• Boober - named after an angry cow encountered by one of Jim Henson's daughters in Devon.