[TamDenholm]

Something unrelated but perhaps interesting to some people, "Waldo" is actually a localised name for the USA and Canada, his original name is Wally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where%27s_Wally%3F

[robgough]

It brings me an almost indescribable joy to find that Wally is the original name. Yet I have no idea why.

Waldo always seemed a bit of a strange name, and it still confuses me why it would be changed for the US market. Anyone know why (Wiki doesn't say).

[ward]

Gone with Where is Waldo?! The all new meta-existential gamebook Why is Waldo? is out now in your nearest bookshop!

I felt dirty with all the exclamation marks.

[tomjen3]

Then you may cry when I tell you that his name is Holger in Denmark.

[haraball]

In Norway it's Willy. Kind of strange with all the different names for the same character.

[judofyr]

Why is it strange? "Wally" (pronounced in "correct" Norwegian) sounds really weird.

[haraball]

I should have written fascinating, not strange.

[LearnYouALisp]

I'm surprised, would have expected that in Germany.

[eru]

> I'm surprised, would have expected that in Germany.

Wo ist Walter?

[polymatter]

at a guess its for market differentiation. like how I get the "international" version of US textbooks, which are exactly the same but with a different cover on the front. Or how Harry Potters and the Philosophers Stone needed a title change to sell to US. Or how you can get adult and child versions of the Harry Potter books.

[LearnYouALisp]

Me too. Probably some committee or executive idea.