Ken Doll’s Real Name Revealed 65 Years Later

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It turns out, he’s more than just Ken. 

With Barbie getting ready to celebrate her boyfriend’s 65th birthday on March 11th – a date that also marks the anniversary of his first appearance – fans are learning some surprising facts about the iconic doll. One detail revealed is his full name: Kenneth Sean Carson.

Just as Barbie was named after the daughter of Mattel’s founders, Barbara Handler, Ken’s name came from their son, Kenneth Handler.

Although the doll’s name was a nod to Kenneth, that was as far as the similarities went.

According to the screenwriter, who passed away in 1994, Ken doll embodies the spirit of Malibu. As he explained to the Los Angeles Times in 1989, Ken is a quintessential symbol of American beach culture – he surfs, goes to the beach, and represents a perfect, idealized version of the American lifestyle.

I was a total nerd,” he confessed. He said girls actually thought he was kind of a jerk. He wasn’t the popular type; instead, he spent his time playing piano and watching movies with subtitles.

Ken, the doll, had a surprisingly eventful high school life, much like something out of a classic John Hughes film. He was just two years and two days younger than Barbie when they first met at a dance.

In the original 1961 commercial, Barbie was excited about a special evening. That’s when she met Ken, and instantly felt a connection – she knew they would become a couple.

The commercial shows Ken and Barbie enjoying typical teenage activities – having lunch at school, going to parties, and just spending time together. The narrator encourages viewers to imagine all the fun they’ll have creating dates for Barbie and Ken, and picking out the perfect outfits for them. The ad suggests getting both dolls to see where their story goes.

Though Ken and Barbie are famous as a perfect couple, their relationship wasn’t always smooth sailing. In 2004, Mattel announced they were breaking up after 40 years together, needing some time to themselves.

Ken’s identity is closely tied to Barbie, and in 2011, Mattel highlighted this with Valentine’s Day billboards featuring Ken expressing his affection for her.

According to Stephanie Cota, Mattel’s senior vice president of global marketing for girls brands, Ken always knows how to make Barbie happy, and this latest gesture was all about winning her back. She stated that Barbie and Ken are a perfect match, and this is just the start of a new phase in their relationship.

Okay, so Ken is turning 65, and he’s really embracing this next chapter! He’s partnering with Expedia as their brand ambassador, and we’re talking about 65 incredible adventures around the globe – he’s bringing all that amazing ‘Kenergy’ to travel, and I couldn’t be more excited for him. It’s all about living life to the fullest, and he’s definitely showing us how!

According to a press release from January 26th, Ken has long been associated with the relaxed, easygoing lifestyle of Malibu. He’s also known for having a wide variety of interests and skills, including being a pilot, doctor, sailor, skater, and even a rock star – and that’s just a few!

I’m so excited to see this artist really coming into his own! He’s always been about creativity and letting your personality shine, and now he’s becoming a real trendsetter. It’s fantastic to watch him move beyond just toys and into all sorts of cool collaborations and adventures. This feels like a whole new chapter for him, and I can’t wait to see what he does next!

As Ken packs his bags, keep reading for more surprising facts about everyone’s favorite characters.

Many fans were left purrrrrfectly confused after this revelation.

Despite appearing to be a cat, Hello Kitty is actually a young girl, according to Jill Cook, an executive at Sanrio, the company that created her. Cook explained to Today in July 2024 that Hello Kitty was born and raised in the London suburbs, has a family including a twin sister named Mimmy (who is also her best friend), and loves to bake and meet new people.

Although many were surprised to learn this, Tim Cook wasn’t the first to point it out. Anthropologist Christine R. Yano, author of Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across the Pacific, had previously confirmed that Hello Kitty is not actually a cat.

In a 2014 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Hello Kitty’s creator clarified that Hello Kitty isn’t actually a cat. She explained that Hello Kitty is a cartoon character—a little girl and a friend—who walks and sits like a human, not on all fours. Interestingly, Hello Kitty does have a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty.

Did you know some fun things about Hello Kitty? Sanrio says she’s the height and weight of five apples, was born on November 1st (which makes her a Scorpio), and hopes to become either a pianist or a poet!

Gawrsh! Did you know this fact?

Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy for many years, recently shared the reason why Goofy can speak, but Mickey Mouse’s dog, Pluto, cannot.

During an August 2024 episode of the Popcorn Podcast with Leigh Livingstone and Tim Iffland, Goofy’s voice actor explained that while Goofy isn’t technically a dog, he is a canine – similar to how a wolf is related to dogs. He described Goofy as a “Goofus canis,” or a “man-dog.”

However, Pluto, he added, is a “regular dog”—a blood hound as it turns out.

You’ll want to get to the (bikini) bottom of this discovery.

Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, surprisingly shared that the character Squidward Tentacles is actually an octopus, despite his name suggesting he’s a squid.

Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, explained the design of Squidward the Octopus in a 2005 interview rediscovered by BuzzFeed. He said he chose an octopus because of their naturally large heads, and felt it fit Squidward’s personality as a character who considers himself intelligent.

If you’ve ever questioned why Squidward only has six legs instead of the eight you’d expect for an octopus, the creator, Stephen Hillenburg, explained it was simply easier to animate him with fewer tentacles.

Break out your handy dandy notebook and jot this one down.

Did you know Blue wasn’t always Blue? According to show co-creator Angela Santomero, in a 2006 special highlighted by Mental Floss, the character was originally going to be named Mr. Orange, but they later decided Mr. Blue sounded better.

However, Nickelodeon revealed they were already developing a show centered around a cat. This led the animators to abandon their initial concept and completely rework Blue, changing him from a cat to a dog.

Now this really isn’t funnie, er, funny.

Interestingly, the main character of the cartoon Doug was nearly called Brian. So, what caused them to change the name?

Okay, so get this – the creator, Jim Jinkins, actually told HuffPost TV that he originally wanted to name him Brian! Can you believe it? Brian! But he thought it sounded too…much. He wanted someone totally relatable, someone average. So he changed it to Doug! He said ‘Doug’ just sounds like a regular guy, and that was exactly what he was going for – to show things from a totally normal point of view. It’s brilliant, honestly. It just fits.

This fact is so good it’s scary.

BuzzFeed reports that the little girl in Monsters, Inc.: An Augmented Reality Book is named Mary Gibbs. Interestingly, this is the actual name of the actress who voiced the character of Boo in the movie!

Still not convinced? There’s a moment in the film where Boo is looking at her drawings, and viewers have noticed the name “Mary” written on one of them.

Most people know Mickey Mouse’s girlfriend as Minnie Mouse, but the BBC reported in 1942 that her complete name is actually Minerva.

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2026-01-26 18:17