15. They Were Going To Be Called The "Merry Mutants"
When he set about creating the X-Men alongside Jack Kirby, Stan Lee's plan was for their series to be called "The Merry Mutants". Marvel's publisher wasn't keen on the idea though and asked him to rethink the title because he didn't think people would understand what the word mutant meant. Even just "The Mutants" was turned down, and that eventually led to the heroes being called the X-Men. While the idea of the X-Gene would be introduced a little further down the line, Charles Xavier is quoted in the first issue as giving the team this name because they had powers humans did not, hence: "X-Men, for EX-tra power!"