15 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Sonic The Hedgehog
11. He Was Originally Called Mr. Needlemouse (Mr. Hedgehog)
It's very common for developers to codename their games across development, and as such, Sonic started out as 'Project Needlemouse', a riff on Mr. Hedgehog (a literal translation of the Japanese word for hedgehog; harinezumi).
Sega then decided for a time that this could be a good name to carry onto shelves, but in a bid to make the character easier to remember, say and be indicative of his abilities, 'Sonic' was pitched and accepted almost immediately. Bonus fact: 'Needlemouse' was used again as the code name for Sonic's fourth return instalment in 2010 - probably as a way to drive the new team just like the old days.