Why are the books called "Where's Wally" in the UK, but "Where's Waldo" in the USA?

Answer 1

There was probably someone actually named Wally on the staff of the publishing house in America.

16 NOV 06, 1544 hrs, GMT.

Answer 2

Copyright? Maybe it's because no one over here is called Waldo. But then I think I've only met person called Wally. Wally had a animated cartoon for a while. Come to think of it Waldo may have been his arch Nemesis. Are Waldo's stripes red and white or yellow and black?

Answer 3

Well, it was first published in the UK under the title "Where's Wally?" But, upon publication in the USA, the title was changed to "Where's Waldo?" I don't know why. But, perhaps, it was because they thought "Wally" meant something rude in the states. For once, Americans made something sound posher. xD Tbh, they changed the name of the title in most countries.

Answer 4

The name `Wally' was most likely borrowed from an early seventies pop festival in-joke, when the call `Wally!' and `Where's Wally?' would go round at nightfall. It may have been the name of a lost sound engineer at the first Glastonbury festival, or a missing person at the 1969 Isle of Wight festival. This was a regular shout at almost any British festival event during the 1970s. All in all these are all British known and America chose a similar name with similar means in America.

Answer 5

So Wally is too stupid for the USA? And Waldo's a sensible name LMFAO

Answer 6

I guess because the show is originally from the US... The UK don't really know the name Waldo, and so I reckon it was changed for UK audiences.

Answer 7

I would guess it is because Waldo is an unheard-of first name in the UK.

Answer 8

maybe the americans thought "wally" meant something a little bit rude.

Answer 9

The UK and the USA: two countries, divided by a common language. :-)

Answer 10

Because England uses the metric system and the US uses the standard system