Hello, Kitty—if that’s even your real name. 

Turns out, it isn’t. As Hello Kitty approaches her 50th anniversary—which will officially occur November 1—fans are in a frenzy over lesser-known facts about the Japanese cartoon character created by Yuko Shimizu, including her real name. 

In fact, Hello Kitty’s flagship brand Sanrio recently reminded fans that her real name is Kitty White, through a Today show segment July 18. What’s more, Hello Kitty has an entire family—complete with twin sister Mimmy White and parents Mary White and George White. 

There’s actually a lot to know about Hello Kitty’s family. For one, although they are twins, Mimmy and Kitty can be distinguished by their bows—as Hello Kitty wears a red bow and Mimmy wears a yellow bow. The girls also have very different personalities. Hello Kitty is described by Sanrio as “friendly, kind-hearted and bright,” while Mimmy is characterized by being “shy” and “quiet.” 

Meanwhile, Hello Kitty’s mom is known for being kind and caring—and her famous apple pie, which is coincidentally the iconic cartoon character’s favorite food. An as for Hello Kitty’s father, he has a “hilarious sense of humor and is the backbone of the family,” according to Sanrio’s website. 

While she is close to her family, Sanrio notes that “making friends” is one of Hello Kitty’s many likes and hobbies. Her best friend is a small teddy bear named Tiny Chum, who the brand describes as a “little rascal.” Although Tiny Chum is reportedly one of six siblings, he lives with the White family in their suburban London home. He is also always seen wearing a red bow that was gifted to him by Hello Kitty. 

Another lesser-known member of Hello Kitty’s life? Her boyfriend Daniel Starr. Indeed, Hello Kitty—who is a perpetual third grader—has had a boyfriend since 1999 when he was first introduced by the brand. 

Daniel loves “animal photography,” Sanrio explains on its website, and hopes to one day be a professional cameraman. As far as his other hobbies go, he enjoys dancing and playing the piano. 

Hello Kitty’s real name is not the only revelation that is leaving fans bamboozled. During the recent Today segment, Hello Kitty’s species also came into question. 

“Hello Kitty is not a cat,” Jill Cook, the Director of Retail Business Development at Sanrio, explained. “She’s actually a little girl.”

Naturally, this news has been a lot for Hello Kitty fans to unpack. As one fan joked on X, formerly Twitter, about the revelations, “Not them trying to gaslight us.”

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