For years, it’s been a bit of a meme to joke about non-Zelda fans calling Link ‘Zelda’, thanks to the fact that Link is the protagonist of the series and that the title focuses on a different character.
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While Princess Zelda is an important part of the series, it’s undeniable that many people think of Link and his green tunic (or blue, in the case ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom) first. Why, then, is the series calledThe Legend of Zelda? Let’s find out why Zelda is the titular character, and Link isn’t.
The Meaning Behind ‘The Legend Of Zelda’
In an interview with Amazon, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto said that Zelda was named after Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald — an American novelist most famous for the Great Gatsby. Miyamoto said, “I liked the sound of her name. So I took the liberty of using her name for the very first Zelda title."
The meaning behind the title is explored a little more in the book Hyrule Historia’s preface. Miyamoto said, “I knew I wanted it to be ‘The Legend of’ something, but I had a hard time figuring out what that ‘something’ was going to be.”
According to the Hyrule Historia, a PR planner suggested making a storybook for the game where Link rescues a princess, and that the princess should be named Zelda, after Zelda Fitzgerald. Miyamoto didn’t like the storybook idea, but “really liked the name Zelda.”
From there, the title ‘The Legend of Zelda’ came to be.
Link Connects People Together
After revealing the origin of ‘The Legend of Zelda’ in Hyrule Historia, Miyamoto also discusses what Link’s name means. He said, “We named the protagonist Link because he connects people together.”
The meaning of Link’s name is very literal — he is the ‘link’ between the characters that he meets on his adventures.
Later on in the preface, Miyamota also explains, “I said the name Link came from his role as a connector, but Link is you, the player.” As many fans have deducted, Link connects you, the player, to the game, making him the literal link between you and the game’s world.
Link’s name makes him a character that you can project on as you play, experiencing The Legend of Zelda (both the games themselves and thelegendof the princess in the games’ stories) as Link does, through his actions.
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