Terminology of first partner Pokémon

This page does not yet meet the quality standards of Bulbapedia. Please feel free to edit this page to make it conform to Bulbapedia norms and conventions. Reason: Several "first partner" quotes and sources are buried in references while the "starter" ones are quoted and highlighted, arguably giving some additional weight to "starter" even though "first partner" is the one most commonly used since Generation VI in official media (see talk page)

This is the terminology of first partner Pokémon, explaining how terms such as "first partner Pokémon" and "starter Pokémon" are used in Pokémon media.

Promotional image for The Indigo Disk using the term "first partner Pokémon"

English terminology

First partner Pokémon

Since Generation VI, "first partner Pokémon" is the main term officially used in the Pokémon games and other media.

The term "first partner" is used in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 in reference to the Volcarona once used by Alder. The first usage of the term that refers to a Pokémon chosen by the player at the beginning of the game is in Pokémon X and Y by a Beauty in Couriway Town. In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the term is used by Professor Kukui to refer to the Pokémon chosen by the player at the beginning of the game. Additionally, Nanu uses it to refer to the three Meowth he presents to a little boy starting his island challenge. In Pokémon Sword and Shield, the back of the player's League Card denotes their first partner Pokémon using the full phrase. The phrase is used by Professor Laventon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus while the player is selecting their first partner Pokémon. In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, "first partner" is used by both Clavell and Rika to refer to the Pokémon chosen by the player at the beginning of the game.

This term is also used sometimes in Pokémon GO. For instance: "You might be familiar with the tradition in which a Pokémon Trainer selects their very first partner from a group of three Pokémon. These first-partner Pokémon are normally Fire, Water or Grass types."

The first known usage of the term "first partner" related to the TCG appears in marketing copy for the Hoenn Collection, which reads: "The Pokémon Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip all appear on special foil cards—you don’t have to pick just one to be your first partner!" Other TCG products would continue to refer to first partner Pokémon, such as the First Partner Packs released during the Sword & Shield Series and the First Partner Power merchandise released during the Scarlet & Violet Series.

The official website for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire refers to Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip as "the three Pokémon from which you may choose your first partner" and "the Pokémon that will become your first partner." On the official website for Pokémon Sun and Moon, the page "Kahunas Lead Each Island" states that Hala "gives you your first partner Pokémon." The "Pokémon" page on the official website for Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon states "Your first partner will be one of these three Pokémon" beneath an image of the Alola first partner Pokémon. The official websites for Pokémon Sword and Shield, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet all refer to the Pokémon chosen by the player at the beginning of the game as first partner Pokémon. Additionally, the pages for Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Sword and Shield, and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on the official Pokémon website all refer to the Pokémon chosen by the player at the beginning of the game as first partner Pokémon, while the page for Scarlet and Violet refers to these Pokémon as "your first partner."

The first Pokémon Direct to use the phrase first partner Pokémon was the Pokémon Direct that aired on September 4, 2013. Two Pokémon Directs promoting Pokémon Sword and Shield, aired on February 27, 2019 and June 5, 2019, used the phrases "first partner" and "first partner Pokémon" respectively to refer to the Pokémon chosen at the beginning of the game. The Pokémon Presents that aired on February 26, 2021 referred to the Pokémon chosen at the start of both Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus as first partner Pokémon. Another Pokémon Presents promoting the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet that aired on August 3, 2022 referred to Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly as "the Pokémon from which you'll choose your first partner."

A press release announcing Pokémon Sword and Shield refers to Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble as Pokémon chosen to be a "first partner." In the press release announcing Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the Pokémon chosen by the player at the beginning of those games are referred to as "first partner Pokémon." A press release announcing the Nintendo Switch – OLED Model: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Edition refers to Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly as "three Pokémon you can choose as your first partners in the game," while a press release promoting the then-upcoming relase of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet referred to these as first partner Pokémon.

The English online store pokemoncenter.com regularly uses first partner Pokémon to refer exclusively to the trios of Pokémon that can be chosen at the start of most core games, oftentimes excluding Pikachu and Eevee by mentioning them separately. This separation of Pikachu from other first partner Pokémon was also present in a press release for the series' 25th anniversary. The website for Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! refers to Pikachu and Eevee as both Partner Pokémon and first partner Pokémon. Chloe's new Eevee was referred to as her first partner in To Train, or Not to Train!.

Other Pokémon have been occasionally referred to as first partner Pokémon. According to its Pokédex entry in Pokémon Ultra Sun, Poipole is chosen as a first partner in its world.

In Pokémon Masters EX, the wording "first partner Pokémon" refers to several Pokémon, including Alder's Volcarona, Anabel's Snorlax, Ash's Pikachu, and a female Rising Star's Torchic.

Krysta Yang, a former public relations manager at Nintendo of America, has claimed that the phrase "partner Pokémon" is preferred in official communication due to "starter Pokémon" implying that the player will "be rid of them" later in the game.

Partner Pokémon

The official website for Pokémon X and Y referred to the Kanto first partner Pokémon as "classic partner Pokémon." The Pokémon Direct on September 4, 2013 referred to these as "the partner Pokémon from the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue."

The term "partner Pokémon" has been used to refer to the trio of Alola first partner Pokémon in the quote "Your Partner Pokémon Have Fully Evolved!" from an official video promoting Pokémon Sun and Moon. Additionally, the pages for Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio on the official website refer to each of these Pokémon as "your partner." A press release detailing a promotional event for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet referred to the Paldea first partner Pokémon as "the partner Pokémon."

Starter Pokémon

Article using the term "starter Pokémon"
(Nintendo Power #180)

"Gigantamax forms for your evolved starter Pokémon" mentioned in an official video about the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass

The earliest known official usage of "starter Pokémon" was on page 5 of Pokémon Power #6 (January 1999). It is also used on page 102 of Nintendo Power #180 (June 2004).

On the official Pokémon website, the page detailing Pokémon Emerald features artwork of the Hoenn first partner Pokémon captioned "Which starter Pokémon will you choose?"

The earliest use in the core series games was in Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, and White 2, where one of the questions from the Passerby Analytics HQ is: "What's your starter Pokémon?" This is also described as "This survey is... a request from a Pokémon Professor. You need to find out the most popular starter Pokémon." The official website for Pokémon Black and White also refers to the Unova first partner Pokémon as "starter Pokémon."

In Pokémon X and Y, the "Starters" battle background features Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie. The official websites for Pokémon X and Y and for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire also refer to the games' respective first partner Pokémon as "starter Pokémon." Additionally, the Pokémon Direct on September 4, 2013 referred to the Kalos first partner Pokémon as "the Pokémon X and Y starters."

The official website for Pokémon Sun and Moon sorts the pages for Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio under the tag "starter" and the section on the "Cool Features" page that links to the "Introducing Z-Moves" page uses the title "Exclusive Z-Moves for Starter Pokémon." The term "starter Pokémon" was used in the titles and descriptions of videos promoting the release of Pokémon Sun and Moon, and "evolved starter Pokémon" also appeared at the start of a video promoting the Gigantamax forms from the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass.

The term "starter" was used on a video promoting Pokémon Legends: Arceus in reference to the final evolutions of the Hisui first partner Pokémon.

Starter Figure Boxes, which included "Starter Figures" and cards featuring the Unova first partner Pokémon, were released during the Black & White Series of the TCG.

"Starter Pokémon" is mentioned officially in an article about Pokémon UNITE: "[...] the stickers are of Paldea’s starter Pokémon: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly."

In the official website for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, a hidden comment reads: "Looping video showcasing in-game footage of starter Pokémon Sprigatito, Quaxly, and Fuecoco."

The term "starter Pokémon" is used to refer to the regional first partner Pokémon trios in the Pokémon anime during Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, Diamond and Pearl, and Black & White. The first episode to use the term was the Ruby and Sapphire episode A Six Pack Attack!. Starting in Pokémon the Series: XY, the term fell out of use entirely—at a panel at PokéCon 2015, then-voice director of the English dub of the Pokémon anime, Tom Wayland, stated that starter Pokémon is "an unofficial term now", and it is not used in the anime anymore.

In 2019, Sonja Hammes, then a social media associate at The Pokémon Company International, stated that official social media accounts had been given authorization to use the phrase "starter Pokémon," provided that the phrase was not capitalized or abbreviated as "starters."

Other terminology

In some cases, first partner Pokémon are referred to descriptively, or with terminology that has not been consistently used since.

• In Pokémon Gold and Silver: Official Nintendo Player's Guide, the guidebook tells the player to "Choose a starting Pokémon from Professor Elm's lab".
• On the official Pokémon website, the page detailing Pokémon Gold and Silver previously stated: "At the start of your expedition, you'll have the option to choose one of three starting Pokémon: Cyndaquil, Totodile, or Chikorita."
• In The Official Pokémon Handbook: Deluxe Edition, Professor Oak says: "I supply many trainers with their first Pokémon. Usually, I let them choose between four beginning Pokémon — Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and sometimes Pikachu."
• On the Pokémon.com page for the Pokémon Center New York's Gotta catch 'em all! Station distributions in Generation II, the Kanto and Johto first partner Pokémon are referred to as the "initial three" (sometimes capitalized the "Initial Three").

In other cases, a Trainer's first Pokémon is simply referred to as such. For instance, in the first episode of the anime, Ash asks Gary: "You got your first Pokémon?" Other instances have occurred on official Pokémon websites and in official guidebooks.

Japanese terminology

In contrast to the English terminology, Japanese is not known to prefer any single way of referring to first partner Pokémon. Most commonly, パートナー (partner) will be used, but occasionally 相棒 (partner) or simply ポケモン (Pokémon) may also be used. This is usually paired with 最初の (first) or 初めての (first), but there may also be some variations on this like 最初に選んだ (that was chosen first) or はじめに選んだ (that was chosen first). Japanese marketing also has fewer promotions highlighting first partner Pokémon than English marketing. Among fans, 御三家 (the big three) refers to the Grass, Fire, and Water trios.

Partner Pokémon

In the Japanese manuals of Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Professor Elm refers to the Johto first partner Pokémon as パートナー (partner):

• Japanese dialogue:「好(す)きなポケモンを1匹(ひき)、パートナーとして連(つ)れていくといいよ」 (1 Pokémon that you like, take it as your partner).

  English dialogue: "Choose one of these Pokémon to take along with you."

In the intro of Pokémon Black and White, Professor Juniper refers to the player's first partner Pokémon in Japanese as the 「旅の　パートナー」 (travel partner).

See also

• First partner Pokémon