Star Wars Officially Confirms Baby Yoda’s Preferred Name

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In a shift from earlier practices, Star Wars seems to be embracing the popular moniker “Baby Yoda” more openly now, as evidenced by a recent trailer for a new Star Wars project where a character refers to the character by this exact name. Previously, they had been sidestepping the fan-designated name for Grogu, especially after the revelation of his actual name in The Mandalorian Season 2.

A fresh trailer for “LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Fragments of the Past“, the second season of the “LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy” series on Disney+, was recently unveiled. In this trailer, a character employs the term “Baby Yoda” to refer to Grogu – marking the inaugural usage of this term in an authentic Star Wars undertaking.

At exactly 1 minute and 11 seconds into the trailer, Marsai Martin’s character, Yesi Scala, is positioned before Grogu who floats in a pod resembling a baby stroller. Excitedly, she gestures towards him and exclaims, “We found a creature similar to Baby Yoda!” This significant moment in the Star Wars series marks the first time such a reference has been made on-screen using the name ‘Baby Yoda.’

It’s worth noting that Grogu’s appearance in Season 2 officially acknowledged a fan-created nickname for him. Prior to this, fans had been referring to him as Baby Yoda due to his resemblance to the iconic character Yoda, although his actual name was unknown. Despite Grogu being revealed as his official name, some continue to use “Baby Yoda” when discussing him, reflecting the popularity of the original nickname.

As a die-hard Star Wars fan, I can’t help but notice the way the saga borrows from its dedicated community. Time and again, elements initially created by fans find their way into the official Star Wars universe. This phenomenon has an official name – fanon. Iconic characters like the galaxy’s most renowned clone and stormtrooper legion have roots in this creative, fan-driven space.

The full trailer for LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Pieces of the Past can be seen below:

Notable Examples of Star Wars Fanon

The 501st Legion

When someone mentions “501st” among Star Wars enthusiasts, they immediately picture the clone troops from the prequels and The Clone Wars, distinguished by their dark blue armor. In the Star Wars universe, the 501st Legion was a specific unit of clone troopers led by Captain Rex, under the command of Anakin Skywalker.

Initially, you might find it hard to believe, but prior to being officially recognized as such, the 501st Legion was just a name coined by fans. In fact, its creation can be traced back to enthusiasts. Over time, this fan-made group has expanded globally and even contributed costumes for Lucasfilm in ‘The Mandalorian’.

Timothy Zahn, the author behind the celebrated “Heir to the Empire” trilogy, chose to call his fictional unit by the same name as an existing fan group – the 501st Legion. In his book, “Survivor’s Quest“, Zahn was merely acknowledging this group. However, in Star Wars lore, this name has become a well-known term, thanks to the creative influence of Timothy Zahn.

In the movie “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith,” the 501st Legion was introduced as an official part of the storyline. This group was later developed more in the 2005 video game “Battlefront II.” The 501st Legion was also mentioned and became a significant focus in other Star Wars projects, such as “The Clone Wars.

Cos Palpatine

Prior to the revelation in a 2014 novel that Emperor Palpatine’s first name was Sheev, many fans speculated that it was Cos. This guess originated from something George Lucas had done as early as 1974, even before the release of Star Wars: A New Hope. In an initial script for the movie, Lucas had written that the Galactic Emperor was named Cos Dashit.

It’s clear that the character’s name was altered, as Emperor Palpatine became the officially recognized name. However, in the “Darth Plagueis” novel, it was revealed that Sheev Palpatine’s father was named Cosinga Palpatine, a name fans had unofficially referred to Sheev as for years. This further demonstrates how fan-created names sometimes find their way into official storytelling.

The GFFA

In the world of Star Wars, no formal title was ever bestowed upon its vast galaxy. Yet, ardent fans of the series began to refer to it informally as the GFFR, which stands for “Galaxy Far, Far Away.” This moniker is significant because it’s a term that appears before the opening scroll in every Star Wars movie.

Del Rey’s tales within the Star Wars universe eventually bestowed upon the Star Wars galaxy an official The Galactic Federation of Free Alliances (GFFA). Interestingly, when

R2-KT

In 2005, a droid named R2-KT was built by the R2-D2 Builders Club as a tribute and gesture of respect to Katie Johnson, who was a seven-year-old girl whose father, Albin Johnson, founded the 501st Legion. Sadly, Katie was battling terminal cancer and expressed her wish for her very own droid. The Builders Club constructed R2-KT, with the ‘KT’ part of the name representing Katie, to fulfill her wish. This droid remained by her side during her final days.

In the popular series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” R2-KT was officially recognized as part of the Star Wars universe by Dave Filoni. Filoni incorporated this droid into both the movie and several episodes of the show as a tribute to Katie Johnson and her legacy. It’s worth mentioning that Katie also made appearances in “The Force Awakens” and various “Star Wars LEGO” productions, ensuring that her presence lived on within the galaxy far, far away.

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2025-09-08 11:06