What is Boo's real name in Monsters, Inc.? Released in 2001, Monsters, Inc. was only the fourth movie to be released by Pixar. It was another early example of the imaginative worlds the studio and its storytellers could create. Monsters, Inc. was also an early sign of the work director Pete Docter could do, as he went on to direct Up, Inside Out, and Soul - in addition to becoming the CCO of Pixar.
The story of Monsters, Inc. follows two best friends, Sulley (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), who are monsters living in a city powered by the screams of children. Sulley is one of the best scarers at Monsters, Inc., while Mike is in charge of running his scare station. Their normal lives are thrown for a loop when Sulley accidentally allows a small girl to enter Monstropolis. Sulley and Mike spend the majority of Monsters, Inc. trying to get this child back home, even though Sulley grows into a father-like figure to her. This includes Sulley giving the young kid a name, Boo, as he does not know her real name.
Sulley and Mike calling the girl Boo is a great sign of the affection they have for her (much like how Boo calls Sulley "kitty" throughout the film), but what is her real name? Monsters, Inc. never has Sulley or Mike or anyone else at the company calls her by her real name. However, there is a small detail in Monsters, Inc. that might reveal what Boo's real name is. One of the many drawings she does in the movie has "Mary" written in crayon at the top left corner. It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it Easter egg for the Pixar film and the first sign of a real name associated with Boo. And since she would be the one to write that on the drawing, a kid her age writing her name on it is quite common.
The decision to make Boo's real name Mary wasn't entirely random. It appears Pixar gave Boo this name based on the young girl who provided the voice for Boo in Monsters, Inc.: Mary Gibbs. She is not an actor by trade but is connected to Pixar in another way. Her father, Rob Gibbs, worked on Monsters, Inc. as a story artist. Pixar used Mary as the voice of Boo thanks in part to this connection and since she was relatively the right age to play the character. Mary Gibbs later returned to Pixar to provide additional voices for Inside Out.
While Boo's real name is now believed to be known, it is still quite strange that it is not known or said during Monsters, Inc. The company has detailed files on each of the kids they are about to scare, but not having their names listed is odd. Perhaps it is because Monsters, Inc. viewed them as resources, and acknowledging their names could make their actions seem more inhumane. Furthermore, Boo can say a few different words in Monsters, Inc., so it doesn't make a lot of sense that she doesn't know or can't say her name: Mary.