All main characters (except for one) in SpongeBob SquarePants are based on real-life sea animals and were given names according to their most defining characteristics, but in Squidward Tentacles’ case, his name is inaccurate as he’s not a squid. So, is Squidward an octopus? SpongeBob SquarePants has been an unstoppable force in television and the world of cartoons in general since its debut on Nickelodeon in 1999. The series was created by Stephen Hillenburg and, over the years, some viewers have asked him questions like "Is SpongeBob scientifically accurate?", and importantly, "Is Squidward a squid?". The answer is surprisingly complicated, as both the series and the SpongeBob movies take absurdity to new heights, with events and characters such as Squidward from SpongeBob that very loosely play around with scientific concepts. Regardless, what is Squidward?
SpongeBob SquarePants is all about the daily adventures of the title character and his friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. Although SpongeBob is friendly and kind to everyone, there’s one character who refuses to fall for his charm and continues to be annoyed by his presence: Squidward. Squidward from SpongeBob is often depicted as an antagonist, and to add to his never-ending annoyance, his name isn’t even accurate when it comes to his species. So, is Squidward an octopus? Squidward Tentacles is SpongeBob’s neighbor and coworker, so he’s pretty much forced to share time with the famous sea sponge. Squidward is grumpy, rude, egotistical, and very sarcastic, the opposite of his neighbor, and while an exact reason as to why he’s so pessimistic hasn’t been revealed, some believe it might have to do with the biggest inaccuracy of his character: he’s not a squid. What is Squidward then? Well, Squidward is an octopus, as confirmed by Stephen Hillenburg years ago, and there’s a good reason why he was named “Squidward” instead of something related to octopuses.
Squidward Is Not A Squid – So Why The Name?
Squidward is an octopus and not a squid, but Spongebob creator Steve Hillenburg took some creative license within the world of Bikini Bottom, prompting many to wonder "what is Squidward?". Hillenburg was not only an animator but also a marine science educator, and the fan-theory-laden SpongeBob SquarePants actually originated as an educational book he created titled The Intertidal Zone. This is why the main characters (except for Sandy, who is a squirrel) are all based on real sea animals and given names that match these, but for Squidward, the team chose design over accuracy.
On a special segment included on the DVD for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Hillenburg introduces Squidward from SpongeBob as “Squidward the Octopus”, explaining that he likes the octopus because “they have such a bulbous head”, which matches Squidward’s personality as he thinks he’s an intellectual. Hillenburg also explained that Squidward has six limbs instead of eight because it’s easier to draw - though there are two episodes where he appears with eight. The name Squidward, then, was simply because the squid is closely related to the octopus, and according to the character's voice actor, Rodger Bumpass, the name “Octoward” didn’t work. Notably, Squidward's rival Squilliam is more accurately named than the main character.
Hillenburg also shared that they toyed with the idea of Squidward ejecting ink but it looked too weird, though there have been inking jokes throughout the show. Squidward’s name doesn’t match the sea animal it’s mostly inspired in, but the overall design and name work a lot better than if he had been made into a full-on squid or his name would have been a variant of “octopus”, which surely would have had a different impact on the audience of SpongeBob SquarePants.
Is SpongeBob Scientifically Accurate?
The answer to any Spongebob-related questions of scientific accuracy is simply "no." Although Hillenburg was a marine science educator and intended for The Intertidal Zone to be educational, SpongeBob SquarePants has completely gone off the rails in terms of scientific accuracy. Even the theory about Bikini Bottom being a nuclear site wouldn't suffice to scientifically explain all the absurd things that go on in the series and movies. That said, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it's hard to imagine SpongeBob SquarePants becoming a cultural phenomenon had Hillenburg focused on science instead of humor and entertainment.
This isn't to say that SpongeBob SquarePants is entirely unscientific, as many of the show's jokes rely on bending the rules of physics and biology to point out the absurdity of marine life in Bikini Bottom. Plus, marine researchers recently found a sponge and starfish uncannily resembling Patrick and Spongebob hanging out in the wild for real, according to Livescience, but they maintained it's more likely that Patrick would have eaten SpongeBob on sight, given their respective species.
There Are Octopuses In SpongeBob That Look Nothing Like Squidward
Squidward isn't the only octopus in SpongeBob — what's even weirder is that he looks nothing like his fellow cephalopods. In the SpongeBob SquarePants season 2 episode "Sailor Mouth," an octopus family is seen at the Krusty Krab enjoying a meal. SpongeBob "swears" (cue the iconic dolphin noise) in front of the table, prompting the octopus mom to use her many tentacles to shield her children. While the octopus children are only drawn with four tentacles a piece, the mother clearly has eight. Tentacle count aside, the appearances of the family shown in "Sailor Mouth" differ greatly than that of Squidward.
The octopus family in SpongeBob Squarepants have no discernable torsos or clothes (aside from silly hats), and look much more akin to a traditional octopus than Squidward from SpongeBob does. This just adds an extra layer to the weirdness that is SpongeBob, whose surrealism has spawned fan theories about everything from mental illness to drug use. However, the inconsistency is consistent with the show, which also chooses to depict snails as cats. However, the miserable Squidward from SpongeBob SquarePants is definitely an octopus, even if he doesn't look like others on the show.