No, King Boo is Not a Girl – Putting the Gender Debate to Rest
As a lifelong Super Mario fan and expert, I get asked this question a lot – is the menacing monarch of the Boos actually female? After all, King Boo‘s original Japanese name is "King Teresa" which would imply a feminine identity, right?
Well, let‘s take a boo-tiful deep dive…
The meaning behind the name "Teresa"
King Boo‘s early Japanese moniker “King Teresa” does contain the European female name Teresa. This led some fans to assume Nintendo originally designed him as female.
However, linguists have confirmed that “Teresa” was likely just a reference to how shy Boos behave in Mario games. Teresa sounds similar to the Japanese phrase てれてれ (teretere) meaning “shyness” or “embarrassment”.
Given how Boos cover their faces when Mario looks at them, this shy link makes sense! So while the name may be confusing in English, it was not meant to indicate King Boo‘s gender, just describe classic Boo behavior.
In-game evidence of King Boo‘s masculinity
While the average Boo may be genderless, King Boo stands apart as a monarch-like leader. And Nintendo has portrayed him with predominantly male characteristics:
- In Luigi’s Mansion dialogue, other characters refer to King Boo with “he/him” pronouns
- His appearance features jagged teeth and menacing expressions seen more among male creatures in Mario
- On the rare occasions King Boo speaks, he has a deep masculine voice
The chart below compares King Boo‘s recurring design and behavior to typical gender tropes among Mario baddies:
| Masculine Traits | Feminine Traits | |
| Appearance | Heavy brows, fangs ✅ | Long lashes, bowed lips ❌ |
| Personality | Brooding, aggressive ✅ | Flirty, temptress ❌ |
No question about it – King Boo aligns far more with conventional male villain characteristics in the Mario universe.
Marketing and merchandise point to King Boo being a he
Looking beyond the games themselves, Nintendo‘s handling of King Boo in marketing materials and merchandising also depicts him as male:
- The official Super Mario wiki lists King Boo with male pronouns and gender signifiers
- Toys and collectibles portray him with standard “evil king” costuming
- Even as far back as 2001, a promotional artwork sketch visualized King Boo as unambiguously masculine
*Rough sketch portraying a male humanized King Boo from 2001*
So in virtually all games, media and products from Nintendo, King Boo has established himself as an undeniably male adversary – at least outwardly!
What about the gender fluid theories?
Some fans have crafted theories about King Boo originally being planned as female before becoming male in later games. Or even shifting between genders fluidly.
Unfortunately, these speculative theories lack conclusive proof. While his Japanese name hints at an early feminine concept, all evidence since points to a consistent male depiction.
Perhaps these theories arise from wishful thinking of fans seeking more female antagonists in Mario lore! Nintendo‘s world-building can be complex with characters evolving in surprising ways.
But for King Boo, his masculine “evil king” representation has remained steady over decades of Super Mario adventures.
The BOO-ttom Line
So while individual Boos may reside in a non-binary gender gray area, indicators in games, media and merch strongly establish King Boo as being male in identity and presentation.
His unique regal role as Boo ringleader demands a defined personality – and Nintendo chose to craft that around classic male monster archetypes.
Sure, some gray area lingers thanks to quirks in translation between Japanese and English naming. But the preponderance of evidence leaves no doubt:
King Boo is not a girl – he’s the ominous male monarch of all things that go BOO!
