In Japan, Ronald McDonald was long known as “Donald,” and his appearances in the classic “Donald's Rumors” commercials earned him the affectionate online nickname of “cult leader.” He became a prime target for MAD remix parodies during niconico's early days, and those videos remain a core internet memory for countless fans.
Now, however, the name “Donald” is heading into retirement. On October 1, McDonald's Japan announced that the mascot would officially be called “Ronald,” bringing Japan in line with the name used worldwide. The company also explained the reason behind the switch, but many Japanese fans were still sad to see such a familiar name disappear, quickly turning the announcement into a major topic across Japanese social media.
▼ The announcement immediately began trending on Japan's X／Social Media, showing just how much Ronald McDonald means to the country's internet crowd. 
Today, October 1, McDonald's Japan announced on its official X／Social Media account that the character would be “called Ronald starting today.” The post read, “What will become of Donald?” alongside an image of the mascot introducing himself with the message, “Call me Ronald from today.”
As part of the rebranding, Donald McDonald House has also been renamed Ronald McDonald House, matching the name used globally. The organization's corporate name has been updated as well, accompanied by a new logo, tagline, and brand statement.
According to the organization, the change is intended to make its identity as a globally unified brand clearer while reinforcing Ronald McDonald House and its mission to support families. Japan's unique “Donald” name has therefore been replaced with the globally recognized “Ronald,” with the corporate name updated at the same time.
Still, the name “Donald” left a serious mark on Japanese pop culture. The old cult-leader meme was especially huge, and plenty of fans are now pleading for the original name to stay.
Japan was the only country that officially used “Donald,” so adopting the globally recognized name makes perfect sense. Even so, Japanese fans have spent decades calling him Donald, and old habits die hard.
No matter what his name is, Ran Ran Ru will always live on in everyone's hearts.
After all, McDonald's Japan's classic “Donald's Rumors” commercial series gave the internet the original source material for the legendary Ran Ran Ru meme.
The commercials were originally just lighthearted spots sharing little facts and secrets about Ronald McDonald. Then niconico users got hold of the footage and turned it into an endless wave of parody edits. The hypnotic Ran Ran Ru craze soon spawned the so-called “Cult of Ran Ran Ru,” with Ronald himself crowned as its cult leader.
▼ McDonald's Japan's “Donald's Rumors” commercial series
▼ Anyone old enough to remember the early days of internet remix culture has probably seen this chaotic audio MAD classic, “Ronald McDonald Insanity”
The name change will not affect the organization's services, but for generations of Japanese fans, Ronald McDonald will probably always be remembered as “Donald.”