Random Common Pokemon Name Meanings from Generation 1 (16 items)

(#15) Abra, Kadabra, & Alakazam

This might be obvious to '90s kids, but younger Pokemon fans may not know that Abracadabra and Alakazam were two popular incantations that used to be spoken before the reveal of a magic trick. This explains their psychic powers, and why Alakazam can bend spoons (kind of like a magic trick!).
(#14) Clefairy & Clefable

If you were in band in high school, you know that a clef is a musical symbol found on sheet music that indicates the pitch of the notes being played. This explains why Clefariy and Clefable use the move "metronome," which in real life is the name of a device that keeps the beat for you while you practice. And here we thought Jigglypuff was the musical one!
(#3) Nidoran

Given that this was the only Pokemon with a male and female version when Red and Blue came out, Nidoran confused a lot of kids in the late '90s. The name is partly based on the Japanese words ni (two) and nido (two times, two degrees) referring to the two versions of the Pokemon that exist.

The Japanese word ran also translates to orchid, a flower that can be purple or blue (the same colors of the male and female versions of Nidoran, respectively).
(#16) Zubat
- Fictional Character
Does anybody have a spare repel? Zubatto is a Japanese onomatopoeia for when a sharp object forcefully pierces something, perhaps referring to Zubat's fangs or the screeching sound it makes.
(#4) Lapras
- Fictional Character
Lapras is a variation of the word Laplace, which holds several meanings for the Pokemon. Pierre-Simon Laplace was a famous mathematician who studied the sea and the tides, which makes sense given that Lapras is a water Pokemon.
Additionally, la place is French for seat, which makes a lot of sense given that Lapras is one of the only water Pokemon that actually makes sense to ride (and Ash in fact does so in the intro to the cartoon).
(#9) Hitmonlee & Hitmonchan

If it wasn't already obvious, the kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee is an homage to Bruce Lee, while the punching Pokemon Hitmonchan is an homage to Jackie Chan.