Studio Ghibli is a recognizable name for being a magical studio of storytellers, but the studio’s name itself also has an interesting origin and meaning. When talking about anime or feature film animation, it’s almost impossible not to hear the name Studio Ghibli brought up. The studio has been a powerhouse since its inception in the ‘80s and especially since breaching into Western pop culture in the ‘90s with its legendary film Princess Mononoke. A proper explanation of the anime titan’s name has never been truly given; while Studio Ghibli’s site suggests the name was chosen for its symbolic meaning, the studio’s co-founder and acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki once said it was a random name he chose and nothing more.
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With the master responsible for the movie My Neighbor Totoro on their team, it’s very possible that it was randomly chosen, but it seems hard to believe with Miyazaki at the helm. After going back and forth with finding a distributor for their films for the Western audience, Studio Ghibli finally solidified a contract that would allow its films to be shown unchanged from the original versions, something Miyazaki was very adamant about, and understandably so. He proved he knew his craft to the rest of the world when Princess Mononoke arrived in 1997 and forever changed the anime and animation industries.
As it turns out, there might actually be some meaning to the name, after all. The word “ghibli” is Arabic in origin and roughly translates to “a fiercely hot wind.” The theory fans have about this origin is that Studio Ghibli aimed to become a hot new wind blowing through the anime industry, changing the future of the genre. Knowing how Studio Ghibli’s track record has been since its inception, this explanation is fitting and well-earned. The other theory fans have is tied to Miyazaki himself, as evidenced by films like Porco Rosso and its beautiful story, being an airplane enthusiast in his childhood. The theory is that he took the name from the Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli, a World War II-era Italian recon plane, which takes its name from the same hot Mediterranean wind, because he liked the sound of the word.
Why Both Studio Ghibli Name Meanings Make Sense
Either explanation works for Studio Ghibli. When looking at it from a company marketing perspective in wanting to say something bold by promoting its artists and storytellers as the best, it's a bold naming strategy. If it was a gamble, then it worked. The Studio Ghibli name is both unique and memorable.
The plane theory makes sense, too. Since Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Ghibli’s first feature animation, Miyazaki’s adoration of the sky and flight have been prevalent in his work. Miyazaki’s father ran an aircraft parts manufacturing company in Japan during WWII that was owned by Miyazaki’s uncle. He would have been very familiar with numerous types of airplanes and could’ve taken a liking to the Italian plane nicknamed "Ghibli," with the word sticking with him years later.
But the word itself, "ghibli," captures the feeling the studio often evokes. The word just sounds cute, a fanciful word for an elemental phenomenon, which is entirely evocative of Studio Ghibli's work. The studio does so well at capturing the raw feeling of nostalgia, as well as the, at times, heavy-handed themes of war and peace. Through it all, it's always threaded with a bit of whimsy and nature. Ultimately, the name Studio Ghibli could’ve been Miyazaki’s own blessing to remember his childhood when creating the joy in his stories.