AnimationHistory – STENOIMPERIUM

The Stenographer Who Named a Legend – How Lillian Bounds Disney Gave Mickey Mouse His Name

Long before Mickey Mouse became the world’s most beloved animated icon, a young Idaho stenographer named Lillian Bounds quietly shaped his destiny. Working at Disney Brothers Studio in 1923, Lillian used her sharp ear and creative instinct to suggest a new name for Walt’s early sketch—replacing “Mortimer” with “Mickey.” That single moment of intuition helped launch a character, a company, and a cultural era.