My father asked me a bizarre yet interesting question. "Why is it called Splatoon?"

[Lynda Monica | 350]

Sometimes outsiders to your little worlds have amazing questions. I was showing my elderly father the Splatoon games, and while he thought they were neat and even played with me for a bit, he turned to me and asked "Why is it called Splatoon?" I kind of froze and didn't have an answer.

"I guess it's like splat and cartoon?" I said sheepishly. My dad laughed pretty hard at that, as I think he realized he stumped me.

I mean the paint splats, and squids shoot ink that splats, but where does the "toon" come from? It was such a weird and funny question that I wanted to share, and ask what all of you think. Please, help an old man understand this puzzling question for our times.

[The Count | 534]

Splat + Platoon?

Is it a play on spittoon? The old containers in which people would spit chewing tobacco. 

[Lynda Monica | 350]

I think you nailed it with Platoon. That makes a lot of sense. Somehow I just never put it together. XD

[DarkTone | 988]

What @The Countsaid. Combination of both words. 

Now Splatfest, Thats a different story...

[Reed Rothchild | 9,592]

My kids have a hangman puzzle book.

One of the solutions was "Splatoon"

My kids asked what that meant and I said "squid platoon."  Based on nothing.