Summary

• Ganondorf, The Legend of Zelda's most prominent villain, actually has a last name.
• Ganondorf's surname is never used in any of the series' games, only appearing in supplemental material.
• Most people in Hyrule seem to go by one name, so Ganondorf's last name being ommitted isn't especially strange for the setting.

Although the King of Evil is generally known by the name of Ganondorf (or Ganon) alone, The Legend of Zelda’s most famous antagonist does in fact have a last name. The Zelda series is packed full of lore, but not every aspect of Hyrule is explained within the games themselves. Occasionally, people must turn to tie-in material and other such sources to get all the answers, sources which (among other things) reveal Ganondorf’s full name.

While Ganondorf seems all but immortal as he constantly returns to plague Hyrule once more. Of course, this is due to the Curse of Demise, which ensures that peace in Hyrule will never last forever. But as popular a character as Ganondorf is, it is still possible for facts about him to go unnoticed by many if they are not directly referenced in the games.

Ganondorf’s Full Name Appears Only In Supplemental Material

Ganon’s backstory as Ganondorf was first detailed in A Link to the Past, which described him as the leader of a band of thieves who managed to claim the Triforce. According to the same game’s manual, his full name is actually Ganondorf Dragmire, a fact which is confirmed as canon in the official Zelda website’s glossary. Interestingly, the same manual also reveals Ganondorf uses an alias, Mandrag Ganon, which is said to mean "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves" and presumably then inspires his inhuman persona’s own name. However, the names "Dragmire" and "Mandrag" never actually appear in A Link to the Past, nor in any other Zelda game.

Most Of Hyrule’s Family Names Are A Mystery

Surnames do not often appear in The Legend of Zelda, with the most notable example of this being Link. If the hero has ever had a family name, it has never been revealed. On the other hand, the royal family which rules Hyrule explicitly shares the kingdom’s name, such as with Breath of the Wild’s King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. BOTW also has Riju label her diary as belonging to "Makeela Riju," but it is left unclear if Makeela is Riju’s actual first name, her family name, or even the Gerudo word for Chief (although it is worth noting that Ganondorf’s name suggests the Gerudo follow the typical Western naming order).

Ganondorf Dragmire is an intimidating name, one which can easily bring to mind the image of fearsome dragons or treacherous swamps. As a result, it is a perfect surname for the King of Evil. In that light, it is strange that it has yet to be used in an official game, only existing in supplementary material. With that being said, as most of Hyrule seems to ignore surnames, perhaps this is simply matching the fantasy realm’s culture. In any case, Ganondorf’s full name is an interesting piece of lore, and it may still appear in a new The Legend of Zelda game.

Source: zelda.nintendo.com