Top 50 Examples of the Mandela Effect

“Risky Business” (1983) If somebody were to wear underwear, a white shirt, and sunglasses, while dancing to “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Bob Seger, what movie do you think they were referencing? “Risky Business,” obviously, and if you look at the numerous parodies of this scene, that’s what you’ll see. However, viewers may be surprised when they revisit the original scene, as, not only is Tom Cruise’s character not wearing sunglasses at all, but his shirt is practically pink! Granted, his character does wear sunglasses elsewhere in the movie, but you’d think the shirt color would stick out in our collective memories!

Target has a very distinct brand for being an all-in-one store. Their logo is fairly memorable too, with their red and white color scheme featuring prominently in advertising campaigns. Still, for as famous as its logo is, it misses the mark for some people. Target’s, uh, “target” has a red dot with a single red ring around it. However, some people remember the logo having multiple rings. And while the logo did have multiple rings in the 1960s, folks recall the logo being different much more recently. Which begs the question - is this a false memory, or a bullseye recollection?

The Tiananmen Square protests and massacre are among the most horrifying events in recent Chinese history. Not that the Chinese government will let anyone inside the country talk about them. But while censorship inside China has led to younger people in China being unaware of the event, people outside are confused about its most striking image – Tank Man. This lone protestor stood in front of a line of tanks. According to video and historical records, the unidentified man climbed on top of the tank and later left. But there are those who remember a more tragic outcome – that Tank Man was run down. Is someone censoring reality or is it a case of mistaken memories?

“Happy Days” (1974-84) Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli is a pop culture icon. And of course, everyone knows his deal – he’s your typical greaser, with slicked back hair, a black leather jacket, and he says “ayyyyy.” But many find themselves doing a double take when they look at his jacket now. It’s not black, but rather dark brown. Granted, it’s a darker color, so that may account for the discrepancy in people’s memories. They might also be conflating the Fonz’s look with other famous greaser characters, like Danny Zuko from “Grease.” No matter his wardrobe though, the Fonz is still the Fonz.

“Breaking Bad” (2008-13) As one of the most acclaimed and popular TV shows of the 21st century, so far, “Breaking Bad” has inspired plenty of catchphrases and memes. Jesse Pinkman’s famous phrase “yeah science, bitch!” is actually only one of the latter, although many mistake it for being a catchphrase of his too. While Jesse is indeed famous for favoring the derogatory word for a female canine, he doesn’t use it along with his famous line about science. Instead, he says: “Yeah Mr. White! Yeah science!” A famous meme macro has combined Jesse’s actual catchphrase with this scene, so it’s no wonder people got this one mixed up.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated during a motorcade in Dallas, Texas on November 22nd, 1963. It’s one of the most famous assassinations in history and certainly one of the most revisited. While there are many conspiracy theories regarding the events that day, one of the most bizarre involves the number of people present in the vehicle it occurred in. A lot of people remember there being only 4 people in the car. However, viewing the footage now will tell you there were 6! The Texas governor and his wife in the middle seats are often forgotten, probably because most convertible cars aren’t set up with 6 seats.

Starbucks is arguably the biggest name in coffee. Yes, there’s Dunkin’ Donuts and Tim Hortons out there, but Starbucks is the global brand that everyone knows. Or, so you’d think! Despite the millions of cups likely sold since the start of this video, some Starbucks patrons are surprised about something on its famous logo – the star above the mythological siren’s head. Many customers remember the logo having only a crown with no star above it. Well, the siren did indeed lack a star at one point, but that was before its iconic green look. If anyone does decide to devote themselves to this potential mystery, they’ll definitely need a lot of caffeine. We’re just sayin.’

“Saw” is known for its intense, torture-based horror, and at the center of it all is a white-faced puppet named Billy. Acting as a way for the antagonist, John Kramer, to communicate with his victims, Billy gives characters the option to subject themselves to excruciating pain or face certain death. These options are referred to as “games” but, contrary to popular belief, Billy doesn’t ask whether his guests want to play! In the original “Saw” film Billy never says “do you want to play a game?,” but instead, “I want to play a game.” It’s a simple change, but one that definitely changes the tone.

Give us a break! Now there’s Mandela Effects in our candy? Kit Kats are a globally recognized candy bar, with four wafers, usually covered in chocolate, though some countries go nuts with a ton of different flavors. Looking at you Japan! What’s even more nuts is that people can’t agree on how to spell Kit Kat. While it’s occasionally stylized as being one word, that’s not what we’re talking about. Rather, there are those who remember there being a dash between Kit and Kat. Are people just splitting the difference between the one and two-word spellings? Or did someone break off a piece of reality?

Not only is Chicago a bona fide sports town, but it is home to several championship teams: the Bulls, the Blackhawks, the Cubs and the Bears. …and…the White Sox. For whatever reason, several outlets have had a tendency to think or forget that the Chicago White Sox won the World Series in 2005. In two separate instances of reporting on championship statistics, ESPN forgot to include the Chicago White Sox. In 2016, the twitter account of CBS’ morning show even shared a false fact about the city not having seen the event in 71 years; yet in truth, when the tweet was sent, the last time the city saw a World Series was 11 years ago when the aforementioned White Sox played the Houston Astros and won the series. Perhaps we’d understand if they’d never won in 2005, but they did and it wasn’t so long ago, so where’s the logic?

This one can easily be understood given how people speak when referencing a band. For example, saying “The Eagles’ best album is ‘Hotel California’” or, “‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ by The Ramones is a kick ass song” just flows better in conversation. However, the fact remains that neither band has a “the” in their name. Go ahead, pull out your albums, cassettes and CDs and see for yourself. Are you desperate for a real “the” now? Well, if you flip through your Pink Floyd albums, you’ll find one where you might have forgotten a “the” exists. No, they aren’t ‘The’ Pink Floyd, but their 8th studio album is actually called “THE Dark Side of the Moon”. Confused? Well, so were we.

“Born in the U.S.A.” is one of the Boss’ greatest and most recognizable hits. The cover of the album of the same name famously features Bruce Springsteen’s backside in a pair of jeans, with the U.S. flag in front of him. Many fans distinctly remember a bandana stuffed into the back pocket. But if you look today, it’s a baseball cap instead. While baseball caps certainly fit the all-American image, so too does a bandana. And this Mandela Effect catches even some hardcore Springsteen fans off guard. Perhaps someone was “born to run” off with this vanished article of clothing.

Misremembered names are a frequent Mandela Effect. Just look at the host of “The Twilight Zone,” Rod Sterling. We mean, Serling! Dang it…But not even being a Man of Steel makes you immune to these mistakes. “Superman” actor Christopher Reeve is often mistakenly referred to as Christopher Reeves. Reeves is generally a more common surname, and people do frequently refer to his Superman as Christopher Reeve’s Superman. Fellow “Superman” actor George Reeves probably didn’t help the confusion. But unless someone somehow took the man’s last name up, up, and away from this reality, it’s probably just a misremembered name.

The King of Pop is famous for donning a single white glove. No, we’re not going to tell you he never did that — of course he did. But ask yourself, which hand did he wear the glove on? There are some who swear that he only wore the glove on his right hand. Likewise, there are some who contend it was only worn on Jackson’s left. They’re both wrong. He wore one on both hands at some point, though never at the same time. It’s likely this switching led to confusion among fans. Unless that is, reality has been hit by, it’s been struck by — a smooth criminal.

This baseball legend is most often recognized as being the player who broke the color barrier in baseball, a sport that was predominantly segragated. And while this is indeed true, this groundbreaking achievement has often led people to believe that Jackie Robinson was the first African American to ever play professional baseball period. But the first player to actually do this was actually Moses Fleetwood Walker. On May 1, 1884, Walker made history when he suited up for the Toledo Blue Stockings in a game against the Washington Nationals. Both teams were a part of the American Association of Base Ball Clubs, a professional baseball league. Although he didn’t play in the MLB, his contribution shouldn’t be overlooked.

In 1984, “Gremlins” introduced the world to the mogwai, a fictional species that appeared cute and harmless but came with an important set of rules. Owners could not expose the creature to light, allow it to get wet, or, most importantly, feed it after midnight. Predictably, these three rules are broken over the course of the film, unleashing reptilian gremlins on the town. The leader of the gremlins, and the film’s main antagonist, is a gremlin with a mohawk named “Stripe.” Although some fans would argue you on that name. Some claim that the antagonist’s name was once “Spike,” a misconception that can be found not only amongst Mandela Effect believers, but many merchandise listings featuring the character.

Froot Loops are a staple of any cereal aisle, and of many kids’ breakfasts…also some adults. But what if we told you there isn’t any fruit in Froot Loops? Well, obviously there isn’t any in the cereal itself – it’s pure sugar. But we’re talking about the name. The “Froot” in “Froot Loops” is spelled with two o’s, instead of like one of the essential food groups. Naturally, this is to make it a more distinct brand and mirror the “loops” part of the name even more. Yet plenty of us remember it being spelled like any other fruit. Follow your nose, wherever it goes – hopefully to the truth.

Who didn’t love that mental image of D-Generation X invading WCW territory, while riding on a tank? Wait, what do you mean that never happened? We clearly remember Triple H and crew driving into “WCW Monday Nitro” on that impressive piece of army equipment. Well, no, it was actually just a jeep with a turret attached, but it sure looked like a tank from a side profile, right? Right? Ah well, maybe it’s a bit more fun to remember DX riding a giant tank, but the truth is that this example of a Mandela Effect affected many wrestling fans over the years, so at least we’re not alone!

The ‘60s featured several high-profile assassinations of public figures. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of these. The civil rights movement leader was killed from long range by a rifle while standing on the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. However, as well known as the killing is, some remember it happening differently. There are some who recall King being shot amid a crowd by someone with a handgun. Several famous individuals have been killed in this manner, so it’s possible that King’s assassination is being confused for one of theirs in people’s minds.

Okay, get ready, because we’re about to blow your mind! Or at least the part that grew up watching “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. One of the most popular songs from the classic Disney film is “Heigh-Ho”, sung by those seven little men holding onto their work gear. But you know the part in the chorus when they sing, “Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to work we go”? Turns out you may not know that part quite as well as you think, because the actual lyrics are almost the exact opposite. Rather than Heigh-Ho-ing to work, the dwarfs are Heigh-Ho-ing home from work. Mind blown, right?!

“Honey, I’m home!” is a popular phrase utilized throughout pop culture in family films, sitcoms, and even songs. The line is turned on its head in “The Shining,” when Jack Torrance says it prior to breaking through the bathroom door with an axe. Or, at least, it would be, if Jack actually said it. A number of people online seem to remember the line being a direct riff on the typically cheery phrase. But, in reality, Jack actually says “Wendy, I’m home!” - using his wife’s name rather than the generic “honey”.

“Pokemon” (1999-) Ash’s first adventure with Pikachu, in both the original series and movie adaptations, is capped off with the appearance of the legendary Pokemon Ho-Oh, a bird of such splendor and gravitas that it is truly unmistakable, especially with that rainbow motif it likes to flaunt around. Unless, of course, you happen to think it was a Moltres? Yeah, there are a few fans who recall seeing the fire bird cross Ash’s path as opposed to its feathered counterpart. We’re not sure if this is just gen one purist talk, but it’s hard to mistake Ho-oh’s hair-do! Maybe fans just got it confused with James?

Famously referred to as “the crime of the century,” in 1932, famous aviator Charles Lindbergh’s son was kidnapped. After several months, the body was found in the woods, and two years later the ransom money was traced to a carpenter named Richard Hauptmann. While Hauptmann’s guilt or innocence has been debated in the years since, there are still those who recall the facts of the case differently. Namely, that the Lindbergh baby was never found at all! The boy’s disappearance remained a greater mystery than history recorded, at least according to them.

After the dissolution of the Beatles, John Lennon put out some incredible hits on his own. One of these was the song “Imagine,” which also had a film created around it. Many people remember Lennon wearing a white suit in the film. But going back to the movie now shows Lennon wearing a black suit with little crosses on it. It’s easy to see why there might be confusion — after all, the house in the video is white and Yoko Ono is wearing white. So, why wouldn’t Lennon be wearing white, too? Or maybe people are remembering his wardrobe from the Abbey Road album cover. Then again, what if reality has changed? Imagine.

“Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope” (1977) “May the force be with you” has become a slogan for “Star Wars” over the years, with the date May the 4th even being used as a day to celebrate the franchise. Many believe that this phrase was initially spoken by Obi-Wan in the 1977 film, but this is actually not the case. In the film now known as “A New Hope,” Obi-Wan tells Luke rather than the now universally-known phrase. It may seem like an issue of semantics, but for some this can be an earth-shattering revelation. For those curious, the actual first use of the phrase was by General Dodonna before the Death Star battle in the same film. It is then repeated by Han Solo.

Sounds like a silly question, right? But you may be surprised to find out that it ends a little differently than you think. The classic rock tune finishes on a high, with Freddie Mercury belting out: “No time for losers/'Cause we are the champions”. But if you find yourself asking “isn’t there an ‘...of the world’ at the end there?” Then you wouldn’t be alone. Although, you would, also, be wrong because the actual song concludes just like that. However, it seems Freddie also felt like something was missing, as he threw in the “of the world” coda during the 1985 Live Aid concert. That could explain why this false ending has become our ingrained recollection of the track.

The logo for this sneaker line is one of the most iconic in history. Some believe or assume the logo’s silhouette is inspired and based on a slam dunk Michael Jordan pulled off from the free throw line during the NBA dunk contest in 1988. However, the truth of the matter is far less exciting. We hate to break it to you, but the inspiration behind the logo isn’t from that iconic Jordan dunk. In fact, the silhouette is actually from a Nike photoshoot where one the shots captured Jordan jumping in a position we can see on the logo. At least it’s still a cool shot though.

McIntosh apples were once one of the most prevalent types of apples out there. However, their popularity has waned of late. Their name lives on, due to Apple, the tech company, naming one of their most famous computers, and many other products, after them. Except…they don’t spell MacIntosh the same. The fruits start with “M-C,” while the computers start with “M-A-C.” Maybe Apple was right – what if we’re living in a 1984 nightmare where conformity is enforced, and truth is overwritten by our unseen overlords?! Or maybe because they sound the same, we all assume they’re spelled the same. [sarcasm] Equally possible.

The Original Trilogy When you think of what color C-3PO is, what do you think of? Gold, right? Well, you’d be half right. Some may be surprised to learn that Luke’s neurotic droid actually has one silver leg in the original trilogy. Many fans remember the character as being fully gold, to the point that some even believe his colors must have been edited in one of the many re-releases of the films. Even some official merchandise neglects to color his legs correctly. According to actor Anthony Daniels, however, C-3PO has always had mismatched legs. It may be a mandela effect, but it’s more likely that this pervasive misconception is due to the silver leg reflecting the character’s otherwise gold body, thus appearing gold itself.

Your childhood might not look the same after this! As we all know good and well, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” always began with its titular host singing its theme song. This much is true, but that well known opening line “It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood”? Not so much. Although it doesn't scan quite as well, it's actually “a beautiful day in this neighborhood”. But, how did we all miss that when we've heard the song so, so many times in our youth? It could be worse, we suppose. It’s not like he was wearing leather jackets instead of cardigan sweaters this whole time.

The board game “Monopoly” features a memorable mascot, named Rich Uncle Pennybags - also known as the Monopoly Man or Mr. Monopoly. He’s famous for his suit, top hat, and large mustache. However, people are divided on whether or not he wears a monocle. Reality seems to favor that he doesn’t, but our memories of this childhood game can’t be false, right? Heck, even Ace Ventura made the mistake, and he seems like he’s got a good head on his shoulders. Could it be as simple as conflating the Monopoly Man with other rich, fat cat mascots, like Mr. Peanut? Or has someone bought up all our memories?

This much-loved HBO show, and subsequent movies, follows a group of four women and their love lives in New York City. However, strangely, there is some disagreement on what its title is. Although some would swear up and down that it’s called “Sex in the City,” its actual title is “Sex and the City.” Now, the easy explanation is that people tend to slur the word “and” a lot, so that “Sex and the City” becomes “Sex N’ the City.” However, there also seems to be plenty of merch AND newspaper headlines bearing the word “in” instead of “and”. So what gives? Did reality go out for too many drinks with the girls?

“Fruit of the Loom” is a clothing company renowned the world over. Its logo is similarly famous, showing fruit spilling out of a cornucopia. Or at least, that’s what many of us remember it as being. In fact, the logo doesn’t contain a cornucopia at all. Okay, so maybe an old logo has it right? Nope! Versions of the logo dating back over 100 years lack the cornucopia too. So why do so many people associate a cornucopia with Fruit of the Loom? Even parodies and references to the Fruit of the Loom logo contain cornucopias, but not the genuine article.

“I Love Lucy” is a classic sitcom and among the most influential TV shows of all time. Lucy’s husband on the show, Ricky Ricardo, played by real life husband Desi Arnaz, had a particularly memorable catchphrase: “Lucy, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do!” Or did he? While Ricky frequently said the word, “’splain” in various contexts, he never says this exact quote, despite the supposed line being cited all over pop culture. It could just be a summation of Ricky’s frustration with Lucy’s antics distilled into a catchphrase that never was.

An American meat company, Oscar Mayer has remained a fixture of pop culture, thanks to its recognizable logo, famous Wienermobile, and several catchy jingles. But its name is a source of some consternation, as a lot of people remember “Mayer” being spelled with an “e” instead of an “a.” Old news clippings can even be seen spelling it “M E Y E R”. So is it just a case of the alternate spelling being more common, leading to misspellings? You’d think with one of its jingles having lyrics literally spelling out the company’s name, it’d be impossible to get it wrong. But there are those who swear that the lyrics of that have changed since they were younger.

Sally Field is a storied actress who has won many awards. However, her acceptance speech for best actress for “Places in the Heart” is particularly memorable. Field famously said, “You like me, you really like me!” Or at least, that’s what everyone remembers, including the dozens of movies and TV shows that parody the moment. But in the real speech, Field actually says: “…and I can’t deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me.” . It’s likely that people who misquote it are just condensing the speech, but it seems uncanny that everyone seems to have gotten it wrong. Field’s brother Rick is a physicist at CERN, which of course has Mandela Effect conspiracists abuzz, given the Large Hadron Collider’s relation to many theories about the phenomenon.

In this seminal Disney animated film, the villainously vain queen famously possesses a magic mirror. To call on it, she says “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” Except…that’s not the line in the Disney movie. In “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the queen says “magic mirror on the wall.” This is a strange case, because the original fairy tale has her say “mirror mirror,” it’s just the Disney version that’s different. This could simply be a case where people are conflating the fairy tale and the Disney film. Even so, it’s odd that something as popular and well known as “Snow White” wouldn’t be better remembered.

Curious George is a monkey and the star of many children’s books and television series. Given how long the character has been around, many are surprised to realize that he doesn’t have a tail. After all – George is a monkey, and most monkeys have tails. Apes generally don’t, by the way, and Curious George is repeatedly referred to as a monkey. Could the common confusion between the two sets of primates be the root of this Mandela Effect, or has reality changed the features of George’s posterior? Whatever the case, we’re certainly curious to find out!

The Mona Lisa is arguably the most famous painting in the world and has been discussed and dissected for half a millennium - from the strange phenomenon of her eyes appearing to follow you, to her enigmatic smile. However, for some, the latter is especially mysterious, since there are many who claim that she didn’t used to be smiling at all! Granted, it might just be that those exposed to the painting at an early age got better at reading her expression. Still, that so many people could be confused about one of the most studied pieces of art ever made seems odd.

When Dr. Hannibal Lecter greets Agent Clarice Starling from his cell, a lot of us remember him saying “Hello, Clarice” in that chilling tone. After all, that’s the quote that everyone references in pop culture. Yet in reality, Dr. Lecter never says this quote in “The Silence of the Lambs,” even if he approximates it in the sequel. He says “Good morning” to her and even “Good evening, Clarice,” but never that infamous quote. So, are people simply misquoting the film because “Hello” works at all hours of the day? Or is there a more sinister explanation at work?

The adorable yellow, red-cheeked Pikachu acts as the mascot to the massive multimedia “Pokémon” franchise. With its image plastered on practically everything “Pokémon,” you’d think that its features would be burned into the brains of generations of adults and kids alike. But there are those who are convinced that Pikachu’s tail, like its ears, used to have black on the end. Because of the misconception, there are plenty of images available that feature Pikachu with a black tail, so that could be to blame. Or maybe people are remembering something they were into as kids and are surprised when they revisit it as adults.

We’re getting to some deep cuts now! “Looney Tunes” is a franchise of Warner Bros. cartoons dating back to the early days of animation. Its characters are iconic to the medium and are practically as well known as those by rivals like Disney. But as famous as “Looney Tunes” is, there are some who believe its name’s spelling is no longer the same. Some people remember its name as being “toons,” as in “cartoons,” while the current spelling appears to be “tunes,” as in a synonym for music. The fact that its sister series is called “Merrie Melodies” lends some weight to the musical spelling, and the fact that the words are homophones does mean confusion would be easy. Still, stranger things, right?

Considering how big Disney is, they sure have a lot of us misremembering its properties. During a lot of Disney animated features, the introduction usually features the Disney logo, with its iconic castle and the name in distinctive, loopy handwriting. However, many fans seem to recall the character Tinker Bell from “Peter Pan” appearing in these intros. Although Tinker Bell has appeared in several variants of this sequence, a lot of us remember her using her wand to write out the word “Disney” before dotting the “i” with sparks. Despite many similar versions, none of them quite get it the way it’s described. Chalk this one up to magic?

As one of the titans of cinema, “Casablanca” has a host of memorable lines, from “Here’s looking at you kid,” to “We’ll always have Paris.” Yet one of its most quoted is never actually spoken in the movie. The line “Play it again, Sam,” a directive to the piano player to play “As Time Goes By”, is often associated with Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick, yet he never says the words. A few lines come close, but the exact phrase isn’t in the movie. It could be that in the pre-home video days people just misremembered the line, but still, you’d think a film buff like Woody Allen would know it, and he named a movie after a misquote!

This line is as synonymous with “Star Trek” as “Live long and prosper.” It’s just a little weird that no one in the show or films ever actually says it. Most often attributed to Captain Kirk, this exact phrase is not spoken by anyone in the franchise - although, in fairness, similar wordings such as “The Voyage Home”'s “Scotty, beam me up” were used from time to time. But why does this mis-attribution have the omnipresence of Q? Do people just like the sound of it? Did someone tamper with our timeline or did a transporter accident send some of us into a mirror universe?

This is the “memory” that gives the Mandela Effect its name. South African president Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison before being released in 1990…or was he? A great number of people seem to remember Mandela dying in prison, and reading about this “fact” in text books or seeing it on the news. Even Mandela’s death in 2013 from a respiratory infection did little to quell the uneasy feeling in people’s minds that something about the world, or their minds, had been altered. As strange as that is though, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

While sitting on a park bench and offering candy to strangers, Forrest Gump famously says that his mama always felt “life was like a box of chocolates.” It's an iconic phrase, but one we're likely all guilty of mis-remembering. In fact, his mama, and thus our simple hero, said that “life is a box of chocolates”. It’s perfectly plausible that people have merely altered the quote to be more general, and thus give it more currency, but it’s still strange that we all get the most memorable line in the movie wrong. Mama doesn’t say the quote like that in flashbacks!

The immortal line is more mortal than you’d think. Everyone who’s ever heard of “Star Wars” knows this quote, yet in the actual film, Darth Vader says to Luke, “No, I am your father.” Countless pop culture references and legions of dedicated “Star Wars” fans still manage to somehow get this quote wrong. So what’s the deal? Have we all just misquoted it because “Luke” provides more context? Or have some of us come to this reality from far far away? This isn’t the only “Star Wars” example of the Mandela Effect either: just check out C3PO’s leg some time.

Quick question: who starred in the ‘90s movie about a genie? Some of us correctly recall it being NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, who had a sporadic movie career throughout the '90s. However, others believe that the star of the film in question was the comedian and actor Sinbad, who starred in a number of children’s films during that same time period. Others also believe this nonexistent said film starring Sinbad was called “Shazaam,” rather than “Kazaam,” which they claim is something else entirely. Are people conflating multiple movies in their minds? If only we had a genie to magically solve this mystery.

You know that series of slightly saccharine children’s books about a family of bears, and the cartoons based off them? What are they called? “The Berenstein Bears” is remembered by many as a part of their childhoods. However, they aren’t “The Berenstain Bears” at all – they’re “The BerenSTAIN Bears!” The easy explanation is that names that end in “-stein” are far more common than those that end in “-stain” and a lot of us were exposed to the stories as kids, and misread or misheard the titles…multiple…times…yeah…While some of us can shake it off, for others, this is a “stain” on reality.