<p>I kept searching and found out for myself :). The US magazine from 1979 calls them Mini-Figures, even the version without arms.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/6/?id=97" rel="nofollow">http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/6/?id=97</a>
http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/10/?id=97</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-23T14:20:03.540Z
Technically, this 1979 catalog use refers to Mini-Figure, which is slightly different to ‘Minifigure’ which the LEGO group would consider to be the official trademarked term.
Rambling Brick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-22T22:08:40.780Z
Funny then, that the 1979 catalog as the TM trademark symbol right next to Mini-Figure ;)
Henrique de Sousa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-23T14:22:42.887Z
If I knew how to freely search for trademarks to see when it was originally filed, I would, but AFAICT it costs $$$! :)
Pod
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-18T14:28:19.120Z
2012-12-18T14:28:19.120Z
Pod
<p>When did The LEGO Group first use the term minifigure? Have they been called that since their introduction in 1978?</p>

<p>Similar to this question: 
<a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/1177/why-are-they-called-minifigs">Why are they called &quot;minifigs&quot;?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-18T14:22:40.307Z
"PEOPLE" in a 1979 brochure http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/12/?id=96
Pod
<minifigures><lego-group>
When was the first official use of the term 'minifigure' or 'minifig'?
Pod
# When was the first official use of the term 'minifigure' or 'minifig'?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-12-18)

When did The LEGO Group first use the term minifigure? Have they been called that since their introduction in 1978?

Similar to this question:
[Why are they called "minifigs"?](https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/1177/why-are-they-called-minifigs)

**Tags:** minifigures, lego-group

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: "PEOPLE" in a 1979 brochure http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/12/?id=96  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2012-12-18. Score: 4

I kept searching and found out for myself :). The US magazine from 1979 calls them Mini-Figures, even the version without arms.

<http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/6/?id=97>
http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/10/?id=97

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Technically, this 1979 catalog use refers to Mini-Figure, which is slightly different to ‘Minifigure’ which the LEGO group would consider to be the official trademarked term.  
> **username_2**: Funny then, that the 1979 catalog as the TM trademark symbol right next to Mini-Figure ;)  
> **username_0**: If I knew how to freely search for trademarks to see when it was originally filed, I would, but AFAICT it costs $$$! :)  

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