Why does Vegeta keep calling Goku, Kakarot

[Captain Strawberry]

Goku doesn't consider it, his actual or real name. He much prefers his Earthling name and I think he considers himself more Earthling than Saiyan.

[rereboy]

Because of the importance that Vegeta puts on being saiyan. Goku is a pure-blood saiyan, that was born on planet Vegeta and named, by his saiyan parents, as Kakarot. So, to Vegeta, what name Goku wants to be called by is irrelevant. He is Kakarot. His adoptive earthling name is irrelevant and Vegeta probably considers the use of such a name instead of his proper saiyan one as shameful.

[Cetra]

Saiyajin Pride.

[Chuquita]

Gokû is Vegeta's only everyday reminder of his people. Vegeta calls him who he sees, or wants to see him as.

I do think it's interesting how many nicknames Gokû's racked up compared to the rest of the cast.
Son-kun - Bulma
Gokû-sa - Chi-Chi
Son - Piccolo until they become friendlier
Kakarrotto - Vegeta
Gokû-chan - Grand Kai in the tournament filler and movie 12
Gokû-kun - Beerus in Super

[Herms]

Old habits, stubbornness, and tribal identity. Same reason some fans still stick with "Bills".

[LordCrumb]

Old habits, stubbornness, and tribal identity. Same reason some fans still stick with "Bills".

Really? I haven't heard anyone call him that since before the english dub came out..

[dbgtFO]

Old habits, stubbornness, and tribal identity. Same reason some fans still stick with "Bills".

Really? I haven't heard anyone call him that since before the english dub came out..

Pretty sure some official dubs use that name(was it one of the latino dubs per chance?), so it would be normal for that part of the fanbase to refer to him as Bills.
And really, when it's said in japanese, most of the times it sounds like Bills to me. The English dub pronounces it pretty clearly, so you can understand the name pun, but they go and ruin it with Whis(pronounced like Weezing, but without the ing), when it should sound like Whiskey

[Baggie_Saiyan]

Old habits, stubbornness, and tribal identity. Same reason some fans still stick with "Bills".

Really? I haven't heard anyone call him that since before the english dub came out..

Pretty sure some official dubs use that name(was it one of the latino dubs per chance?), so it would be normal for that part of the fanbase to refer to him as Bills.
And really, when it's said in japanese, most of the times it sounds like Bills to me. The English dub pronounces it pretty clearly, so you can understand the name pun, but they go and ruin it with Whis(pronounced like Weezing, but without the ing), when it should sound like Whiskey

The Japanese pronounciation sounds more like Beers to me than Bills.

[Herms]

I'm already sorry I brought it up...

Anyway, there is that one random Cell arc panel where Vegeta calls Goku "Goku", but that's probably just a mistake.

[Lord Beerus]

Kakaraot is Goku's Saiyan birth name and Vegeta will always address him as such as long as Goku can turn his hair blonde.

[Super Sonic]

It's no different from Kryptonians calling Superman "Kal-El" though he (at least post-Crisis) thinks himself first as Clark Kent. Grant there are many who aren't aware of that, but the point still stands.

[DoomieDoomie911]

Old habits, stubbornness, and tribal identity. Same reason some fans still stick with "Bills".

Really? I haven't heard anyone call him that since before the english dub came out..

I've seen a few fans call him "Bills" since the dub was released.

[ABED]

It's no different from Kryptonians calling Superman "Kal-El" though he (at least post-Crisis) thinks himself first as Clark Kent.

Good point, and I've never understood why Clark would ever think of himself as Kal-El.

[Polyphase Avatron]

I'm already sorry I brought it up...

Anyway, there is that one random Cell arc panel where Vegeta calls Goku "Goku", but that's probably just a mistake.

Do you have a scan of that?

[Marco Polo]

Additionally, Raditz was Vegeta's partner according to DB Minus, so there is a possibility that Vegeta already heard about Kakarot from Raditz way back then and maybe even met him in passing in one of those tubes.

[TheGreatness25]

Because Vegeta is a hipster. He doesn't refer to malt liquor as "beer" but rather "lager." He doesn't refer to Super Saiyan as "Super Saiyan," but rather as "Soopa Saiya-Jin." Vegeta doesn't refer to CM Punk as "CM Punk," but rather, "Phil."

[Gaffer Tape]

Son - Piccolo until they become friendlier

I could be wrong, but I feel like he uses that more after they become friendlier. Prior to that, he usually seemed to use the full "Son Goku" when referring to him. Oh, and don't forget Tenshinhan uses Son on occasion too!

[nickzambuto]

I'm more puzzled as to why certain fans actually call him Kakarot.

[DoomieDoomie911]

I'm more puzzled as to why certain fans actually call him Kakarot.

They do?

[Chuquita]

*Nods* Yup, there used to be users on here who would call Gokû "Kakarot". I don't remember any of their handles, but I feel there were at least 3 different users who did that at some point.

Son - Piccolo until they become friendlier

I could be wrong, but I feel like he uses that more after they become friendlier. Prior to that, he usually seemed to use the full "Son Goku" when referring to him. Oh, and don't forget Tenshinhan uses Son on occasion too!

That sounds right; I think I was just confusing remembering when I'd heard Piccolo call him by his family name.