Pietro is one of Animal Crossing's most divisive villagers, with some players put off by his clown-like appearance, and others wanting to know more about the character and the meaning behind his name. Pietro is a brightly colored sheep, adorned with clown makeup and costumery. For players who dislike clowns, Pietro is a hard pass as a villager on their Animal Crossing island. While some players are averse to Pietro's resemblance to a clown, he has developed a cult following, spawning endless memes and fan art online. In terms of his personality, Pietro is a smug villager who talks about striving for perfection, another factor that plays a role in his unpopularity.
Pietro first appeared in 2012's Animal Crossing New Leaf with a home as wacky and colorful as his appearance. The exterior of Pietro's house was toned down for New Horizons, but the interior remains equally eccentric, featuring carnival games and a cotton candy cart. For fans of more subtle color palettes and designs, Pietro's weird and wonderful house could be another reason to not choose him as a villager. Pietro's appearance remained largely unchanged between Animal Crossing New Leaf and New Horizons but, in the more recent game, he wears a simpler jester costume with fewer ruffles.
Pietro is the Italian equivalent of the name Peter, with both names derived from the Greek word Petros which means "rock". However, the origins of Animal Crossing character Pietro's name are more complex. There are multiple theories that provide a link between Pietro's name and his clown-like appearance. Pietro could be a play on words on Piero (ピエロ) the Japanese word for clown. Alternatively, Pietro's name could be a nod to Pierrot, a sad clown character with origins in Italian-language theatre in seventeenth-century Paris. Like Animal Crossing's Pietro, Pierrot is often dressed as a clown, has appeared in the arts and popular culture for centuries. Plus, the choice of the Italian name Pietro could be a nod to Pierrot's Italian-language theatre origins.
While the meaning behind many Animal Crossing characters' names is simplistic, like that of fellow sheep villager Baabara, there are other Animal Crossing characters with names that are references to the arts. Genji, a rabbit villager who has appeared in every Animal Crossing game, is reportedly named after The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. Written in the early 11th century, The Tale of Genji is considered to be the world's first novel and continues to be revered as a classic. Another example is Hamlet, a hamster jock villager in Animal Crossing named after William Shakespeare's play of the same name. Hamlet's quote "The ear's the thing" appears to be a slightly morbid reference to King Hamlet's death caused by poison in his ear.
Animal Crossing continues to add new, creative characters with names referencing popular culture and the arts. To many players, the origins of Pietro's name won't be obvious. Those with an interest in clowns or pantomime might be familiar with the character of Pierrot the sad clown, or might spot the similarity between Pietro's name and the word for "clown" in several languages. Although fear of clowns is a common occurrence, there are also many people who like clowns. Therefore, it's unsurprising that players are divided over this Animal Crossing villager, even if his loyal fanbase continues to adore him.
