Why Does Vegeta Call Goku Kakarot? The Frenemies’ Shared Lineage Explained

Where did this name come from, though? Interestingly enough, it’s not a nickname that Vegeta uses. Quite the opposite, actually! Kakarot was the name given to Goku at birth.

See, both Vegeta and Goku are part of an alien species known as Saiyans who hail from the planet Vegeta (yes, the planet is also called Vegeta). As a child, Vegeta (the person) was made aware of Goku’s existence and knew him by the name that Goku’s birth father Bardock bestowed onto him.