Shakespeare, via Juliet famously said, “What’s in the name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Well, many will say the same thing for Netflix‘s successful show Money Heist or La Casa de Papel; but is it really the case? The original name of the hit series was in Spanish, so why was it changed when the series was released in English? Or why was the title not translated, rather than giving an altogether new name?

Today we sit down and learn about both the names of the Netflix Original; La Casa de Papel and Money Heist. We will see how both names originated, what do they mean, and why did the streaming giant decide to change the original name of the show.

Money Heist or La Casa de Papel: Which is the correct name?

We all are well aware that the heist-drama is set in the capital city of Madrid in Spain, and the first two seasons of the show were first released in Spanish as well. Now, since the roots of the series are in España, the original name of the show is also in Spanish. La casa de Papel is a Spanish term that translates to House of Paper. But when the series was released in the USA, they changed the title to Money Heist. The title is pretty clear about what it means, a robbery of money.

While there is no correct name for the series, fans have been fixated on calling it La Casa de Papel; as many believe that Money Heist doesn’t serve justice to the Spanish Drama. The original name of the show was rather poetic, while the English name is just blunt and feels like a clumsy attempt.

What does La Casa de Papel mean and what is its significance?

Well, the Spanish term La Casa de Papel literally translates to “House of Paper”, which is a very subtle reference to the Royal Mint of Spain, the crew’s target in the first two seasons of the show. Even though the mint is stacked with cash, the gang’s plan is to print their own cash. So, you can clearly see how beautifully the original name of the series hints at the events of the show and intrigues its audience.

Meanwhile, Money Heist just oversimplifies things. It draws up an image of just another show about bank robberies. Hence, it is pretty clear why the fans are more bent towards the Spanish name.

Why Money Heist and not The House of Paper?

There must be a question at the back of your mind: Why not just use the English translation of the show’s title? The House of Paper is just as tempting as the original La Casa de Papel, isn’t it? Well, there were no official statements why Netflix didn’t name the show that, but we believe it was to avoid confusion about the audience.

A certain show called House of Cards exists on the streaming service; one of the earliest shows on Netflix. So, if they released Money Heist as The House of Paper, it would have created a lot of confusion among the viewers. Someone might even think that it is a spinoff for House of Cards, or a Spanish remake of the show.

Anyway, what do you prefer to call this Spanish heist drama? Money Heist or La Casa de Papel?