The game was originally planned to be called Fighting Fantasy, however, at the time of the game's development there was already a series of roleplaying books and board games of the same name, so the title was ultimately changed to Final Fantasy.

This contrasts with the previously rumored false claims that Final Fantasy got its name after series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi felt that it was his last chance to make a successful game, and he was ready to quit the game industry and go back to university, making it his 'final' game.