Donkey Kong é de fato seu nome e ele faz parte de um legado. O Donkey Kong presente em Donkey Kong Country foi originalmente declarado ser o neto do Donkey Kong original, agora chamado Cranky Kong, e era presumivelmente o filho de Donkey Kong Jr. Donkey Kong 64 retconned isso, e disse que ele era o filho de Cranky Kong, uma versão adulta de Donkey Kong Jr. E, em seguida, eles o transformaram de volta para ser um neto para Super Smash Brothers e Donkey Kong Country retorna .
"One swift blow was all that was needed to leave him sprawled on the floor, face down! he groggily rolled over to see the familiar wrinkled, white-bearded, grouchy face of his old granddad 'punky Kong' peering down at him." - Donkey Kong Country instruction manual, pg. 5–6
"In his heyday, Cranky was the original Donkey Kong who battled Mario in several of his own games." - Donkey Kong Country instruction manual, pg. 6
"Well, if it isn't my lazy, good-for-nothing son." - Cranky Kong, to Donkey Kong; Donkey Kong 64 in-game dialogue
"As far as I know, 'our' DK is the son of Cranky, which does indeed make him the original DK Jr. all grown up: so if you see Cranky referred to as DK's granddad anywhere, just cover your eyes and hum loudly until it goes away.)" -Rare.com interview
Nintendo. Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Level/area: Codec conversation between Snake and Otacon. Otacon: "The Donkey Kong who fought that epic battle with Mario was this guy's grandfather."