Donkey Kong är verkligen hans namn och han är en del av ett arv. Donkey Kong som presenterades i Donkey Kong Country uppges ursprungligen vara sonson av den ursprungliga Donkey Kong, nu kallad Cranky Kong, och var antagligen son till Donkey Kong Jr. Donkey Kong 64 retconned detta och sa att han var son till Cranky Kong, en vuxen version av Donkey Kong Jr. Och sedan bytte de honom tillbaka till att vara ett barnbarn för Super Smash Brothers och Donkey Kong Country Returns .
"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."