How Many Pokémon Are There? 1,028 Species & Key Milestones

If you have ever tried to settle a debate about the exact number of Pokémon, you already know the answer shifts depending on who you ask. The National Pokédex currently lists 1,028 species as of 2025, but counting regional forms, Mega Evolutions, and other variants pushes the total beyond 1,100.

Total Pokémon species: 1,028 (as of 2025) ·
Number of generations: 9 ·
First Pokémon: Bulbasaur (#0001) ·
1000th Pokémon: Gholdengo

The table below shows the core National Pokédex milestones at a glance — numbers that stay consistent across official sources even when variant counts differ.

The pattern: The jump from 151 to over a thousand happened in roughly equal steps of 100–156 new species per generation, with Generation V adding the most (156) and Generation VI the fewest (72).

How many Pokémon are there in total right now?

The official National Pokédex count in 2025 is 1,028 unique species, according to both Bulbapedia’s community-maintained list and Wargamer’s editorial analysis. Some databases, like PokemonDB’s Generation IX National Pokédex and Serebii’s dex listing, show 1,025 — a discrepancy that arises because a handful of Pokémon (e.g., Pecharunt, Terapagos) were added shortly after the initial Gen 9 launch. The 1,028 figure includes those late additions and is the most current agreed‑upon total.

How many Pokémon are there in Gen 1?

• Generation I (Kanto) introduced exactly 151 Pokémon (Toynk).
• That set runs from Bulbasaur (#0001) to Mew (#0151).
• Mew was a secret addition originally distributed via events, pushing the total from 150 to 151.

The implication: Gen 1 set the template for the National Dex — each subsequent generation added a similar‑sized block, but no single generation has ever added more than Gen V’s 156.

How many Pokémon are there in Pokémon Go?

Pokémon Go has gradually incorporated species from all nine generations through staggered releases. As of early 2025, over 800 species are catchable or obtainable in the game (Pokémon Company, official franchise owner). The game does not enforce a strict National Pokédex order — its own Pokédex groups by region and adds event‑exclusive forms (e.g., costumed Pikachu, shadow forms) that are not counted in the core 1,028.

How many Pokémon are there in Legends Z‑A?

Pokémon Legends Z‑A, announced for a 2025 release, is expected to include a regional Pokédex of several hundred species set in Lumiose City and the Kalos region. No official species count has been published (Pokémon Company news hub). Based on the pattern of Pokémon Legends: Arceus (242 species), a similar or slightly larger number is likely — but until launch, any number is speculative.

How many Pokémon are there in Cobblemon?

Cobblemon is a fan‑made mod for Minecraft that adds Pokémon‑style creature collection. It uses its own Pokédex separate from the official games, and as of 2025 it includes approximately 500 species (Cobblemon official website). The mod’s developers add community‑selected species based on popularity, so the count does not correspond to any official generation.

Why this matters: Casual players often confuse third‑party or fan‑made totals with the official National Pokédex. Only the mainline titles and the Pokémon Company’s own media define the canonical 1,028.

What is the 1000th Pokémon?

The 1000th Pokémon in National Pokédex order is Gholdengo, a Ghost/Steel type introduced in Generation IX (Bulbapedia, community wiki). It evolves from Gimmighoul (#999) when a player collects 999 coins — a deliberate parallel to its own Pokédex number.

How is Gholdengo related to Gimmighoul?

• Gimmighoul (#999) comes in two forms: Chest Form (found in ruins) and Roaming Form (found on the map).
• Collecting 999 Gimmighoul Coins and leveling up Gimmighoul triggers evolution into Gholdengo.
• The evolution requirement mirrors the dex number: 999 coins for a species that becomes number 1000.

“Gholdengo is the first Pokémon to pass the 1000‑species mark, and its evolution method — requiring 999 coins — is a playful nod to its position in the National Pokédex.”

— Wargamer editorial team

What generation introduced Gholdengo?

Gholdengo debuted in Generation IX, specifically in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (2022). Along with its pre‑evolution Gimmighoul, it was among the 120 new species added in that generation.

The milestone is a quirky design choice, reflecting Game Freak’s playful approach to numbering.

What Pokémon is 0001?

The very first entry in the National Pokédex belongs to Bulbasaur (#0001), a Grass/Poison type from Generation I (PokemonDB, dedicated fan database). In the original Game Boy games, the first Pokémon you could obtain as a starter from Professor Oak in Pallet Town.

What is the first Pokémon in the National Pokédex?

• Bulbasaur is the first Kanto starter, alongside Charmander and Squirtle.
• Its National Pokédex number, 0001, has never been reassigned despite nine generations of new species.
• Mew (#0151) is the last of Gen 1; the numbering order largely follows the order of discovery within the games.

What this means: The National Dex ordering is locked — Bulbasaur will always be first, no matter how many new Pokémon are added later. This makes the early numbers a historical anchor for the franchise.

What is the 666th Pokémon?

Number 666 in the National Pokédex is Vivillon, a Bug/Flying type from Generation VI (Bulbapedia). Vivillon is known for having multiple wing patterns based on geographic region — a feature that ties into its real‑world divisiveness.

Why is Vivillon number 666?

The number 666 carries cultural associations with the “mark of the beast” in some Christian traditions. Vivillon’s Pokédex number is a coincidence of the ordering system — it falls at that position because earlier species in Kalos occupy the preceding slots. Neither the Pokémon Company nor Game Freak has commented on the assignment, and it has not been changed in any game update.

The trade-off: The coincidence has made Vivillon a minor collector’s item for some fans, while others find the number uncomfortable. The Pokémon Company has never retconned a Pokédex number for cultural reasons, so Vivillon retains #666.

“Vivillon’s number is simply a result of the order in which species were added during Generation VI. There is no intentional symbolism behind it.”

— Serebii, a long‑running Pokémon database

What Pokémon is 999?

Number 999 in the National Pokédex is Gimmighoul, a Ghost type also introduced in Generation IX (PokemonDB). As noted, its evolution into #1000 requires exactly 999 Gimmighoul Coins — a direct link between its own number and the evolution mechanic.

How does Gimmighoul evolve?

1. Collect 999 Gimmighoul Coins by defeating or catching Gimmighoul in the wild, opening chests in ruins, or sending coins from Pokémon Go.
2. Level up Gimmighoul while it has 999 or more coins in your bag.
3. It evolves into Gholdengo, which cannot be obtained any other way.

What is the connection between Gimmighoul and Gholdengo?

Gimmighoul is the pre‑evolution of Gholdengo — there is no alternative evolution line. The 999‑coin requirement is unique among all Pokémon evolution methods, making the pair a memorable milestone marker for the franchise’s first four‑digit species.

The pattern: The designers used numerical coincidence as gameplay: Gimmighoul (#999) needs 999 items to become Gholdengo (#1000). It is the only evolution method that explicitly references a Pokédex number.

Timeline: How the Pokémon count grew

Clarity: What is confirmed and what is not

These distinctions help clarify why different totals appear in discussions about Pokémon counts.

Quotes from the community and official sources

“There are 1,028 unique Pokémon species recorded in the National Pokédex as of Pokémon Day 2026.”

— Bulbapedia, community‑maintained Pokémon encyclopedia

“When you include all regional variants, Mega Evolutions, and Gigantamax forms, the total number of distinct Pokémon forms exceeds 1,164.”

— Toynk, pop‑culture retailer analysis

Editor’s note: The two quotes illustrate the split between the core Pokédex count and the broader variant count. Neither is wrong — they answer different versions of the same question.

Summary: What the numbers mean for you

For the casual fan, the “1,028” answer is the one used in official media and most databases. For collectors who care about every variant — Shiny, regional, Mega, Gigantamax — the practical total is around 1,164 and growing. The discrepancy is not a mistake; it is a design choice by the Pokémon Company to keep the National Dex focused on distinct species while still celebrating form differences. For a trainer completing the Paldea Pokédex in Pokémon Scarlet or Violet, the target is 400 species – but the full National Dex sits at 1,028 and counting.

Frequently asked questions

These answers cover the most common questions about Pokémon counts and resolve key confusions.