Hello Kitty icon turns 40, drawing 25,000 fans to the first Hello Kitty Con. It’s being held in Los Angeles.

Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty" museum exhibit in honor of Hello Kitty's 40th anniversary. LUCY NICHOLSON / Reuters (3) Almost everyone knows her name.

To much of the world, Hello Kitty is a charming cartoon icon—a blank-faced cat with a red bow and an empire of lunch boxes, backpacks, and billion-dollar branding.