Why do they call Wolverine Logan when his name is James?

Answer 1

He was born James Howlett but his real father isn't John Howlett. Elizabeth Howlett had an affair with the groundskeeper Thomas Logan and gave birth to James.

Later he stars going by his real fathers name Logan.

Answer 2

O.k you've just asked a very good question with a very long answer: As a child his parents were murdered (typicall) and he killed the attackers with his then not adamantium claws. He was framed but ran away with his friend who was a girl but i cant remember her name - she and her fiancee got killed at her wedding because wolverine was too late to save them. Anyway, they stayed at a groundskeepers house but he was killed for hiding them; Logan viewed him as a good friend and guardian so out of respect he continued with his name. Read it up on a site- i think its called WikiMarvel or sumthin

-You almost have it right. Wolverine's father was murdered by the groundskeeper John Logan. Wolverine attacked the groundskeeper and upon doing so his mutation occured for the first time, his claws came out and he murdered the groundskeeper. In the groundskeeper's dying words he informs Wolverine that HE is Wolverine's true father and that Wolverine is a result of an affair between he and his mother. Wolverine flees with the groundskeepers daughter Rose whom he developed a bond with and the two assumed the identity Logan and posed as cousins to hide Wolverines identity.