Disney Princess Article: My Favourite Names of the Disney Princesses

2

My Favourite Names of the Disney Princesses

posted by MissCassecou

Bonjour! I decided to create an article that showed my opinion on the Disney Princesses' names. Names are things that I find interest in, and I haven't seen many articles likes these, so I thought I would have a go. I'm also adding the French version if there is one, just because I felt like it and I love French. The pictures are there for no real reason, just as a visual break from all of the writing. Feel free to disagree with my opinions of course.

Cinderella's actual name is never mentioned in the film

13. Cinderella

I don't think this name sounds very nice (except the French version: Cendrillon, at least when it's pronounced with a French accent). I also didn't like it very much because it was used as an insult and I feel really sorry for Cinderella because of this.

Meaning - Little Ashes (Her stepsisters called her that because she would get cinders/ashes all over her from sleeping by the fire, or cleaning the fireplace or something)
French Version (if there is one) - Cendrillon

Disney did a very good job with the symbolism associated with this name

12. Rapunzel

Although it kind of sounds fun to say, I'm not very fond of this name either. I don't really know why, maybe because it's from a lettuce or something? An edible plant, anyway. I just don't really like this name very much.

Meaning - Unknown, but it's possibly related to the German word for "light purple flower." Interesting because she is born with the help of a flower and she is the only Disney Princess to wear purple.
French Version (if there is one) - Raiponce

In the original story, Pocahontas was nor her original name

11. Pocahontas

I think this name sounds quite majestic, and I believe it would sound nice in Pocahontas' culture, but I'm not really very fond of it either. The meaning of the name doesn't really reflect on her personality in my opinion; maybe in the original story but not the Disney character. Apparently her real name was Matoaka and she later changed it to Rebecca in the original story

Meaning - "Little Mischief"; I don't see her as mischievous, cheeky or rebellious a lot; but it probably reflects on the personality of the person in the original story
French Version - none

Notice the flowers in the picture?

10. Mulan

I believe it to be unique and nice sounding, but nothing special, really. Well, not nothing special, all the names in this list are special, but I suppose the others are better.

Meaning - The name is Mandarin for Magnolia/wood orchard. So I believe it would sound nice in Mulan's culture. It's interesting as the flower signifies one of the most beautiful quotes in Mulan that surrounds her: "The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." Nice symbolism
French version - none

White skin. Doesn't get much more simple than that

9. Snow White

Well, Snow's mother wished for a girl with hair as black as ebony, lips as red as blood and skin as white as snow, and that's what she got. Snow White's beautiful skin led to her name. I like this name and I think it's sweet, like Snow White is, but I see it as more of a description rather than a name, and probably something we would not see usually. But it's sweet and nice.

Meaning - Snow white skin I guess.
French Version - Blanche Neige (basically "white snow")

This name is commonly used and very pretty

8. Anna

I think Anna is a nice name. However I'm not exactly sure why Disney would choose that name for the character; it means "grace" or "favour". While this is a pretty name, I would prefer it if they chose a name that suited Anna's character better, like they did with most of the other characters. But overall it is a nice name and very popular.

Meaning - Grace or favour
French Version - None

The only name to mean "Princess"

7. Tiana

This name is very pretty and I know a few people named Tiana (though not the same spelling). It means "princess" which I suppose reflects on the story and the main character. I like this name but the others are more special to me, I guess.

Meaning - Princess
French Version - None

Damn right, I'm a lion of God.

6. Ariel

Ariel is a nice name, I liked it very much when I was a kid (as I named my guinea pig after her) and I like it now, though I probably wouldn't call my kid Ariel, (or my guinea pig for that matter.) But nevertheless it is pretty.

Meaning - Lion of God. Like Anna I wish Ariel's name reflected more on her character, because I do not put Ariel the character and "Lion of God" together. Am I making sense?
French version - none

"True to your heart, you must be true to your heart," - I know, I know, wrong move

5. Elsa

Elsa is a cool name (excuse the pun); very popular and originally used as a nickname/shortened name from Elizabeth. I've read somewhere that it means "truth" and "God is my vow" and I suppose it reflects on the character in some ways, as she tries to be true to herself. But I like the name and I think it suits her.

Meaning - Truth, God is my Vow
French Version - None

"Hair of sunshine gold" or something and "She'll walk with springtime wherever she goes"

4. Aurora

I think the reason why Aurora was named Aurora was beautiful: "Yes, they named her after the dawn, because she filled their lives with sunshine." She is commonly associated with the golden sun, sunshine, and spring. I think her name suits her and it is a very pretty name in itself.

Meaning - Dawn, sunshine
French Version - Aurore

3. Merida

I actually really like Merida's name. I thought it was really cool. The meaning of the name definitely reflects on the character, which I really like, and it sounds majestic and does the character some justice. Nice choice, Disney!

Meaning - One who has achieved a high place of honour
French version - Mérida

Maybe I am from Persia, maybe not

2. Jasmine

Well it happens to be the name of my sister, so I suppose I have to like it. (Only kidding, I think it's a beautiful name, even if my sister wasn't called it.) It is after a flower, which I think is pretty and can be traced back to ancient Persia as it was used then. This might solve my mystery of trying to figure out where Jasmine is from; I always thought it was Persia and maybe I'm right? Jasmine is a very nice name and suits the character well.

Meaning - Persian flower name
French version - none

1. Belle

Well what a surprise. My love of French comes out on top. Belle is such a beautiful name (please excuse yet another pun) and I think it sounds really, really nice. It suits the character very well as it is French for "beautiful" and Belle is one of the most beautiful animated females in history, both inside and out. It is such a pretty name and if I had a daughter called Isabelle or something, which is a name I've been considering, I would definitely call her Belle for short.

Meaning - French word for "beautilful, beauty, etc"
French Version - Well, it is the French version

Well it's no wonder that her name means beauty I guess

Miss Cassecou
Just in case anyone is interested, here is the meaning of my username and why I chose to use it.
Miss means, well, miss, and "casse-cou" is french (what a surprise) for "daredevil" or "adventurer." So basically my name means Miss Daredevil/Adventurer. I used it because I have been studying French for many years and absolutely adore the language and so I wanted to incorporate some French in there, and I also used it because it's the child version of myself coming out and I often wish I could be the adventurous characters I right about in my books. (I'm a writer, well, I enjoy writing and write in my spare time. I haven't published anything yet.) I often write about Disney-Princess style characters and adventurous ones especially.

So there you have it! I have done my research, but if I have got any of the names wrong then please correct me, but I think I have them right. Disagree with my placings but please do not right any mean/harsh/critical comments; only constructive criticism! Thank you so much for reading and I hope it was entertaining and a little bit insightful or educational.
Merci et au revoir!

MalloMar and 324anna like this

324anna Great article! I love how you also put the French names, French is my favorite foreign language (or maybe English, it's more easy for me to learn, but French definitely sound better)! I knew all of them but it was anyway it was interesting. Your informations are correct I think, besides Ariel, which isn't wrong, but... It can be "lion of God', but I've heard people saying that Disney gave her that name for other reasons, too. I won't say anything else though, because I myself don't remember these other reasons. Your sister is very lucky to have such a beautiful name! Personally, my favorite DP names are Aurora, Jasmine and Belle, so I mostly agree with your list. Oh and I liked the puns. :)

324anna And I LOVE your username! It sounds so beautiful and cute and I like its meaning as well.

truth76 Pocahontas was her nickname. (she had two names). Nice article! I love the meaning of Elsa. <33

iwasneverhere Nice article! I didn't know there was a French form for Merida. Merida is actually Latin-Spanish. Which is weird that Disney would give a Scottish princess a Spanish name, but whatever. Anyhow. Names are names. But I don't think I'll ever call my girl Elsa, if I ever have kids. Too many girls will have already been named that.

MalloMar French is my favorite foreign language! <3 Ahhh your username is incredible. I know a girl named Tiana (actually she spells it Tiahna), but she looks almost exactly like Elsa! Anyway, wonderful article. I think Jasmine and Merida are beautiful names, too.

coolsinger198 I love your top 5!

BelleRose829 Pocahontas isn't a story it's history twiste and deformed so people think it's a story. Really it's just brutal history all made up. Sorry, but I had to say that I hate when people think it's a story. Nice list I like the top 2. Also I have a question: Parlez vous français? j'aime la langue française J'apprends maintenant.

randarful Nice article. By the way Jasmine is Arab, Persians are not Arab. She's arguably Iraqi.

LibelluleBleu I loved your article, it was really interesting, I love the meaning of Merida and Aurora Jasmine, Merida and Aurora are in my Top 5 French is my native language and I'm really happy you like it :) and your username is awesome!

dimitri_ I just talked about this in the confession section. And I said that coming from a francophone like myself, Belle is kind of just a pretentious name. And yeah the exact translation is "beautiful". Also the French version of Rapunzel's name is "Raiponce" and its pronunciation in French means "answer". Which doesn't sound so nice to me but that's the thing with different languages hehe. "Blanche Neige" exactly means "Snow White" because in French, the adjective usually comes after the noun :) randarful- I know a lot of Persians who consider themselves Arab but what do I know *shrug*. Anyway, this was a really good descriptive article about the DP names!

AudreyFreak I think Anna's was chosen for irony (she is, obviously, very ungraceful) but also for her emotional grace- which she definitely has. she's very forgiving and honorable.

MissCassecou That's a really interesting point, AudreyFreak, I never thought of that. dimitri_ didn't I say the French version of Rapunzel was Raiponce? (Oh and I was just translating Blanche Neige into how we would say it in English, your right that the adjective comes after the noun. But thanks for the lovely comment!) Sorry, BelleRose829, I know that Pocahontas is from history. It was just wrong word choice, that's all. Et, oui, je parle francais! (Well, I've been learning it for four years and it's my best and favourite subject at school, apart from English.) Randarful thanks, that helps. It was just a thought, that's all. Thank you to everybody though, your comments were really nice and appreciated! They were all lovely and I'm glad people agree with me on some points and like my username too! Thank you, everyone, you lovely people!

dimitri_ Yeah you did. But I just said that Raiponce in French means ''answer'' and it's spelled réponse. And yeah, that's what I mean, if you translate Blanche Neige, it is Snow White and not white snow. Just letting you know these things with my nitpickiness x3

MadameLee In English-speaking countries people assume that Cinderella's first name is Ella. Since that's what the last part of the name is for Cinderella stories. Another thing in most versions the mean steps call Cinderella "Cinderwrench" it's only the "Anasista" character (aka younger step-sister) who called cindy Cinderella. Rapunzel is actually a name of a type of lettuce or cabbage called Rapunzel In the Grimm's version, Rapunzel's peasant mother had a craving for it and the only person who had it was their witch neighbor hence the trading of Rapunzel when she's born for the food when she wasn't born after the witch got her.

prinelsa Nice list!I love your top 4.