There are many places where new parents go for inspiration for their baby’s name: old family names, characters from classic literature or top baby names (to embrace or avoid). Actress Rachel Bilson and actor Hayden Christensen went to the 1959 Disney classic Sleeping Beauty for a name for their newborn daughter, Briar Rose. That’s the name the fairies used for Princess Aurora while they kept her hidden in the woods.
Celebrities love baby names inspired by Disney characters
Baby names inspired by Disney movies and Disney characters
This got us thinking: What Disney names would be viable options, and how popular are they now?
Elsa – Frozen is everywhere, even in maternity wards. Elsa may not have been a popular name in the past (it was ranked at 276 on BabyCenter), but it has jumped in the rankings (up to 200 for 2014).
Anna – We can’t forget about Elsa’s spunky sister, Anna, a name that has always been popular. The Social Security Administration ranked it between No. 29 and No. 35 over the past six years.
Jasmine – You know what is totally crazy? The amount of different spellings for the name Jasmine: Jazmine, Jazmyne, Jazzmin, Jazzmine, Jasmyne, Jasmina, Jazmyn, Jasmine, Jasmin, Jasmyn. If you want to be an Aladdin purist, you’d want to go with Jasmine.
Tiana – The year the Princess and the Frog came out, 2009, the name Tiana came in at No. 609. The next year, it jumped to No. 334 — a clear indicator that the film inspired a whole lot more Tianas.
Ariel – For parents who have a thing for mermaids, Ariel from The Little Mermaid is a wonderful choice, and will probably see a resurgence with the recent release of the live-action version of the movie. Just keep her away from little girls named Ursula.
Belle – Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, has never been wildly popular. These days we see it more in longer names such as Isabelle or Annabelle. But Belle is a nice, simple way to go. Plus, she may just grow up to be a book worm.
Minnie – You don’t meet many Minnies these days, but I’m not sure why. It’s such a friendly, sweet name, and one that used to be crazy-popular. Back in 1880, it was the fifth most popular name for baby girls. These days it comes in at No. 326
Tiger Lily – I was once at a playground and met a little girl named Tiger Lily (in honor of Peter Pan). I thought it was the cutest name ever. Would I ever name my own child Tiger Lily? Nope. But I sure do think it’s adorable on other kids.
Rapunzel – How unpopular is the name Rapunzel? According to BabyCenter, only three girls were named Rapunzel in 2010, the same year the Disney Rapunzel movie, Tangled, came out.
