Disney films have been part of childhood since 1937. The assumption is that Disney princess names become popular baby names — but the data tells a more complicated story. Some Disney names do spike. Many don't. And the biggest Disney name in current data (Frozen's Elsa) actually fell after the film came out.
Aurora — #16 (6,917 babies) — the biggest Disney name, but not because of Disney
Aurora is the highest-ranked Disney princess name in 2024 — #16 with 6,917 babies. Sleeping Beauty's Aurora (1959 film) predates the naming surge by sixty years. Aurora was at #203 in 2010 and has risen to #16 in 2024 — but the rise correlates far more strongly with the celestial/Latin-name trend (see nature names and mythological names) than with Sleeping Beauty.
Aurora means "dawn" in Latin. It's the name of the northern lights (aurora borealis). It has been climbing in Norway, Sweden, Australia, the UK, and the US simultaneously — all countries that share the celestial naming trend but have different Disney exposure patterns.
Verdict: Aurora is rising because of its Latin meaning and celestial association. Disney maintains its visibility but is not the driver.
Elsa — #941 (280 babies) — the Frozen paradox
This is the most counterintuitive data point in Disney naming:
| Year | Elsa Rank | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #603 | Pre-Frozen |
| 2013 | — | Frozen released November |
| 2014 | ~#286 | Frozen peak |
| 2020 | ~#780 | Post-Frozen decline |
| 2024 | #941 | Lower than pre-Frozen |
Elsa spiked briefly in 2014 — then declined, and by 2024 it's actually lower than it was before Frozen came out.
The mechanism is well-understood in naming research: when a name is associated too strongly with a single cultural moment — especially a children's phenomenon — parents avoid it. Every parent in 2014 knew that Elsa was the Frozen character. Naming your daughter Elsa in 2015 meant she would spend her entire childhood correcting people who sang "Let It Go" at her. The cultural saturation made the name feel too costume-like.
The same pattern affected Bella after Twilight — it spiked in 2009–2010, then fell. Hermione was briefly popular after Harry Potter but never mainstream. Names strongly tied to a single mega-franchise tend to retreat once the franchise has peaked.
Verdict: Frozen made Elsa famous, then made it unusable.
Anna — #94 (2,700 babies) — traditional name unchanged by Frozen
Anna was #27 in 2010 and is now #94 — declining throughout the Frozen era, not rising. Anna is a traditional name with hundreds of years of use; it's essentially immune to pop culture effects. The Frozen association may have hurt it slightly (by making it feel like a costume character's name) rather than helping. See names meaning grace for the Hebrew etymology.
Ariel — #300 (1,051 babies) — the 1990s spike that's now fading
Ariel was pushed into the mainstream by The Little Mermaid (1989). Ariel went from #135 in 1989 to its peak around #48 in 1991 — a 2-year spike directly attributable to the film. It's been declining since, now at #300. The 1990s children named Ariel are now in their 30s; the name has a specific generational flavor. See pop culture names.
Jasmine — #199 (1,527 babies) — the Aladdin name that outlasted Aladdin
Jasmine was pushed into mainstream use by Aladdin (1992). Unlike Ariel, Jasmine has not continued to fall — it's been stable in the 150–250 range for over twenty years. The difference: Jasmine is also a real flower name and a widely used name in South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Persian communities independently of Disney. The non-Disney associations have given it more staying power.
Raya — #363 (859 babies) — a recent bump from Raya and the Last Dragon
Raya was at #1,379 in 2010 and is now at #363 — most of the rise happening after Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). Raya is a Malay/Spanish/Hebrew name that was already climbing before the film; the film likely accelerated the move. At #363, it's genuinely climbing rather than spiking.
Flynn — #736 (351 babies) — Tangled's male lead
Flynn was #1,812 in 2010 and is now #736 after Tangled (2010). Flynn Rider (whose real name in the film is Eugene) is the male lead. Flynn is still rare but clearly climbing — it went from 37 babies in 2010 to 351 in 2024. At #736.
Bruno — #703 (381 babies) — We Don't Talk About Bruno
Encanto (2021) and its song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" became one of the most viral Disney moments in years. Bruno's rank spiked in 2022 from around #900+ to a peak, and is now at #703. Unlike many Disney effects, the Bruno bump has stayed — partly because Bruno is also a legitimate Portuguese/Spanish/German given name with strong non-Disney associations.
Anastasia — #166 (1,832 babies) — Fox Animation, not Disney
Anastasia is technically a 1997 Fox Animation film, not a Disney production — but it's often associated with Disney princess aesthetics. Anastasia's rise from near-unused in the 1980s to #166 today has much more to do with the Greek-name trend and the Russian royal family's cultural presence (the historical Anastasia Romanov) than the film. At #166.
Sofia — #10 (8,094 babies) — Disney Junior's unexpected hit
Sofia the First (Disney Junior, 2012–2018) was a children's series featuring Princess Sofia. Sofia jumped from #11 in 2012 to its current #10 position and has stayed there. But the causal relationship is unclear: Sofia is also just the Spanish spelling of Sophia, which is itself #6. The Disney Junior show may have provided cover for parents who wanted to use the Spanish form; or the Spanish-speaking population growth may be the primary driver.
What Disney actually does to names
What doesn't work:
- Names too strongly tied to a single villain/hero: Elsa, Maleficent
- Names where the character is too famous: the name becomes a costume
- Names that are unique to the Disney universe without any real-world anchor
What works:
- Names the film makes visible but that have other anchors (Jasmine = flower, Bruno = traditional name, Raya = Spanish/Malay)
- Names with beautiful sounds that parents would have considered anyway (Aurora, Raya)
- Names in prestige animated series rather than blockbuster films — less saturation
The mega-franchise problem: Frozen is the clearest example. When a children's property is as dominant as Frozen was (every child between 2 and 10 knew it), the names become too strongly coded as children's characters. Parents who name their baby Elsa in 2025 are naming her after a 12-year-old movie, not after themselves.
The principle: Disney can accelerate a name that was already on its way up, but it can't create mainstream use for a name that has no real-world backing.
Data: SSA 2010 and 2024 US releases. Disney film dates from official release records.