Top Trending Disney Baby Names Inspired by Popular Movies

New data shows which Disney names parents love.

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Choosing a name for your newborn baby can be quite a difficult and daunting task. After all, their name will accompany them for the rest of their lives. The possibilities are endless, whether it’s a name based on family lineage, mythology, religion or ethnicity.

Now, Disney names seem to have a strong influence on our children’s nicknames. Whether it’s a timeless classic like Belle or a new favorite like Moana, Disney’s enchanting characters go beyond the screen and inspire parents when choosing a name for their baby.

A new analysis of names from the Social Security Administration (SSA) Baby Names Dataset by BeenVerified shows how much Disney characters have influenced baby names in the United States over the last five years.

“Parents find inspiration everywhere, and given Disney’s popularity, it’s no surprise that movies hold a special place in parents’ hearts,” says Michael Pugh, data analyst at BeenVerified.

He says this is especially true for those who already have children, as they are likely immersed in all things Disney. If a Disney film ranks among the top 50 at the box office, the film’s names are nearly twice as likely to double in popularity as non-Disney names, according to the study.

“The characters all have unique traits and storylines that parents can relate to,” Pugh says.

Trendy Disney baby names

The analysis highlighted the current top 10 Disney character names nationwide and their growth over the past five years. The film’s use of the name Merida Brave topped the list after increasing 1,150%. However, overall only a small number of people have used this name.

Here are the top 10:

1. Merida (Brave, 2012)

2. Koda (Brother Bear, 2003)

3. Moana (Moana, 2016)

4. Finnick (Zootopia, 2016)

5. Mirabel (Encanto, 2021)

6. Ariel (The little Mermaid, 1989)

7. Flynn (Tangled, 2010)

8. Raya (Raya and the last dragon, 2021)

9. Camilo (Encanto, 2021)

10. Elsa (Frozen, 2013)

The big names in the study all saw their popularity increase after the release of a film, compared to the average of the previous five years. However, not everyone has experienced the same increase in long-term use.

For many names – Ariel, Esmeralda, Finnick, Flynn, Koda, Merida, Moana – the study shows that their popularity declined from the initial peak a few years after the film’s release, but remained fairly stable at a new normal higher, which was often two to three times higher than the average before the film’s release.

Keep in mind, Pugh says, “Although the names have become more popular than before, they are dwarfed compared to the most popular names of the time.”

And names like Sebastian from The little Mermaid and Violette The Incredibles have had smaller initial bumps in their popularity. Pugh says they were both slowly gaining ground, got a boost from the movies, and have since risen to become the most popular in terms of number of birth names appearing at the top of the list. list.

The study also details the percentage used by each state. States like Nevada, Arizona, and Washington have shown the greatest influence of Disney names, with specific names like Ariel and Moana popular in Hawaii, Koda in Montana, and Tiana in Louisiana.

This is no surprise to Colleen Slagan, an expert baby name consultant and nurse practitioner who created NamingBebe.com. “Pop culture has a huge influence on baby names,” says Slagan. “When celebrities use a name or a name appears in a popular TV show or movie, it gives the name a seal of approval.”

Slagan adds: “For parents who are looking for a more unique name, but don’t want to be the first person to use it, hearing it in a movie can make it more accessible.”

Not all Disney names remain equally popular

The two names on BeenVerified’s first list who didn’t see a long-term positive effect from Disney’s influence were Tiana and, surprisingly, Elsa.

“We all know that Elsa had a huge impact on toys, costumes, coloring books, etc. In the 20 years before Frozen was released, Elsa’s popularity grew healthy and steady,” says Pugh. “Then with the success of the film, the use of the name doubled from 2013 to 2014. But with the phenomenon of Frozen Fad, the name went from shiny to worn out and completely reversed 20 years of growth in four years.

Tiana became one of the most popular Disney names even before The princess and the Frog was released theatrically, but overall it had been in decline for a little over a decade, according to Pugh. He says that after the film’s release, the name almost doubled in 2010, but by 2013 it had returned to pre-film levels.

Other names like Luca and Ariel, Slagen predicts, will most likely be there in the long run.

“Luca is a name that was already gaining major momentum because it fits into the trend of short, snappy two-syllable boy names,” she says of the titular name in the 2021 film.

For Ariel, she believes the beloved movie character’s biblical root has propelled her enduring popularity.

Choosing a name without stress

Part of Slagan’s job as a name consultant is to take the stress out of choosing the perfect name, whether it’s Disney-inspired or not. It helps new parents look for a unique and different first name without feeling too marginal, and which will suit their child at all stages of life.

Whether you choose to hire someone like her to help you or navigate the intimidating path alone, she says a few simple steps can help you eliminate the anxieties and potential arguments between partners when discussing baby’s name. I remember my husband and I stressing out for weeks and not having anything prepared once we went into labor and delivery in the hospital.

Slagan highly recommends doing something I didn’t do before my second son was born: making a list. In particular, she says, use your priorities, like popularity, ease of pronunciation and nickname potential to narrow down the list.

“While you don’t need to choose your name before the baby arrives, be sure to narrow down the list with a few top contenders so you’re not jostling in the hospital room,” she explains. -She.

With a little name planning, it can make the joyous occasion of welcoming a new baby a little more magical.

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