For expectant parents, it appears Disney can provide a whole new world of inspiration for baby names.
New research has examined Disney-inspired baby names dating back to 1996, to determine which films and characters are most likely to be selected by mums and dads-to-be.
Unsurprisingly, it’s Frozen that tops the list.
Elsa has been chosen most frequently, the namesake of at least 3,101 babies since the film’s release in 2013.
And for boys it’s Woody from Toy Story that has inspired the name of at least 1,154 babies since it was released in 1995.
Just over 17,000 children have been named after Disney characters in the UK since 1996.
Girls lead the way
Disney-inspired names have grown in popularity through the years, with 1,775 born in 2017 compared to just 188 in 1996.
Eight of the top 10 most popular Disney names were given to girls.
Just three of the 35 names were those of villains.
The names tend to peak in popularity when those who would have been children when the film was released become old enough to have their own kids. For example, Ariel from the Little Mermaid started to grow in popularity in 2006, 17 years after the film was released.
The five most popular Disney-inspired names in the UK are:
- Elsa (Frozen)
- Tiana (Princess and the Frog)
- Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)
- Belle (Beauty and the Beast)
- Minnie (Minnie Mouse)
And the films that inspire parents the most when selecting names are:
- Aladdin
- Frozen
- The Lion King
- Beauty and the Beast
- Finding Nemo
The research was collated by PlayLikeMum , who used baby name data from the Office for National Statistics from 1996 to 2017.
