The top Disney-inspired baby names revealed — see which states are the most obsessed

New Yorkers with newborns want to be part of that world.

Parents from the Big Apple and beyond are taking deep dives “Under the Sea” for baby-name inspiration, popularly crowing their little ones “Ariel” — after the principal princess in the 1989 classic “The Little Mermaid” — per a June 2024 report. 

The study, commissioned by BeenVerified, an online background check service, identified New York in the top 10 states with the most Disney-influenced baby names.

“A recent analysis of the Social Security Administration’s baby-names data set examined how Disney characters have impacted baby naming trends in the US,” explained study authors.

The probe dubbed Nevada the No. 1 state with the most Disney-inspired names. New York secured the ninth position. 

“Ariel” swam to the top of the list across the Empire State. 

It was followed by “Elsa,” the fierce female lead from “Frozen,” and “Tiana,” which hopped into third place owing to the acclaim of Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.” 

Ariel’s crabby yet cunning pal “Sebastian” was hailed the fourth-most buzzy baby name in the state, while “Violet” from “The Incredibles” took fifth place in the ranking. 

“‘Ariel’ stands out among the other popular Disney character names in terms of its enduring popularity,” said researchers. “The main character’s name saw a 253% increase in the year after the movie’s release, and grew by around 50% again in 1991.

“Although the Ariel’s popularity fell afterwards, it remained very popular, staying above its 1989 level until 2023, with ebbs and flows in its usage,” continued the experts. “This indicates that ‘The Little Mermaid’ is unique as a Disney film in its enduring effect on pop culture and naming trends.”

The enduring coolness of certain monikers notwithstanding, it seems some names just can’t stand the test of time. 

Cathy, Al, Mitzi and Vern are all teetering on the verge of virtual extinction, according to recent findings from baby-naming experts at Namesberry. 

And rather than granting their infants actual names, like Liam or Olivia, internet influencers are now inking chichi words such as “Afternoon” and “Lyrics” onto their tots’ birth certificates. 

“In this new age of baby names, people are trying to set their kids up for a brand, to create their own personal brand,” explained a baby naming consultant on TikTok. “They give them names that will stand out in an Instagram handle.”

But expecting Disney adults nationwide seem more concerned with paying homage to their animated heroes than baby branding. 

Here are the most popular Disney-inspired baby names across the US 

1. Merida, “Brave”
2. Koda, “Brother Bear”
3. Moana, “Moana”
4. Finnick, “Zootopia”
5. Mirabel, “Encanto”
6. Ariel, “The Little Mermaid”
7. Flynn, “Tangled”
8. Raya, “Raya and the Last Dragon”
9. Camilo, “Encanto”
10. Elsa, “Frozen”