25 Fairy Tale Baby Names for Girls with Plenty of Whimsy and Charm

Are you an expecting parent who truly sees the magic in this world? If so, a baby name inspired by a fairy tale might be the perfect fit for your baby girl. Fairy-tale names are a type of literary name that can be found in stories that children love to hear and parents love to tell. These names are as diverse as the cultures the fairy stories are taken from. Whether it be from French, Irish, German, or English origins, each name has its own charms.

We’ll look to currently enjoyed “princess names” that have been popularized by Disney films as well as storied mermaids, sprites, and plenty of other characters featured in folklore and fable. You will find popular options that you’ve definitely heard before but also a few obscure options if you are looking for more subtlety. Let’s get whimsical! Here are 25 baby names for girls inspired by fairy tales.

25. Belle

La Belle et la Bête is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in La Jeune Américaine et les contes marin. The beloved story was subsequently rewritten and republished numerous times. The story features a female protagonist named Belle. Belle is a French name that means “beautiful.”

24. Gretel

Hansel and Gretel is a German fairy tale that was collected and told by the Brothers Grimm. The name Gretel likewise has German origins as a form of Margarete, the preferred German form of Margaret. Thus, the name means “pearl.” While Greta has shown promise for parents in the US, Gretel has seen little favor through the years.

23. Aurora

Aurora is the name of the Roman goddess of sunrise whose tears turned into the early morning dew. She was said to reincarnate herself by traveling from East to West across the sky, announcing the arrival of the sun each dawn. 

Contemporary parents might be drawn to the name because of Sleeping Beauty. However, her fairy tale name was something completely different from the Brothers Grimm’s telling (stick a pin in that). Aurora has Latin origins and means “dawn.” The name is more popular than ever before in the US.

22. Dana

This name found in both Celtic and Scandinavian mythology has gone from all-boy to almost all-girl, retaining a strong, gender-neutral quality. She’s considered a Celtic mother goddess who is considered an ancestral figure for many. Dana means “wise.”

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 25 Mythological Baby Names For Your Legendary Baby

21. Elsa

Before Elsa became associated with the smash hit Frozen, she was introduced to American parents by Wagner’s Lohengrin, as a German opera. She was the first to walk down the aisle to the famous wedding march that makes us think, “Here comes the bride…”

Elsa spent decades out of the spotlight in the US, but thanks to “Let It Go,” parents have embraced the name once more. Elsa has German origins and means “pledged to God.”

20. Kisa

“Kisa the Cat” is an Icelandic fairy tale collected in Neuisländischen Volksmärchen. Kisa is a mesmerizing name associated with the story of a Queen’s cat. In Slavic languages, the name is considered to mean “cat” or “kitty.” While in Bosnia, the name refers to “rain.”

19. Avalon

Avalon is an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend where King Arthur recovered from his wounds. It’s a magical place and the name means “island of apples.” Avalon is seated perfectly as a classic name that sounds modern today thanks to contemporaries like Ava and Evelyn.

18. Adelina

We chose the name Adelina for purely aesthetic reasons. Adelina is back in the top 1000 after an absence of nearly a century, thanks to the meteoric rise of her sister name Adeline. We love that Adelina is gaining more traction with new parents which is why we think this magical name deserves a spot on this list. The name is present in a variety of naming traditions that span Portugal to Russia.

17. Nissa

Nissa is a name with Hebrew origins which means “to test.” Nissa can be found in a number of recent fantasy properties including as wife of Azor Ahai in George Martin‘s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, a video game character in Ravenmark, and an elf named Nissa Ravene in Magic the Gathering.

16. Tiana

Tiana gained a lot of popularity after Disney bestowed this pretty name upon its first African-American princess in The Princess and the Frog. But, her associated with fairies goes much further back than the recent film. In fact, the Slavic name means “fairy queen.” The fairy tale is right there in the name!

15. Meriol

Meriol is an alternative form of Meriel, a name of Irish origin that means “of the bright sea.” The name is associated with a mythical sea nymph. Further, the name can be associated with a Christian angel of the month of June.

14. Pixie

Pixie is now being viewed with favorable eyes after seeming far too sweet for a real baby for years. Thanks to the explosion of X-names, parents are giving Pixie a second thought. Pixie means “fairy” and has roots in Celtic and Swedish traditions.

13. Alice

Alice is a classic literary name that’s both strong and sweet thanks to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Although you’d probably not guess it, Alice and the name Adelina share the same German roots and thus means “noble.” Alice has been in the top 500 in the US since record keeping began.

12. Fern

Fern is another name we chose based on aesthetics alone. While this botanical name has fallen out of fashion since the sixties, we see it having a lot of potential. Doesn’t fern sound like a magical nature name to you? Fern has Old English origins in the word fearn. It simply means “who lives among ferns.”

11. Lena

“Maid Maleen” (Jungfrau Maleen) is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm. It’s similar to Rapunzel in that Maid Maleen is imprisoned in a tall tower which she desperately wants to escape. Maleen doesn’t seem like it fits for a girl today, so we chose Lena, a diminutive form of it. The name can be found in many naming traditions and means “high tower.”

10. Calypso

In Greek mythology, Calypso was an island nymph, a daughter of Atlas, who delayed Odysseus from returning home. The storied past of the Greek name gives it its meaning, “she who hides.” Unfortunately, this name has never landed in the top 1000 in the US. We see that changing in the years to come. It’s just too rhythmic and fun!

9. Eluned

Singular and mysterious, Eluned’s beauty and intelligence were epic in Welsh legend. She was the handmaiden of the Lady of the Fountain in a Welsh Arthurian romance, who had a magic ring that made the wearer invisible. This Classic Welsh name means “idol” or “image.”

8. Titania

Titania is the name borne by a queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The moniker has a delicate, sweet charm. The name has Greek origins and means “giant” or “great one.” Titania might present embarrassment in its first three letters and if you can’t get over that, consider the diminutive Tania.

7. Snow

“Snow White” is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection Grimms’ Fairy Tales. The story has enjoyed numerous adaptations through the years including a Broadway musical and, of course, the Disney film. We think makes for the perfect nature name a nod to its fairy past.

6. Rosamund

In the Brothers Grimm telling, Sleeping Beauty‘s name was Rosamund with a German title that roughly translates to “Little Briar Rose.” Rosamund sounds posh yet romantic which is why recommend this German classic that means “horse protector.”

5. Wendy

Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan. Wendy might be an invented name but it’s based on the Welsh name Gwendolen which means “white ring.” The name might be familiar to you as it belonged to Merlin’s wife in Arthurian legend.

4. Hermia

Okay. We are not delusional! We do not expect a ton of parents flocking to the name Hermia. However, we love this Greek name. Hermia can be found in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Hermia comes from the Greek god of trade, Hermes. The name means “messenger.”

3. Rhiannon

According to Celtic legend, Rhiannon is a deity whose birds sang more sweetly than any others. She herself was known for being forthright and witty. This storied Welsh classic means “divine queen.” Rhiannon is probably most commonly associated with the popular Fleetwood Mac tune. The name has been on and off the top 1000 since 1976 when the song was first released.

2. Elfie

Elfie is a diminutive of Aflreda, an English name that means “elf power.” Both Elfie and Alfreda have a history in the top 1000 in the US. Although for Elfie, the name hasn’t been on the list since 1883. We think Elfie is a playful name that would be an offbeat, whimsical choice.

RELATED: 25 Fairy Tale Baby Names for Boys Fit for Your Little Prince Charming

1. Mab

Mab is the daring Shakespearean name of the queen of the fairies. If you want something both adventurous and easy, look to Queen Mab for inspiration. Mab is a name with Irish origins that means “baby.” If Mab is too drab, consider Amabel and calling her “Mab” for short.

There you go! 25 fairy tale baby names for girls that are full of magic and mystery. We hope you feel inspired by these names from beloved fairy tales. Choosing a name can be tough, but if you go with your heart, you’ll never fail. You child will live happily ever after with their precious name!