6 Disney Characters Celebrities Named Their Babies After
Baby names can come from anywhere—you never know when the magic will strike. Some people try to be original, some choose to honor family members and others look to their favorite movies. And for some celebs, those movies happened to be Disney classics. Here are the six enchanting Disney characters that have inspired celebrity baby names.
Tiana, from The Princess and The Frog
Tia Mowry-Hardrict’s daughter Cairo Tiahna, born in May, was named after the hardworking, ambitious Princess Tiana of The Princess and the Frog. “Tiana was one of the first African princesses, so she is our little princess here,” Mowry-Hardrict tells People. And she’s in good company: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, equally inspired by the ground-breaking character, also named his daughter Tiana.
Jasmine, from Aladdin
Johnson apparently has a love for Aladdin, too—his 2-year-old is named Jasmine Lia. Which is especially cute, considering when he took Buzfeed’s “Which Disney Princess Are You?” quiz, he discovered deep down he’s Aladdin’s tradition-bucking heroine.
Mowgli, from The Jungle Book
Ashlee Simpson and ex-husband Pete Wentz had an Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding, so we’re guessing it didn’t surprise any of their friends when they selected a Disney namesake for their son, Bronx Mowgli. “The Jungle Book was something that me and Ashlee bonded over,” he told the NY Daily News, “so … it’s a cool name."
Briar Rose, from Sleeping Beauty
Both big Disney fans, Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson (now exes) named their first child Briar Rose, the name given to Aurora by the three fairies looking after her in Sleeping Beauty. “We both love all things Disney—but Rachel especially was very keen on the name,” Christensen told People back in 2015. “We have Disney songs playing around the house 24/7 right now.” Christensen played a young Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars films Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, both of which (along with the rest of the franchise) became Disney properties in 2012.
Flynn, from Tangled
Had Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr’s son, born in 2011, been a girl, he would have been called Evelyn after Bloom’s grandmother. Since he was a boy, they adapted the name and came up with Flynn. Coincidence, perhaps, that he was born just a few weeks after the movie Tangled came out, featuring the dashing (if temporarily duplicitous) Flynn Rider.
Nala, from The Lion King
Halle Berry’s daughter, Nahla Ariela, is now 10 years old, and both of her names seem to have the Disney touch: Nala was Simba’s best pal (and the female star) of The Lion King, and Ariel was the spunky, inquisitive heroine of The Little Mermaid. “Halle has always been a huge fan of the Disney films,” a source close to her said. “She wanted to make a reference to her favourite two films with the name, but added her own take on them too."
Feeling the magic yourself? Check out our list of 22 Disney-inspired baby names for boys and girls.
