Fairytale Princess NamesFairytale princess names sound just right trying on a glass slipper or singing with animated blue birds in the forest. They’re romantic, exotic, and almost entirely unexpected. Because for every Belle, we can list names like Cinderella (or the French Cendrillon), Rapunzel, and Merida.

And if you move beyond Disney? There’s Buttercup from The Princess Bride, Eilonwy from Lloyd Alexander’s The Chronicles of Prydain, and, of course, Game of Thrones’ Daenerys.

So let’s say we were put in charge of naming a fictional princess. What would rise to the top of the list? I’d favor fairytale princess names that blend the medieval and the fanciful. Some names lean more romantic; others, adventurous. But that suits the range of modern princesses, from Elena to Mulan. So callbacks to an earlier time work, but so do bold, unexpected modern finds. And they have to span all of Europe – perhaps even the globe.

These are my dozen picks for fictional fairytale princess names.

BELSANTE

It might be medieval variant of Elizabeth and Isabella, or maybe an old Germanic name. Either way, Belsante sounds right at home with Beauty and the Beast’s princess perfect Belle. And yet, the more elaborate form feels regal and throwback. Along the same lines, Isabeau seems like a name right at home in a medieval woodcut illustration.

BRIAR

Before Disney named Sleeping Beauty Aurora, the princess often answered to Briar Rose in tellings of her tale. Briar has that edgy, modern feel of modern nature names like Winter or Bay, but a long history of use in stories argues that it’s no novelty.

CLARIMOND

The first syllable probably comes from the Latin clarus, clear. Since fairy tale princess names are always noble and clear of purpose, any name related to Claire and company feels like a good fit.

DULCINEA

Dulcinea is Don Quixote’s fictional maiden fair, derived from the Spanish dulce – sweet. Similar names were in use in medieval England, and 90s indie rockers Toad the Wet Sprocket gave the name to their hit 1994 album. It would make a logical pick for a princess. A similar sounding option is the ancient Drusilla, though Joss Whedon gave it to an evil vampire. Factor in Dulcinea’s meaning, and it’s tough to believe this name hasn’t been drawn in a ballgown and tiara yet.

EVERILD

It’s the Latin version of a name worn by a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon saint, also written as Everilda and Averil. If you’re anticipating a happy ending, what’s better than having the word “ever” in your given name?

GWENLLIAN

A medieval Welsh name, Gwenllian combines elements meaning fair and flaxen. There’s a heroic twelfth century princess, known for her beauty and her bravery. Gwen makes it accessible, but Gwenllian shimmers with a mix of history and unexpected sounds.

JESSAMY

Jasmine found a whole new world with Aladdin. Why not this more elaborate form? It sounds both modern and old school at once, as does related name Jessamine.

KATRIN

Not every fairy tale name is frilly, and this Northern European short form of Katherine feels like one you might find in a Swedish fairy tale. The elaboration Katrinka also feels at home in an other-worldly story, one with plenty of ice and snow.

SVETLANA

Best for a Slavic character, of course, but there’s no shortage of those. Like a few other names on this list, she’s a relatively modern innovation, coined for an 1813 poem. But her meaning – from svet, light – is princess-perfect.

THALASSA

You might expect Thalassa to be the evil stepsister or faithful servant instead of the romantic lead. But Thalassa is a primordial Greek goddess of the oceans, making it every bit as seaworthy as the red-headed Ariel.

TOURMALINE

Most gemstone names feel fairly mainstream, from Ruby to Pearl. But Tourmaline – first brought to Europe by the Dutch East India Company – is seldom heard. The word wasn’t used in English until the mid-1700s, so perhaps Tourmaline would be out of place in a story set in the Middle Ages. But it still feels rich with poential.

VIVIENNE

One of the Jolie-Pitt twins and a name sometimes used in Arthurian legend for the Lady of the Lake, Vivienne is, far and away, the most popular name on this list. But there’s something powerful about names derived from the Latin vivus – alive.

Those are my dozen picks for fairytale princess names. What would you name a fictional character destined for a crown? And do any of these work for a real girl, too?

First published on November 3, 2011, this post was revised substantially on October 13, 2019.

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About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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51 Comments

  1. Tourmaline I like, in fact it’s already on my list!

    I think Belhonor is a wonderful princess name. Like Belsante, it’s of Medieval origin and it means ‘beautiful honor’. It’s kinda a virtue name too, but most importantly it can be used on a real girl. I get first dibs!!

    Other names I think are pretty for a princess are mainly of Irish and Scotttish origins, such as…

    Scottish:
    Batrisch (ba-TREESH) – Scottish form of Beatrice. I love the ‘eesh’ sound!
    Scota – fem. form of Scotland
    Seasaidh (SHAY-see)
    Siusaidh (SHOO-see) – sounds like Suzie

    Irish:
    Bedelia – with great ‘power and strength’ comes great responsibility, and who more than a princess can bare this name!
    Caoimhe (KEE-vy)
    Saoirse (SEER-sha) – with a great meaning like freedom I think it’s worthy for a princess.
    Saorla (SAYR-la)
    Searlait (SHEYR-let) – sounds similar to Charlotte, and even Sherlock!

    I also like the name Patrice. Patrice (pah-TREES) is of French origin meaning ‘of noble descent’.

    1. Yes and no. Sv isn’t an ordinary combination in English, but the pronunciation is exactly as we’d expect it to be. So even though you’d probably get some hesitation and some surprised looks, I think the name would work well as others got to know it.

  2. Valancy! Wouldn’t that be the perfect name for a valiant princess? I’d use it for a daughter but for the whole valance thing.

  3. Late to mention, but one of my French friends has the middle name Ghyslaine (she’s late teens). My heart fluttered slightly when I found out 😉

  4. I love Belsante (I’ve seen it spelled Bellisant) and Thalassa so much! Thalassa is awesome – I love names having to do with water. Tourmaline is surprsingly appealing – I’ve never thought of it as a name. Jessamy is so interesting, i’ve never heard of it before. I like it!

  5. Such lovely names! Everild has been on my list for a long time (I can’t seem to sell DH on it), and Ghislaine is simply smashing! Belsante, Melisande, Eglantine, Lysandra — all great.

    A few that come to my mind are:
    Yslaine
    Dagmara
    Elbereth (stolen from Tolkien)
    Veradis
    Zipporah (my niece’s name)
    Kamala
    Oonagh
    Geraldine (maybe a little less frilly than the others, but I think it would work)
    Blanche
    Eulalia

    A few other thoughts: I really love a lot of those medieval names that begin with “God” (Godlieve, Godfrey, Godric), but I just don’t think they’d wear well today.

    Although Disney’s Sleeping Beauty is named Aurora, while she’s hiding out with the good fairies she is called Briar Rose, a name that I always found incredibly attractive.

  6. Another good princess name, from the enlightened-young-lady fairy tale of the same name: Petronella (she was supposed to have been born a boy, you see — the royal family of Skyclear Mountain ALWAYS has three sons — and all third sons in the royal house are named Peter…)