Let’s review the Inside Out 2 production babies.
WHAT ARE PRODUCTION BABIES?
Ever since the very first Pixar movie, Toy Story, debuted in 1995, the studio has followed a fascinating tradition.
They’ve listed the names of any babies born to the staff responsible for the movie in that film’s credits.
Those names appear at the very end, under the heading Production Babies. Because, well, these babies arrived during the movie’s creation.
After all, animated movies take a long time – sometimes years – to go from early concept to finished product. And the team involved with the process is big, big enough to guarantee at least a few new arrivals. If your family grows while you’re focused on a movie, well, inevitably you’ll think of Toy Story 4 or Turning Red as part of those memories.
That’s 28 lists from Pixar alone, if you’re counting.
Pixar Animation Studios officially became part of Walt Disney Studios in 2006. Disney now follows the same custom, as do several other animation shops.
Obviously, Snow White didn’t have a list of Production Babies.
So it’s a new(ish) phenomenon, but still widespread.
Pixar alone has 28 lists of Production Babies under its belt – and counting. 2024‘s Inside Out 2 was the studio’s 28th feature film, meaning over 1,000 births have been celebrated this way.
Despite sharing the names, the end credits aren’t exactly birth announcements. They don’t share gender, date – or even year – of birth, or the parent’s role on the film. A handful of lists might note twins. Occasionally, if two Production Babies share a first name, the initial of their surname (presumably) is also included.
Past commenters have confirmed that parents decide how their children’s names appear. A name listed as Ellie, for example, might be short for something, or not – but we only know what the parents choose to share.
But that really doesn’t take away from the sheer delight of getting a peek at the creative names Pixar’s international team chooses for their new arrivals.
ABOUT THE MOVIE INSIDE OUT 2
The story focuses on the emotions inside the main character’s head.
When we met Riley back in 2015, she was eleven years old, and had just moved to San Francisco from Minnesota. The first Inside Out story focused on the emotions in her mind: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger.
It’s funny and sweet but also surprisingly accurate. The writers and designers consulted psychologists and neuroscientists to make sure the story line and imagery made sense.
Fast forward to 2024. Riley is headed to high school. New emotions arrive: Embarrassment, Ennui, Envy, and the wild, dominating Anxiety. The sequel focuses on the clash between the new emotions and those that have formed Riley’s memory and identity until adolescence.
The movie has been a smash hit, winning its opening weekend and earning praise from critics and audiences alike.
INSIDE OUT 2 PRODUCTION BABIES: THE LIST
- ALEXANDER
- ANA
- ARTHUR
- BENJAMIN
- BENJIE
- BODIE
- DORIAN
- DREW
- EASTON
- ELI
- ELLIE
- ELLIOT
- FINN
- GEMMA
- GUS
- IRENA
- IVY
- JUNIPER
- LOGAN
- MASON
- MAXINE
- MITHRAN
- OLIVIA
- OLIVER
- PIA MARLEEN
- QUORRA
- ROBIN
- ROWOON
- SERAPHINE
- THOMAS
- VICTORIA
- VIOLET
- VIVIAN
- WILLA
- ZEV
ABOUT THE INSIDE OUT 2 NAMES
CLASSICS and CURRENT FAVORITES
Call them classics or current favorites, but many of the Inside Out 2 production babies wear names that feel just right for this generation.
This includes boys’ names Alexander, Benjamin, Easton, Eli, Elliot, Finn, Logan, Mason, Oliver, and Thomas.
For the girls’ list, classics and current favorites include Ana, Ellie, Ivy, Olivia, Victoria, Vivian, and Violet.
VINTAGE GEMS
Names are constantly churning in and out of favor. In 2024, Inside Out 2 production babies names like Arthur and Gus for boys, and Maxine for girls are cycling back into the spotlight.
UP and COMING CHOICES
In some cases, it’s hard to distinguish between up and coming choices and current favorites. These strike me as fresher and less solidly established: Gemma, Juniper, and Willa for girls; Bodie for boys.
UNISEX NAMES (MAYBE)
Drew isn’t surprising as a boy’s name, but Drew for a girl hits a little different. Likewise, Robin for a girl feels familiar, but as a boy’s name, it’s a delightful find. We can’t know, of course, but it’s enough to merit consideration.
RARITIES and FASCINATING FINDS
And then there are the names that make us pause and say “ooh … interesting!”
Irena is a Slavic form of Irene. Irina ranks higher in the US, so Irena catches the eye.
On a similar spelling note, Benjie with an -ie ending intrigues. Is it just a take on Benji, short for traditional Benjamin? A feminine form in the key of Charlie, Scottie, Frankie, and other trending choices?
Mithran is likely a Hindi name associated with the sun, thanks to the ancient god Mithra. Several forms of the name are used as firsts and lasts.
K-Pop gives us the next name on this list: Rowoon. It’s the stage name of South Korean singer Kim Seok-woo. It looks quite a bit like popular Rowan, which makes it feel very wearable in the US.
Long-time sleeper name Seraphina recently debuted in the US Top 1000, so seeing the related Seraphine feels right.
A Hebrew name meaning wolf, Zev is brief and strong, a high-value Scrabble name that sounds like a successor to Kai or Zion.
Literary Dorian is seldom heard, but seems like a handsome alternative to Top 100 favorites like Julian and Sebastian.
Double name Pia Marleen is thoroughly surprising. Despite plenty of history and the success of Mia (and Lia and Gia), Pia has never charted in the US Top 1000. 1930s Hollywood star Marlene Dietrich put her name in the US Top 100, and spelling variant Marleen saw some use mid-century, too. Together, it’s quite rare.
Last but not least: Quorra. An alternative spelling of Cora, it brings to mind Tron’s Quorra. Olivia Wilde played her in the most recent movie, but strictly speaking, Quorra isn’t human. Instead, she’s an ISO – a sort of AI come to life. Disney created the first Tron movie back in 1982, and there’s even a Tron-themed ride in the parks – first in Shanghai, and now in Florida, too. So it’s even sweeter to see a Quorra appearing on another Disney universe list.
ONE MORE FUN LIST IN THE CREDITS (MAYBE)
In addition to consulting experts from the fields of psychology and neuroscience, the Inside Out 2 writers checked their story with another critical group: teenagers. After the Production Babies, a special thanks section acknowledged Aurelien, Britta, Cat, Christina, Claire, Diana, Hannah, Hyun, Mara, Nik, Ruby, Sarah, Tracey, and Vanessa. Word is that they’re actual teenagers asked to review the plot and script to make sure it felt true to their lived experience. (Though there’s no official confirmation from Pixar at this point.)
Do you have any favorites from the Inside Out 2 production babies?
