As seen in: The Sword in the Stone
Meaning: “bear king”

This 12-year-old orphan is constantly bullied and belittled by his adoptive family, but Merlin (aka Camelot’s resident wizard) sees that there’s more to little Arthur than anybody realises. 

And he’s proven right, obviously: Arthur is the rightful king, born of England – and he proves it by pulling a magical sword out of a solid anvil, too.

As seen in: Alice in Wonderland
Meaning: “nobility”

Alice is the curious schoolgirl who makes it her business to know what a rabbit, in a waistcoat and pocket watch, could possibly be late for. Cue her tumbling into Wonderland and head first into a fantastical adventure.

As seen in: Frozen
Meaning: “free man/woman”

When Anna’s sister accidentally curses their kingdom and triggers an eternal winter, it’s Anna who braves the storm and goes after her. And it’s Anna who makes the film’s greatest sacrifice, in a bid to save the person she loves most: Elsa.

As seen in: The Little Mermaid
Meaning: “lion of god”

Ariel is tired of doing everything her father tells her to do – and she’s sick of being trapped in their watery kingdom. So what’s a mermaid to do but strike a deal with a sea witch, bag herself a pair of legs, and head shoreside, eh?

As seen in: Beauty and the Beast
Meaning: “beautiful”

Belle is a bookworm who craves adventure in the great wide somewhere – and, when she gets it, she proves herself to be the heroine we all knew she would be.

As seen in: Cinderella
Meaning: “armour/protection”

Cinderella is victimised by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters in this animated classic, but she finds solace in her animal friends. Bruno, her loving dogdy pal, is always there to protect and defend her – and, indeed, it is he who saves the mice from the evil Lucifer towards the end of the flick.

As seen in: Toy Story franchise
Meaning: “village in the woods”

Buzz Lightyear is known for his bravery, courage, and impulsiveness – not to mention his extraordinary strength of belief.

As seen in: Up
Meaning: “man”

When property moguls plot to bulldoze his house and put him in a home, Carl gets creative with a lot of balloons and sails off into the horizon, ready for an exciting new chapter in his life.

As seen in: Beauty and the Beast
Meaning: “man”

Little Chip is bright as a button, bold, and brave – it is he who leaves the safety of the castle to rescue Belle and Maurice from the townsfolk (and he does it in serious style, too).

As seen in: The Rescuers Down Under

Meaning: “descendant of Cuidightheach”(originally an Irish byname for a helpful person)

Cody is an extremely brave boy, even more so when one considers his age: in this classic Disney film, he fearlessly scales cliffs with nothing more than his hands and feet – and puts his life on the line to protect his friends from harm.

As seen in: The Incredibles

Meaning: “he who lives by the ash tree”

Dash is just like any young boy: he’s excitable, competitive, energetic, and a bit of a prankster – but he’s also imbued with super-powers. Which makes keeping up with him pretty difficult indeed...

As seen in: Finding Nemo, Finding Dory
Meaning: “gift of god”

Dory’s short term memory loss makes her more than a little ditzy on occasion – but she’s every bit as famed across the seven seas for her optimism, cheer, and heart of gold.

As seen in: A Bug’s Life
Meaning: “gift of god”

Dot may be small, but she is mighty. Innovative, eloquent, and courageous, this little ant overcomes her fears come the end of the film – and inspires all those around her to do better.

As seen in: Brave
Meaning: “bright and shining one”

A vision of elegance, wisdom and strength of character, Queen Elinor is fiercely dedicated to the wellbeing of her family and kingdom – and bravely fights the fearsome Mor’du in order to protect her daughter.

As seen in: Frozen
Meaning: “oath of god”

Imbued with magical ice powers and fully prepared to “let it go”, Elsa is one of the most badass Disney princesses to date.

As seen in: The Little Mermaid
Meaning: “ruler”

Eric isn’t just your typical knight in shining armour: in fact, he’s more than happy to wear his heart on his sleeve, confessing to the world that he’s a dreamy and hopeless romantic. So, when a mysterious woman saves his life, he makes it his primary goal to track her down and thank her, Disney-style.

As seen in: The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Meaning: “emerald”

Esmerelda is fierce, bold, and incredibly kind to the outcasts of Paris. She knows how to handle a sword (and herself). Go Esme.

As seen in: A Bug’s Life
Meaning: “gift of god”

Flik is a nerdy, inventive, and courageous ant who wants to make a difference to his colony's way of life – and make his mark upon the world.

As seen in: Rapunzel
Meaning: “who is like god”

Flynn may start out as your typical arrogant and smooth-talking asshole, but he soon reveals himself to be  a loving, loyal, and protective companion.

As seen in: Enchanted
Meaning: “pledge”

Sweet-natured Giselle becomes the hero of her own story when an evil queen banishes her into a world of “no happy endings” – aka New York City.

As seen in: Cinderella
Meaning: “majestic”

Despite his small size, Gus is extremely brave (to the point of reckless, perhaps) as a running gag shows him putting up his fists if Cinderella is ever threatened.

As seen in: The Incredibles
Meaning: “shining light”

Helen – aka Elastigirl – is a resourceful, determined and dexterous superhero, who isn’t afraid to make her opinions known.

As seen in: Aladdin
Meaning: “gift from god”

This fiery and independent woman helps to save the day from the evil Jafar, boasts a mother-f**king tiger as her animal sidekick, and she doesn’t even feel the need to get married at the end of the film, striking a blow on behalf of womankind everywhere.

As seen in: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Meaning: “man”

Jack may be the fearsome Pumpkin King, but he’s also a sweet-natured and naive soul who just wants to share the wonders of Christmas with the world.

As seen in: Cinderella
Meaning: “god is gracious”

Jaq is the leader of the (mouse) gang – and he’s a good un at that, thanks to his kindness, patience, and resourcefulness. He’s also the first to actually confront Lucifer the cat, and the only one brave enough to take him on alone. 

As seen in: Toy Story 2 & 3
Meaning: “wealth”

The roughest, toughest cowgirl in the Wild West, Jessie is friendly, excitable, and willing to do anything for the people she loves.

As seen in: Treasure Planet
Meaning: “supplanter”

Jim is a rebel (note the leather jacket, please), but he’s a rebel with a cause – and, throughout the course of the movie, his ‘bad boy’ image slips away to reveal an adventurous, kind, confident, and happy young man.

As seen in: Zootopia
Meaning: “praised”

Judy is fiercely optimistic and independent – and keen to make history as the first ever bunny on the Zootopia Police Force. But, while she’s ambitious, she’s also deeply caring, using her undeniable skills to defend the “little people in life” from the bullies of the world.

As seen in: Frozen
Meaning: “carrier of Christ”

This ice harvester starts off as a miserly loner, but he soon proves to be loving, respectful, and completely selfless.

As seen in: The Princess and the Frog
Meaning: “free woman”

Lottie may seem, at first glance, to be a ditzy and impulsive diva, she’s incredibly intelligent, confident, and determined to get what she wants from life. She’s also a big fan of the sisterhood – all you have to do is look at her relationship with Tiana to see that she puts her friends above all else.

As seen in: The Incredibles
Meaning: “light”

As cool as his ice powers, Lucius is a fast-talking and funny hero – and a truly wonderful friend in times of need.

As seen in: The Aristocats
Meaning: “bitter”

She may profess to be as elegant as her mother, but Marie is every bit as curious as her brothers, which means she never shies away from new experiences (or, y’know, a rough ‘n’ tumble with the other kittens).

As seen in: Finding Nemo, Finding Dory
Meaning: “falcon”

Marlin starts off as an anxious and worrisome fish – but he soon proves his bravery when he heads off on an epic rescue journey that spans the oceans far and wide.

As seen in: Hercules
Meaning: “pearl”

Meg isn’t a damsel in distress – at all. Instead, she’s sarcastic, and fierce, and wise, and she ain’t about to be knocked off kilter by a killer pair of pecs.

As seen in: Brave
Meaning: “guardian of the sea”

Merida is the flame-haired hero who utterly defied stereotypes, and taught us that our fate lives within us – we just have to be brave enough to see it.

As seen in: Monsters Inc
Meaning: “who is like god”

Mike Wazowski is a proud and confident monster, who works incredibly hard to succeed in his chosen career path. He’s also confident, romantic, and ridiculously funny, too. Can you tell we’re big fans of Mike Wazowski?

As seen in: Moana
Meaning: “sea”

This Maori name, often heard in New Zealand, was bestowed upon Disney’s first ever Polynesian princess. And what a princess she is, navigating the open ocean, defeating a fuming lava god, rescuing a legendary warrior from the clutches of a monstrous murderous crab, and uncovering a hidden power within herself in the process. 

As seen in: Oliver and Company
Meaning: “of the olive tree”

This little kitten is incredibly caring and loyal – and willing to do anything to protect those he loves from harm.

As seen in: Peter Pan
Meaning: “of the rock”

Peter Pan is incredibly adventurous and daring, battling pirates, flying from Neverland to London, and using his imagination to create a wonderfully fantastical world for the Lost Boys to play in.

As seen in: Wreck-It Ralph
Meaning: “wolf-counsel”

Despite his hulking nature and villainous programming, Ralph is ultimately a sweet, well-meaning character – and he puts his heart on the line when it comes to saving the life of his first real friend.

As seen in: The Princess and the Frog
Meaning: “wise-protector”

He may be the smallest creature in this movie, but Ray has the biggest heart of all.

As seen in: Inside Out
Meaning: “valiant”

Riley is upbeat, honest and goofy when she is content – but, as she grows older, she begins to feel uncertain of herself, and so becomes emotionally vulnerable. This film is all about her coming to terms with her own feelings – and getting to know herself inside out.

As seen in: Robin Hood
Meaning: “bright and shining”

This noble fox is a true hero at heart – and more than intelligent enough to outwit the villainous Prince John.

As seen in: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Meaning: “princess”

Sally is kind, sensible, honest, and incredibly clever – not to mention wickedly good with a needle and thread. Guess that’s what comes from being a rag doll with a desperate need to escape, at the cost of a loose thread (or an arm or a leg).

As seen in: The Little Mermaid
Meaning: “revered”

Simultaneously carefree and serious, the musical Sebastian knows mostly all secrets of the sea – maybe even more so than King Triton.

As seen in: Monsters Inc
Meaning: “south of the meadow”

He might be a big-shot on the Scare Floor, but when Sulley stumbles across little Boo, the little human girl who is deemed “toxic” to monsters, he soon realises there’s more important things in life than power and prestige. Yup, you guessed it: this principled and esteemed blue furry monster overcomes his prejudices and forges a powerful bond with the tiny tot, making it his priority to get her safely back home.

As seen in: The Princess and the Frog
Meaning: “princess”

The first ever African-American Disney princess, Tiana is an intelligent, resourceful, hard-working, and highly talented young woman – with big dreams of opening up her very own restaurant.

As seen in: The Fox and the Hound
Meaning: “fox”

Tod may be as cunning as a… well, as a fox, but he’s also sweet, loving, and an incredibly loyal friend, too.

As seen in: The Little Mermaid
Meaning: “little bear”

Sure, she’s the villain – but we have such a soft spot for the sensual, power-hungry and hilarious Ursula.

As seen in: The Incredibles
Meaning: “purple”

Violet starts off as the archetypal shrinking violet, but she later comes into her own, proving herself to be kind, brave, experimental, and incredibly funny.

As seen in: Pocahontas
Meaning: “graceful”

Endlessly wise, spiritual and funny, Grandmother Willow is Pocahontas’ trusted advisor (and, yeah, a sentient weeping willow tree. What of it?).

As seen in: Woody
Meaning: “from the cottage in the wood”

Woody is everybody’s best friend: this rootin’-tootin’ cowboy is a dreamer with a big-heart and a lot of time for all the other toys in Andy’s bedroom – not to mention Andy himself.

As seen in: The Emperor’s New Groove
Meaning: “greatness”

Comically eccentric and endlessly enthusiastic, the imaginative Yzma may be a villain – but it’s worth remembering that she practically raised Kuzco only for him to turn around and fire her for being “too old” / “scary beyond reason”. We’d probably have turned him into a llama as well, in her shoes.