Rank the princesses in terms of popularity

[Jay]

I have a friend who teaches kindergarten and she has a student whose mother RENAMED her legally Princess Tiana. So my friend has a kid in her class named Princess Tiana Brown. So I guess that makes her pretty popular as a princess. I don't know many kids whose names are Snow White, Cinderella or Pocahontas. Wait, I DID know a Bingo lady named Cinderella Jones whose mother loved the story of Cinderella and named her daughter that, but she's been dead awhile now. And in 1977 there was a pop song called Ariel about a Jewish girl in a peasant blouse. It was by Dean Friedman. Belle is a very popular name now. Never met an Aurora or a Mulan, though.

There was an episode of Supermatural where they were fighting a demon who disguised themselves as prostitutes and they were looking for three girls. A blonde named Aurora, a red head named Ariel and a brunett named Jasmine. Hurrahh for demon hookas using Disney references!

I've known an Aroura, a Tiana, a few Jasmine's and a girl named Ariel but she spelled it Arielle. I met an older woman named Cinderella once but she looked more like Lady Tremaine and my aunt joked if her sisters were Snow White and Rapunzel haha.

[Disney Duster]

Of all the names, Cinderella and Snow White (and Pocahontas) are probably the few you just...can't get "away" with naming your child. People will know they're from those fairy tales or legends and they will be compared to them and...how did some of those people named Cinderella get by?

I think it makes some sense that the ones named Cinderella were older. Maybe Cinderella was so popular back then some people named their kids after the film, just like when Aladdin, Harry Potter, Princess and the Frog, and Sleeping Beauty came out/got popular.

Cinderella Jones actually sounds to me like a great name though.

I met an older woman named Cinderella once but she looked more like Lady Tremaine and my aunt joked if her sisters were Snow White and Rapunzel haha.

Was she at least nice like Cinderella?

[Super Aurora]

Cinderella is a name that could get by but most people would probably be nicknamed "Cindy" in that case.

I had a classmate in HS named Ariel which is actually a fairly normal name in society. Same for Jasmine in which I know of a bondage pornstar by that name, Jasmine Sinclair.

[Wonderlicious]

From most to least popular...

1. Cinderella
2. Belle
3. Ariel
4. Aurora
5. Snow White
6. Tiana
7. Jasmine
8. Rapunzel
9. Mulan
10. Pocahontas

[Jay]

I met an older woman named Cinderella once but she looked more like Lady Tremaine and my aunt joked if her sisters were Snow White and Rapunzel haha.

Was she at least nice like Cinderella?

Yeah she was nice.

[Prince Edward]

The most popular princesses in general, in my opinion:

Ariel
Belle
Cinderella
Snow White
Aurora
Jasmine
Rapunzel
Pocahontas
Mulan
Tiana

My personal ranking of the princesses:

Aurora
Belle
Ariel
Pocahontas
Jasmine
Cinderella
Mulan
Rapunzel
Tiana
Snow White

Not that I necessary love the princess I have put on 4th place much more than the one on 6th place (an example), but I have given it a try at least^^

[singerguy04]

I still stand by my list of whose seems more popular on merchandise and so on, which is this list.

Cinderella
Ariel
Belle
Rapunzel
Tiana
Snow White
Aurora
Jasmine
Mulan
Pocahontas

But since we've begun to list our personal favorites list, then it'd look like this for me!

Aurora
Pocahontas
Ariel
Tiana
Belle
Rapunzel
Cinderella
Jasmine
Mulan
Snow White

Aside from those top 4, I would have to say that Belle, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Jasmine pretty much tie for 5th. Mulan and Snow White always round out the bottom of my list. To defend Mulan a bit, I really love her character but I just refuse to really call her a princess.

If franchises weren't all about segregating boy and girl toys... and if the Disney Heroes franchise really took some footing... I think Mulan should be in the Disney Heroes franchise. It'd be soooooooooooo cool to have the Heroes franchise, and have it feature a girl. Wouldn't a Tarzan, Philip, Hercules, Peter Pan, Aladdin, Eric, and Mulan roster look awesome! They'd be like The Justice League or The Avengers with a female counterpart to mix it up a bit!

[Mooky]

I think this article is appropriate for this discussion:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12 ... 69827.html



I actually have an Aladdin in my wider family - it's spelled without the extra 'd' though. I also have a Jasmine (but it's spelled 'Jasmina').

[Disney's Divinity]

I usually don't rank the princesses unless it's a top ten thread. That way, I can get away with not ranking Jasmine at all.

[Dragonlion]

From most to least popular...

1. Cinderella
2. Belle
3. Ariel
4. Aurora
5. Snow White
6. Tiana
7. Jasmine
8. Rapunzel
9. Mulan
10. Pocahontas

I agree with this, but I would put Rapunzel before Tiana.

[Goliath]

I have a friend who teaches kindergarten and she has a student whose mother RENAMED her legally Princess Tiana. So my friend has a kid in her class named Princess Tiana Brown. So I guess that makes her pretty popular as a princess. I don't know many kids whose names are Snow White, Cinderella or Pocahontas.

Yes, one kooky lady is usually a pretty good indicator of the opinion of an entire population... Oh, wait...

[thedisneyspirit]

Elsa- makes sense, the most popular Disney character in years
Cinderella - the most iconic fairytale I think
Ariel -started the Disney Renaissance, defining childhoods all over the world, and mermaids have always been popular creatures.
Belle - iconic and comes from a popular movie. There's also the relatability aspect.
Rapunzel
Snow White - doesn't get as much love as others but since she's the first she's still iconic
Mulan - most of the merchandise seems to be aimed towards the millennials who grew up loving her film
Aurora - gets criticism but a lot of people liked the "classic medieval princess" aesthetic she carries
Jasmine -She used to be very popular in the 90s though
Moana- She got a lot of hype pre-release, but now she's just "there"
Tiana - She's not that popular but she's not forgotten either.
Merida
Anna
Pocahontas

[DisneyBluLife]

If you put Nani, Pocahontas and Merida in a mixer and blend them together you will get..... Moana!

[JeanGreyForever]

Lol, that's very true. Honestly, almost all of the new princesses come across as very derivative. I suppose that's liable to happen because each new princess has so many predecessors to be compared to, but still. Rapunzel basically is a blend of all the classic princesses. Anna is a goofier version of Rapunzel (I much prefer Anna for what it's worth). Merida, despite being touted as the anti-princess, takes elements from almost every princess before her, rendering her as more typical than atypical, despite being the first Pixar princess.

[Disney's Divinity]

If I had to hazard a guess at how they stack up at this particular moment in time:

1. Elsa ~ I believe she'll drop down below Ariel and Cinderella once the Frozen franchise has mostly become a property of the past. So, basically, 5 years after Frozen 3.
Ariel
Cinderella
Rapunzel ~ I can see her doing decently right now. I wouldn't be surprised if SW and Belle were above her though.
Snow White
Belle ~ I think both SW and Belle draw on a crowd of people who don't really care about the princesses in general.
Anna ~ She's overshadowed by Elsa, but I don't think she's unpopular. I'm sure she siphons merchandise sales in part because she's from Frozen and she comes as a match with Elsa.
Aurora
Moana ~ For the moment. I see her dropping downwards to the bottom with the other princesses of color eventually (unfortunately), probably below Pocahontas.
Jasmine
Merida
Tiana
Pocahontas
14. Mulan

[Atlantica]

I think the current popularity listing would go as follows :

Rapunzel - So many girls dress up as her at the parks, she has her own TV show which doubles up her merchandise from being just Princess stuff to Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure AND Princess stuff. Plus as people have said, she is a bit of an amalgamation of other Princesses before her, and also adds her own goofy, artistic personality to the mix. I absolutely love her as well, I think she is a wonderful heroine to be inspired by.
Cinderella
Elsa
Ariel
Moana
Belle
Anna
Aurora
Snow White
Jasmine
Tiana
Merida
Mulan
Pocahontas

[thedisneyspirit]

I thought Mulan was always kinda popular...

[Jay]

Wow posted this 6 years ago where does time go haha. Honestly it is hard to make a definitive ranking of the princesses because you have to factor a lot of things in. The different demographics. You have the little girls from ages 2 to 6 who are the main target for the majority of princess merchandise that comes out. In that sense I would imagine Elsa and Rapunzel are among the most popular because they are both new and from films these girls most likely watch over and over. Most young girls probably haven't seen Snow White or Sleeping Beauty and if they have they probably don't watch them over like Tangled or Frozen.

Then you have people who are in their late teens to late 20's even early 30's who grew up with Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas. They would be popular among that group and they may buy merchandise of them maybe not from the Disney store but from Hot Topic for example. Then the older folks who like the classic princesses and but their merchandise. Then things like people who focus on one princess specifically. Mermaids are very popular and I know people who buy Ariel merchandise solely because she is a mermaid. Then as Disney Divinity said people just buy Belle or Snow White merchandise for other reasons. I know people who collect Belle stuff but don't even really care about Disney otherwise. BatB(as well as Th Lion King) seem to strike a cord with the average viewer who isn't necessarily a Disney fan. Same with Snow White people collect her simply because of the films historical significance with not just Disney but for film history. People collect Elsa because they see her a an LGBT icon. The list goes on.

Having said all that it still is fun to make a rough draft ranking, especially since several other ladies have been added or made since the last time.

1. Elsa- She has become a cultural icon. Who was the last Disney character to really capture the general public? Stitch? Her powers, her story arc her being a queen her song definitely make her stand out among the others. She may lost the top spot eventually but I imagine she will always be very popular.

2. Ariel- She was a big turning point for the princesses. The first to want something other than a prince or vague dream. She wanted to be a human. She collected things, was an adventurer and explorer. She was impulsive and headstrong and felt like a real teenage girl. She was relateable and captured a generation of peoples attention. Plus she is a mermaid and mermaids are really popular.

3. Cinderella- Easily the most iconic along with Snow White. Not just for Disney but in fairy tales in general. Everyone knows her story and everyone wants a "Cinderella story" She is the most human and relateable of the classic princesses. The ultimate icon of happy endings.

4. Rapunzel- She is cute, perky and likeable. She is a fun heroine who is easy to root for. Her long magic blonde hair definitely adds to her charm. And with her TV show right now she is definitely doing well in the lineup.

5. Belle- Like Ariel, Belle was a part of a lot of people's childhood. She is headstrong and reads and didn't fall for the hot guy. She fell for a beast. Her film had a big impact on pop culture and as I said it seems to touch people who aren't even Disney fans.

6. Anna- As mentioned she is the other half of Frozen. She definitely does well in that respect and she is quirky and likeable. And if you have Elsa you need Anna.

7. Aurora- She is the quintessential princess. Her hair, her dress, she looks like what you would envision a fairy tale princess would look like. i don't know how many young girls have seen Sleeping Beauty but I think her looks add to her appeal on the merchandise. Plus she is elegant and graceful which adds to her classic princess charm.

8. Jasmine- She has always been an interesting case. She is not the star or title character of the film but the love interest. But she was extremely popular back in the 90's. Right up there with Ariel and Belle. She was the only princess of color for years to get attention merchandise wise until Tiana came along. It seemed at first she was shoved aside once Tiana was on the scene but she has always been popular and now I see her on a lot of merchandise. She is exotic and "sexy" and again, headstrong. Not afraid to speak her mind. And I feel the nostalgia for Aladdin has grown the last few years after Robin Williams unfortunate passing.

9. Mulan- I believe she is pretty popular but she is simply not a princess in the technical sense. Still people love her and respect her for what she does in the film. She is heroic and saves the day. It's hard to market her in a frilly dress but at the same time she is not a bloodthirsty warrior like some want to make her out to be. So I believe Disney is a bit stuck wanting her to fit in with the other ladies but not annoy people who want her to just be a badass warrior. So she gets sidelined a bit.

10. Snow White- Along with Cindy the most iconic and the one who started it all. She holds a huge place in the legacy of the company and film history. Many dislike her because of her "damsel in distress" ways and how she isn't proactive in the story. But without her none of the others would exist and she does have her fans. Like Aurora and Cindy she appeals to the classic princes fans for being a traditional fairy tale princess who is gentle, kind and elegant.

11. Moana- She is popular and well liked but I am not sure. Disney is pushing her but she isn't as popular as the Frozen sisters or Rapunzel. She is very new so it's kind of hard to place her among the others. I think she is well liked and has fans but being so new I think others are more drawn to the other princesses who have been around longer. Will Disney add her to the line up one day or keep her separate? Time will tell.

12. Tiana- She never caught on as much as Disney wanted her to unfortunately. She has her fans but ultimately I don't think she is as popular as the others. I think her not being a "fun" character like Ariel, Rapunzel or Anna hurt her a bit. She isn't the traditional dreaming princess but a hard working realist who has a very human and personal goal of opening a restaurant in honor of her father. She is one of the best role models in the line up and a strong heroine but I think the way they made her character may have hurt her. Also I think people were turned off because they felt the only reason the film was made was so there could be a black princess in the group. If the movie came out a little earlier maybe she would have been better received?

13. Pocahontas- She was popular in the 90's but it has dwindled over the years. Like Tiana she is a fairly serious character. There are glimpses of fun but over all she remain pretty serious throughout. The historical inaccuracies also lead to people to bash her and the film. Which is dumb because it is a Disney film and not a historical documentary. Plus people view this film as the beginning of the end of the renaissance. And like Mulan it is hard to squeeze her in with the others and Pocahontas fits in frilly dresses even less than Mulan. Still she has her fans like all of them do.

14. Merida- I would say she is the least popular. Her inclusion caused a lot of controversy. Pixar fans not wnting her to be with the Disney bimbos. Disney fans not wanting a Pixar character to be in with the Disney elite. Then her redesign made people mad because they glammed her up and it went against everything her character was about in the film and they used the hideous 3D artwork of her for a while. Then Frozen came and pretty much stole all of her independent, don't need a man thunder. Now she is kind of just there. Again she has her fans but ultimately I would say she is the least popular.

All this is just my opinion of course. And I typed way more than I anticipated haha.

[JeanGreyForever]

I pretty much agree with this list but I think Snow White is more popular than she is given credit for. I'd put her around where Aurora and Jasmine are in terms of popularity. Admittedly she might be the least popular classic princess, but she's still one of the most iconic characters to ever exist. She's world famous and I think while her reputation is still somewhat damaged in the U.S., she's beloved in Europe and Asia. I think she was voted in the top three favorite Disney Princesses in China alongside Cinderella and Ariel, from a study I saw a few years ago.

I'd also put Merida higher. Although her film didn't receive the near-universal acclaim that most Pixar films achieve, Brave still resonated with many different kinds of people, especially the ones who don't like the Disney Princesses anyway. Disney didn't hide her away as much as I thought they would because she still pops up in merchandise a lot.

I'd say that Pocahontas and Tiana are the two least popular princesses. Ironically enough, the two American princesses. Both were the only two princesses absent from Disney Infinity (even Vanellope and Giselle were included), and they haven't been included in the Disney Princess Lego sets either, unlike the other princesses. Pocahontas was absent in Sofia the First and Once Upon a Time as well, and if the seventh season hadn't been created, then Tiana wouldn't have been in the show either. In international markets, Pocahontas and Mulan still sometimes get included, but Tiana is usually completely absent.

[Disney Duster]

I don't remember Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, or Belle being in Disney Infinity! I need to know about this. And Tiana should be included a lot more with the much bigger population of black Americans we have, but mostly because she's a real princess. But I think Pocahontas wasn't on Sofia the First because she is based on a real person and to include her in that fantasy world may create an uproar.