Browse Names - Behind the Name

Cruella f Popular Culture
From the English word cruel, ultimately from Latin crudelis "hard, severe, cruel". This is the name of the antagonist, Cruella de Vil, in the 1961 Disney movie 101 Dalmatians, based on a 1956 novel by Dodie Smith.

Elora f Popular Culture, English (Modern)
Probably an invented name. This is the name of an infant girl in the fantasy movie Willow (1988). Since the release of the movie the name has been steadily used, finally breaking into the top 1000 in the United States in 2015.

Furiosa f Popular Culture
Means "full of rage, furious" in Latin. This is the name of a warrior who turns against the evil Immortan Joe in the movie Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

Leia Λεία f Biblical Greek, Portuguese, Popular Culture
Form of Leah used in the Greek Old Testament, as well as a Portuguese form. This is the name of a princess in the Star Wars movies by George Lucas, who probably based it on Leah.

Maleficent f Popular Culture
From an English word meaning "harmful, evil", derived from Latin maleficens. This is the name of the villain in the animated Disney film Sleeping Beauty (1959).

Mazikeen f Popular Culture
From Hebrew מַזִּיקִין (mazziqin) meaning "damagers, harmful spirits", derived from מַזִּיק (mazziq) meaning "damaging". As a given name it is borne by a companion of Lucifer in the comic book series Lucifer, as well as on the 2016-2021 television adaptation.

Merida f Popular Culture
The name of the main character in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave (2012) about a medieval Scottish princess. The meaning of her name is unexplained, though it could be based on the Spanish city of Mérida, derived from Latin Emerita Augusta meaning "veterans of Augustus", so named because it was founded by the emperor Augustus as a colony for his veterans.

Morticia f Popular Culture
From the American English word mortician meaning "undertaker, funeral director", ultimately derived from Latin mortis meaning "death". This name was created for the mother on the Addams Family television series (1964-1966). She was based on an unnamed recurring character in cartoons by Charles Addams, starting 1938.

Mosura モスラ f Popular Culture
Japanese form of Mothra.

Mothra モスラ f Popular Culture
From Japanese モスラ (Mosura), itself derived from the English word moth. This is the name of a giant moth-like creature in Japanese movies, starting 1961.

Murron f Popular Culture
Used in the 1995 movie Braveheart for William Wallace's wife, who is murdered early in the film. In reality, Wallace may have been married to a woman named Marion.

Nala 2 f Popular Culture
The name of a lion in the animated movie The Lion King (1994). Though many sources claim it means "gift" or "beloved" in Swahili, it does not appear to have a meaning in that language.

Peppa f Popular Culture
Probably from one of the English words pepper or pep (meaning "energy", itself derived from the name of the spice). Peppa Pig is a British animated television series for young children, debuting 2004.

Sango f Popular Culture
Means "coral" in Japanese. This name is used in the Japanese comic book and television show InuYasha.

Usagi f Popular Culture
Means "rabbit" in Japanese. This name was used on the Japanese television show Sailor Moon, which first aired in the 1990s.

Wednesday f Popular Culture
From the name of the day of the week, which was derived from Old English wodnesdæg meaning "Woden's day". On the Addams Family television series (1964-1966) this was the name of the daughter, based on an earlier unnamed character in Charles Addams' cartoons. Her name was inspired by the popular nursery rhyme line Wednesday's child is full of woe.

Xena f Popular Culture
Probably a variant of Xenia. This was the name of the main character in the 1990s television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

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