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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Too Disney still?

59 replies

Champy87 · 17/09/2020 15:19

So I love Elsa but put off by Frozen. Will she have "Let it go" sung at her at every opportunity?

Considering Ailsa too as I am half Scottish but i can't shake the home and away connection (which definitely shows my age) and I am not sure I love it as much as Elsa.

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CorianderLord · 18/09/2020 19:54

Who cares? I like Elsa

DannyGlickWindowTapping · 18/09/2020 17:05

I knew a lady with Dutch heritage called Elsje - pronounced el-shuh (emphasis on the el). Well, with an English accent, anyway!

Champy87 · 18/09/2020 17:00

@ladycarlotta

I love Elsa. I'm (pleasantly) surprised it hasn't had much of a popularity surge post Frozen, maybe the fact it's a steady classic helps.

I also considered Ailsa or Elspeth for our daughter, both good Scottish names and Elspeth you could nn Elsa or Elsie if you ever fancied. My partner was keen on Ilsa, like Ingrid Bergman's character in Casablanca but I thought people would constantly misread it as Isla, and circumventing that by spelling it Ilse instead just seemed ripe for mispronunciation too.

If we had another girl I'd be keen to call her Elsa. Our first is Clara and they go nicely.

I am not sure if you have seen my other post about name combinations but Clara is also on our list. We clearly have similar taste :)
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Candleabra · 18/09/2020 16:59

I like Elsa. I don't immediately think of Disney
Ailsa is a big no (home and away).

ladycarlotta · 18/09/2020 16:53

I love Elsa. I'm (pleasantly) surprised it hasn't had much of a popularity surge post Frozen, maybe the fact it's a steady classic helps.

I also considered Ailsa or Elspeth for our daughter, both good Scottish names and Elspeth you could nn Elsa or Elsie if you ever fancied. My partner was keen on Ilsa, like Ingrid Bergman's character in Casablanca but I thought people would constantly misread it as Isla, and circumventing that by spelling it Ilse instead just seemed ripe for mispronunciation too.

If we had another girl I'd be keen to call her Elsa. Our first is Clara and they go nicely.

Twitchyeye · 18/09/2020 16:37

I have an Elsa, born prior to the film release. She is the only one in her school and was it is a variation of a family name. It’s never been an issue for her apart from when another extremely irritating school mum asked her if she was from Arandell ( or whatever the place is called) the look of withering scorn on my then five year old Elsa’s face was pure class Grin

foxyroxyyy · 18/09/2020 16:27

@BuffaloCauliflower

Ailsa is lovely. Ilse also an option if you’re feeling more German? Elsa is very Frozen... but doesnt seem to be very highly used as far as I can tell. Frozen won’t be a huge thing in 20 years.
Lion king still is. Imagine being called simba lol
zigaziga · 18/09/2020 12:03

I think it’s fine to use but I do think the Disney connection will say so you’re just going to have to be ok with it. It’s a nice name.

You say that but the baby name Ariel is still very Little Mermaid and that came out in the mid-90s.

This.

Champy87 · 18/09/2020 11:56

Thank you for everyone's comments. Its definitely a mixed bag. As connotations go, A lioness and and Disney princess could be worse. I do think I prefer Elsa but love the Scottish connection with Ailsa too. If you have any other suggestions in the same vein, would love to hear them.

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Papyrus · 18/09/2020 11:55

It is very Disney unfortunately. DD1 is an almost 12 year old Elizabeth who was “Elsa” in her early years. She’s chosen to go by Eliza for the past four or five years, because the Frozen comments annoyed her. Ironically her sister‘s full name is Anna, but luckily she goes by a nickname!

Tfoot75 · 18/09/2020 11:52

It is a bit Disney, but in a positive way I think - she'll probably be really popular with her classmates when she's 5, and everyone will have forgotten all about it by the time they are 8! Elsie is very popular in the last few years.

Champy87 · 18/09/2020 11:45

@daisypond

I would never think Disney for Elsa. It’s lion to me.
My mother says the same thing. I quite like the lioness connotation anyway :)
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Champy87 · 18/09/2020 11:44

@user1471464452

What about Eilidh - Similar sounding and very Scottish ?
I love this name too but we have a DD Niamh who will be spelling her name most of her life so I think if I had two daughters with celtic spellings I would definitely raise some eye brows.
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Champy87 · 18/09/2020 11:39

@whatsthebestname

Eliza or Elise instead?
I really love these names names but I have a niece called Eliza
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SemperIdem · 17/09/2020 23:56

People will absolutely associate it with Frozen, probably for decades.

However it doesn’t raise negative connotations in the way some very recognisable names do. If you were suggesting something like Myra, I’d advise against it.

Kittykatmacbill · 17/09/2020 23:34

Elsie is lovely.

MojoJojo71 · 17/09/2020 23:02

Elsa is a beautiful name and although there is a connection I don’t think it’s big enough to rule the name out completely. I definitely prefer it to Ailsa. If you’re after a Scottish name I’ve always loved Elspeth

Yankathebear · 17/09/2020 22:49

I have a friend called Elsa and never thought about the film until reading this. If I start singing at her it’s your fault op! It’s a gorgeous name.

LunaLoveFood · 17/09/2020 22:39

How about Elsie?

Darkbendis · 17/09/2020 22:27

Got an Ailsa, born not long before Frozen came out. Still have people calling her Elsa sometimes, but there are worse things in the world , and she likes Elsa, Anna &Co Smile

MintCassis · 17/09/2020 21:55

Both lovely names but I like Ailsa more, especially if you have Scottish family.

VenusClapTrap · 17/09/2020 21:39

I think it’s fine. It’s a nice name and not frilly, unlike a lot of Disney names.

swahb · 17/09/2020 21:36

Elsa is very Disney sorry.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 17/09/2020 20:27

joan I have that association with Alice too, in fact if I'm amongst family and no Alices or their families present, and someone mentions an Alice, i still say it Grin

mylittleavalon · 17/09/2020 20:14

I have an Ilsa- I love it but she often gets called Isla, Ailsa and Elsa- so just be aware if you are thinking of it as suggested by pp.