From the moment we first crack open a storybook, there’s just something magical about fairy tales. They transport us to fantastical lands, introduce us to unforgettable characters, and leave us yearning for a touch of that enchantment in our own lives. And what better way to bring a little bit of happily-ever-after into your world than by giving your baby a fairy tale name inspired by these timeless stories?
Sure, most of these names aren’t ones you hear every day, but that’s part of their appeal — they’re as whimsical as the stories themselves. If you don’t mind choosing a name that’s unique and rare, these are perfectly enchanting options. Plus, many of these fairy tale names have the potential for a more “mainstream”-sounding nickname; Gweneira, for example, can be shortened into either Gwen or the lesser-used, but still beautiful, Eira (which sounds just like Ira).
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Whether you’re seeking the classic elegance of a princess name like Aurora or Belle, or the quirky, playful charm of a mischievous sprite’s name, there’s a perfect choice waiting to be discovered. We’ve curated a list of names that evoke courage and kindness, names that are hidden gems from lesser-known stories, and even names that capture the very essence of fairy tales themselves. So get ready to embark on an adventure where you can find the name that will begin your own little fairy tale chapter.
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Aurora
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI The Latin word for “dawn,” Aurora is a gorgeous name in its own right — but in both the Disney version and the Tchaikovsky ballet version of the brothers Grimm’s “Sleeping Beauty,” Princess Aurora is the main character.
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Fionn
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Derived from an Old Irish word finn, meaning “fair” (as in light-colored), Fionn is a recurring character in many Irish folk tales.
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Briar
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI This works perfectly well as a unisex name — in the original “Sleeping Beauty,” however, the princess’s name was not Aurora, but Briar Rose.
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Oberon
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI In Shakespeare’s 1595 comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oberon is the King of the Fairies. The nickname Obie is a cute, more casual possibility!
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Isabel
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Isabel was the name of the wife in Grimm’s fairy tale “The Fisherman and His Wife”. She is also known as Ilsebill, which would be an even more rarely-used option (and Ilse is a great diminutive!).
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Arthur
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Arthurian legends are named so because of their central character, King Arthur, who first appeared in Welsh poetry around the 7th or 8th century. The meaning of the name is debated, though it’s likely derived from the Old Welsh word arth, meaning “bear.”
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Melusine
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI According to European legend, Melusine — a water fairy — would transform into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She extracted a promise from her husband, Raymond of Poitou, that he would never see her on that day. When he broke his word, she departed from him forever. It’s a gorgeous name in its entirety, but could easily be shortened to Mel or even Lucy.
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Christian
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Christian comes from a medieval Latin name meaning “a Christian” (hmm, no big surprise there!) — so how does that make it a fairy tale name? Because it’s the middle name of Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author best remembered for writing some of the best known fairy tales: “The Little Mermaid,” “The Ugly Duckling,” and “The Princess and the Pea,” for starters.
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Tommelise
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Speaking of Hans Christian Andersen, he also authored a fairy tale called “Thumbelina”, about a tiny girl born in a flower whose name was Tommelise. It could be shortened to Elise, but the nickname Tommie is absolutely adorable.
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Conrad
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI First published in 1815, Grimm’s Fairy Tales contained a story called “The Goose Girl” — in which a princess is sent to help a boy named Conrad tend to a flock of geese. Conrad is of Old German origin, meaning “brave counsel.”
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Belle
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI We all recognize Belle as the “beauty” in “Beauty and the Beast” (the name literally means beauty, after all). It’s one fairy tale name that hasn’t changed from its original version, the French fairy tale published in 1756 called La Belle et La Bête.
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Fable
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Fable is exactly what it sounds like: a short fictional story, often written in prose or verse, featuring animals, legendary creatures, plants, or inanimate objects anthropomorphized to illustrate a particular moral lesson.
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Esben
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Technically, Esben is a male name; it’s a version of Ásbjǫrn, which is comprised of elements meaning “god” and “warrior.” And in the Dutch fairy tale “Esben and the Witch,” Esben is a boy. But we think this could be a great name for a girl, too — and a great route to get to the nickname Ebbie.
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Amoret
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Based on the Italian word amore, meaning “love,” this sweet and feminine name was used in Edmund Spenser’s 1590 poem, “The Faerie Queene.”
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Hunter
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI If you’ve ever heard a fairy tale, you know that a hunter is a classic fairy tale trope. This name is a great way to pay homage to your favorite literary genre without it being super-obvious, as Hunter is already a well-established name. It traditionally skews masculine, but is a cute name for a girl too!
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Raven
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Another classic trope? The raven! These dark, shiny, clever birds appear in fairy tales from all over the world. “The Raven” is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm and appearing in their book Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
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Gweneira
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI This gorgeous, lyrical name means “white snow” in Welsh — the perfect nod to the sweet and beautiful Snow White!
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Hansel
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI This name is familiar if you’ve ever heard of the fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel.” But it also contains the name Hans, which could be given in honor of Hans Christian Andersen. It means “the Lord is gracious.”
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Juniper
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI The name Juniper sounds bright and innocent — but “The Juniper Tree” is actually one of the Brothers Grimm’s darker fairy tales, containing themes of evil and murder. If you’re into names with dark meanings, this one might be right up your alley. But if not, don’t worry — a juniper is a literal tree, so you can always consider it a nature name instead!
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Forest
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Speaking of trees (and classic tropes!), Forest is a great fairy tale name — because has there ever been a fairy tale that didn’t contain some sort of forest?!
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Elsie
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI If there were ever a name with a ton of potential nicknames, it’s Elizabeth (meaning “God’s oath”) — which is exactly where Elsie originates! As a fairy tale name, Elsie comes from another one from the Brothers Grimm: “Clever Elsie.”
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Philip
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI In the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty, Prince Philip is the dashing royal who placed the magical awakening kiss upon Aurora’s lips.
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Story
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Like Fable, Story is another word associated with fairy tales that could make a great and unique name.
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Titania
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Like Oberon, Titania is another name from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And like Oberon, she is fairy royalty — namely, the Queen of the Fairies!
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Draco
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI Draco comes from the Greek name Drakon, meaning “dragon” — and dragons are ubiquitous in fairy tale lore. Harry Potter fans might associate this name too strongly with the series’ character Draco Malfoy, but you could always go with Drake, which is close!
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Peregrine
Image Credit: SheKnows/Created with AI The author of the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series, Ransom Riggs, has a book of fairy tales called Tales of the Peculiar filled with stories from Miss Peregrine’s world. Peregrine is also a type of falcon, which are found in many fairy tales — making this a great addition to our list of fairy tale names.
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