Entertainment
7 'Aladdin'-Inspired Baby Names That'll Show Your Child A Whole New World
Aladdin is a Disney movie that holds a very special place in many a heart, even more so than The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. There’s something about the exotic locales, the manic, rapid-fire patter of Robin Williams’ Genie, and the magic that imbues every frame — the Genie’s bottle, the magic carpet, Princess Jasmine’s beguiling beauty… So it makes sense that a true Aladdin fan would want to go beyond Disney-inspired baby names and concentrate specifically on this 1992 classic.
Because of the baddies in Aladdin, you’ll want to be careful when selecting a name inspired by the movie. For example, you may want to bypass Iago; the history of the name ranges from Shakespeare’s super-villain in Othello to Aladdin’s own shrill, annoying parrot. (However, a boy named Iago is guaranteed to rule the school yard with an iron fist.) Jasmine is a pretty on-trend name for a girl, with its floral associations and the bold, beautiful princess as a namesake. You can go off the beaten path with “Genie” — traditionally a girl’s name, but what if your little boy is named Gene (which, like its female counterpart Eugenia, means “wellborn”)? Then Genie could be a natural nickname. Here are seven options for Aladdin-lovers; now all you have to do is hope your little Jasmine doesn't grow up and legally change her name to Ariel.
1Aladdin
If you’re going to go all-out with your love of Aladdin, you may want to consider the main character's name. Aladdin means the height of religion, but obviously the primary connotation is all about adventures and harem pants.
2Genie
An alternative to the more traditional Jannie, Genie is a girl’s name that’s short for Eugenia and means wellborn. But if you’re an Aladdin fan, then the name is simply a magical one.
3Jafar
On the one hand, he’s the bad guy. On the other hand, he did command his own follow-up movie (The Return of Jafar). If you can look past his villainous ways, Jafar is a beautiful Muslim names that means stream. Just keep your child away from scepters and all should be fine.
4Jasmine
What's not to like about this beautiful girl's name? It's the name of a lovely, fragrant flower and, of course, the name of Aladdin's bewitching female protagonist.
5Abu
Inspired by Aladdin’s mischievous monkey, Abu actually means nobility. This would also make an adorable nickname for a kid that likes to monkey around.
6Razoul
Razoul is another Aladdin villain, but it's a great choice for a boy or girl. In Arabic, The name Rasul Rasul means prophet, messenger, whereas in India, Razoul is a girl's nam meaning encouragement.
7Sultan
Who doesn't love Jasmine’s dear old dad? Predictably, Sultan means king. It’s an interesting spin on other royal-type names like Prince or Abu.
Images: Walt Disney Pictures (2); Giphy (7)
