The answer to “Who Are the 40 Disney Princesses” depends on how loosely you define Disney Princess. Officially, Disney only recognizes 13 Disney Princesses in the main franchise: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, Moana, and Raya. The “40 Disney Princesses” usually refers to a much broader fan-made list that mixes official princesses with unofficial royal characters, heroines, queens, and princess-like Disney women.
That is why this question gets confusing so fast. When I am in the parks, I see the official Disney Princess brand used very clearly on merchandise, meet-and-greet signage, and princess dining experiences. But online, people often count almost every royal or princess-coded Disney character, which is how the number can stretch toward 40.
So the cleanest way to answer it is this: there are not 40 official Disney Princesses. There are 13 official Disney Princesses, plus a much larger group of unofficial Disney princesses and princess-like characters that fans often include in expanded lists.
Who Are the 40 Disney Princesses? The Short Answer
If someone asks, “Who are the 40 Disney Princesses?” they are usually asking for an expanded list, not Disney’s official lineup.
Here is the simplest breakdown:
| Category | What It Means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Official Disney Princesses | Characters included in Disney’s official Princess franchise | Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Moana, Raya |
| Unofficial Disney princesses | Disney characters who are royal, marry royalty, or feel princess-like but are not in the official lineup | Anna, Elsa, Kida, Megara, Esmeralda |
| Queens and rulers | Royal women who are often included in fan lists, even though they are not official Disney Princesses | Elsa, Nala, Eilonwy |
| Princess-adjacent heroines | Main female Disney characters who are not royal but are sometimes grouped with princesses | Alice, Wendy, Jane, Giselle |
In other words, the phrase “40 Disney Princesses” is more of a fan-counting idea than an official Disney category. For the cleaner franchise answer, I would use my official Disney Princess list instead.
The 13 Official Disney Princesses
Disney’s official lineup is much smaller than 40. These are the characters most consistently represented in the official Disney Princess brand, including park merchandise, children’s costumes, dolls, and Disney Princess marketing.
- Snow White
- Cinderella
- Aurora
- Ariel
- Belle
- Jasmine
- Pocahontas
- Mulan
- Tiana
- Rapunzel
- Merida
- Moana
- Raya
This is the group I pay the closest attention to when writing about Disney Princesses because it matches what you actually see Disney emphasizing in official branding. In the parks, these are the names that tend to appear most clearly in Princess-themed areas, character experiences, and merchandise displays.
A useful detail: not every official Disney Princess is technically born royal. Mulan is the obvious example. She is not a princess by birth or marriage, but she is still part of the official Disney Princess lineup because the franchise is based on more than just royal status.
For a wider name-by-name breakdown, I’d use all the Disney Princesses as the broader companion list.
Why People Say There Are 40 Disney Princesses
The number 40 usually comes from counting characters who feel like Disney Princesses, even if Disney does not officially market them that way.
That can include characters who are:
- Born princesses
- Married into royalty
- Queens or future queens
- Main female Disney heroines
- Princess-like characters from older animated films
- Characters who appear in fan edits, quizzes, or unofficial lists
This is where things get messy. Anna and Elsa are the best example. In the parks, Frozen has a massive presence, and guests absolutely treat Anna and Elsa like princesses. You will see little kids wearing their dresses everywhere, especially around character meet-and-greets and castle areas. But Disney keeps Frozen as its own major franchise, which is why they are usually not counted as official Disney Princesses.
I explain that distinction more directly in Are Anna and Elsa Disney Princesses?, because that question deserves its own focused answer.
A Practical List of 40 Official and Unofficial Disney Princess Names
Here is a realistic expanded list of 40 names people often mean when they ask about the “40 Disney Princesses.” I would not call all of these official Disney Princesses, but this list helps explain where the number comes from.
The Official Disney Princesses
- Snow White
- Cinderella
- Aurora
- Ariel
- Belle
- Jasmine
- Pocahontas
- Mulan
- Tiana
- Rapunzel
- Merida
- Moana
- Raya
Common Unofficial Disney Princesses and Royal Characters
- Anna
- Elsa
- Kida
- Eilonwy
- Megara
- Esmeralda
- Jane Porter
- Alice
- Wendy Darling
- Giselle
- Nala
- Kiara
- Maid Marian
- Faline
- Vanellope von Schweetz
- Elena of Avalor
- Sofia the First
- Atta
- Dot
- Melody
- Tiger Lily
- Tinker Bell
- Perdita
- Duchess
- Miss Bianca
- Jessie
- Mirabel
That list is not official. It is best understood as an expanded fan-style list that combines true princesses, queens, royal-adjacent characters, heroines, and characters who are sometimes included because they carry a similar Disney heroine identity.
Some names are much stronger fits than others. Anna, Elsa, Kida, Eilonwy, Elena, and Sofia make obvious sense in a broader princess conversation. Characters like Alice, Wendy, Jane, and Mirabel are better described as Disney heroines, not princesses.
Which Unofficial Names Make the Most Sense?
If I were trimming the unofficial list to the characters that actually belong in the conversation, I would focus on these names first:
Anna and Elsa
Anna and Elsa are the two biggest unofficial names. Anna is a princess for much of Frozen, and Elsa becomes queen. In the parks, they feel every bit as popular as the official princesses, sometimes more popular. The reason they are separate is branding. Frozen is big enough to stand on its own.
Kida and Eilonwy
Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Eilonwy from The Black Cauldron are two of the most common “why aren’t they official?” names. They are royal, they come from Disney animated films, and they fit the broader princess idea. But they never became major pillars of Disney’s Princess franchise.
Giselle
Giselle from Enchanted is tricky because she feels built from classic Disney Princess DNA. The dress, the music, the fairy-tale structure, and the real-world princess parody all make her feel connected to the group. Still, she is not part of the official Disney Princess lineup.
Elena and Sofia
Elena of Avalor and Sofia the First are actual princess characters, but they come from Disney television rather than the core theatrical animated lineup. That makes them relevant to the broader question, but separate from the official Disney Princess franchise.
For a focused version of this same topic, my honorary Disney Princesses guide is the better place to sort out the almost-official names.
Why Some Famous Disney Characters Are Not Official Princesses
The biggest reason is that the Disney Princess franchise is not simply a list of every Disney character with royal status. It is a curated brand.
That means a character can be a princess in her movie and still not be an official Disney Princess. Anna is the easiest example. Kida and Eilonwy also fit this pattern.
It also means a character can be official without being a literal princess. Mulan is the clearest example. She is included because of her role, popularity, heroic identity, and fit within the brand.
When you are looking at this from a park visitor perspective, the distinction matters because official status affects where characters appear, how they are merchandised, and how often they show up in Princess-specific experiences. If you are trying to meet characters, book meals, or plan a princess-focused day, the official group is more useful than a loose list of 40.
That is also why I keep separate guides for practical planning topics like Disney Princess dining, Disney Princess attractions, and where to meet Disney Princesses at Royal Hall.
Are There Really 40 Disney Princess Movies?
No, not in the official Disney Princess franchise sense. This is another place where the wording gets confusing.
There are far fewer official Disney Princess movies than 40 if you are only counting films connected to the official lineup. But if someone starts adding Frozen, Enchanted, Atlantis, The Black Cauldron, The Lion King, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Encanto, and other heroine-led Disney films, the broader princess-adjacent count grows quickly.
For movie-specific sorting, I would keep this separate from the “40 princesses” question and use guides like how many Disney Princess movies are there or Disney Princess movies in order.
The Best Way to Think About the 40 Disney Princesses
The best way to think about the 40 Disney Princesses is as three groups, not one official list.
First, there are the 13 official Disney Princesses. That is the real franchise lineup.
Second, there are unofficial princesses who make logical sense, like Anna, Elsa, Kida, Eilonwy, Elena, and Sofia.
Third, there are Disney heroines who sometimes get pulled into expanded lists because they have a similar tone, popularity, or fairy-tale feel, even though they are not princesses.
That distinction keeps the answer honest. It also matches what I have noticed in the parks: Disney may celebrate lots of heroines, but the official Princess brand is much more specific than the internet makes it sound.
For Disney’s own current Princess hub, you can also check the official Disney Princess site near the source. I would just use it after you already understand the difference between official and unofficial lists, because Disney’s marketing pages do not always explain why certain fan-favorite characters are missing.
Quick Takeaway
There are not 40 official Disney Princesses. The official Disney Princess lineup has 13 names: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, Moana, and Raya.
The “40 Disney Princesses” usually means an expanded unofficial list that adds characters like Anna, Elsa, Kida, Eilonwy, Giselle, Elena, Sofia, Alice, Wendy, Jane, Nala, and Mirabel. That larger list is useful for fan discussion, but it should not be confused with Disney’s official Princess franchise.
