[name_f]Ursula[/name_f] - the heavyweight octopus from [name_u]Ariel[/name_u]
Cruella - crazy fashion lady who wants 101 Dalmations for her black & white furs
Disney has these names tainted to many for Bad Characters, when will that curse be broken?
I think [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] did get tainted by Disney, but I think Cruella was actually an invented name - the fact it has the word Cruel in it means I wouldn’t use it even if it was a legit name without the associations though, regardless of the popular [name_f]Ella[/name_f] ending.
My husband and I are smitten with the name [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] but, Disney totally ruined it for me.
I agree with essjay. since the word cruel is in cruella I don’t thinkit will ever be usuable in good taste.
I’m with @essjay on Cruella.
[name_f]Druella[/name_f] is a legitimate name and very similar to Cruella, but I don’t find it particularly attractive. Reminds me of drool.
It’s a definite shame about [name_f]Ursula[/name_f]. I’m not even that fond of The [name_m]Little[/name_m] Mermaid. It’s one of my least favorite Disney movies. Has anyone seen it recently? [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] is kind of a huge brat.
I agree with you ladies about both names- I was mainly using cruella as a example since stood out to me the most.
I think [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] could be uniquely sweet & even if we could get past the association to try & revive her im afraid she may get made fun of in elementry due to her ties.
As pp have said Cruella de Vil’s name was invented by [name_f]Dodie[/name_f] [name_m]Smith[/name_m] (not Disney) when she wrote ‘The Hundred and [name_f]One[/name_f] Dalmations’, and is a play on ‘Cruel Devil’. In fact in some translations where the world ‘devil’ doesn’t have quite the same meaning, she’s know as Cruella de Mon - ‘Cruel Demon’. I don’t think the association is ever going to be positive!
[name_f]Ursula[/name_f] on the other hand could probably shake it’s sea-witch image somewhat if there were a few little real life [name_f]Ursula[/name_f]'s running around. A more modern media reference for the name might be [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]'s twin sister in Friends, although admittedly she’s not exactly a great role model either!
Well, Cruella has cruel in it but -[name_f]Ella[/name_f] ending as well…And I don’t find [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] evil but beautiful.
I honestly [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] [name_f]Ursula[/name_f]. It is top of my list for our next girl, but my husband thinks it sounds ugly.
I would never name a person Cruella - it isn’t even a legitimate name.
I know an [name_f]Ursula[/name_f]. She’s about my age (26), Welsh and goes by [name_f]Ursy[/name_f].
I think [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] is fine to use, it makes me think of Ms Andress before Ms Octopuss.
Cruella as others have said is a play on “cruel” so will never sound nice. For me, these names have been hijacked;
[name_u]Pepper[/name_u] (Pig)
[name_u]Harper[/name_u] ([name_m]Beckham[/name_m])
And [name_u]Ariel[/name_u], [name_f]Clover[/name_f] and [name_f]Flora[/name_f]. Hijacked by washing powder and butter!
I don’t find [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] to have a negative connotation. I think it’s actually kinda versatile and quite beautiful.
Cruella just SOUNDS terrible. I don’t really feel this should ever be used, as it even has the word cruel in it.
[name_f]Love[/name_f] [name_f]Ursula[/name_f], but [name_f]Esme[/name_f] sounds evil to me because of a tv cartoon series (I think it was a Disney creation, as well).
[name_f]Ursula[/name_f] will come back eventually, but not yet. To be fair, The [name_m]Little[/name_m] Mermaid also sort of took [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] off the table. It’s impossible not to think of the mermaid. Cruella will never be a name for a real person.
I’m with other pp. I don’t think Cruella will ever become un-evil.
I actually forgot that [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] was the Octo-lady in [name_u]Ariel[/name_u]. (Though I never really loved [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] as much as the other Disney-ladies).
When I think of [name_f]Ursula[/name_f], I think of the wild and remote parts of national park forests. With birds chirping and things scuttling out of sight. I always think of her as a little bear experiencing the wonders of nature and having a blast running after bunnies she’s not really trying to eat and little butterflies. (Alright she might be a Disney-fied bear instead of a real one but eh…). She’s a bit stubborn and sullen at times but never evil in my mind. (Though yes I remember that [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] on Friends’ evil-twin was an [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] but still…I think she’s usable.)
Cruella was made up specifically for Cruella deville. The word “cruel” is right there. It’ll never be not evil.
[name_f]Ursula[/name_f] will make a comeback eventually.
I love [name_f]Ursula[/name_f], but it’s the name of one of my favourite authors. I think it’s usable. I knew one [name_m]IRL[/name_m] who was a lovely, beautiful woman. She spelt it differently (a European spelling of the same name) but she pronounced it [name_f]Ursula[/name_f].
I like names that relate to animals in the meaning. And I like that [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] relates to a relatively powerful one which is relatively rare for girls’ names.
I actually don’t have that strong of an association with the Disney villain for [name_f]Ursula[/name_f]. It’s a legitimate name, and it makes me think of [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] [name_m]Le[/name_m] Guin before [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] the octopus thing.
[name_f]Glad[/name_f] to sew so much love for ursula!