Do you know the different meanings of the name of Cinderella's Stepsisters?
Charles Perrault's Cendrillon
Javotte: A nickname for Geneviève, which means "of the race of woman," "woman of the family," or "white wave."
(Perrault only reveals the older stepsister's name in one scene, not the younger one's.)
Rossini's opera La Cenerentola
Clorinda: âYouthfulâ or âgreenery.â
Tisbe: Unknown; itâs a name from Greek mythology.
Massenet's opera Cendrillon
NoĂŠmie: âPleasantness.â
DorothĂŠe: âGift from God.â
Anna: âGraceâ or âfavor.â
Marianna: A cross between Mary, meaning âbitter,â âdrop of the sea,â or âbeloved,â and Anna (see above).
The Let's Pretend radio adaptation
Isabella: A form of Elizabeth, meaning âMy God is an oath.â
The Disney version, animated and live action
Anastasia: âResurrection.â
Drizella: Probably a variant of Drusilla, meaning âlittle strong one.â
The 1955 film The Glass Slipper
Birdena: âLittle bird.â
Serafina: âFiery one.â
The 1957 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical
The 1965 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical
Prunella: âLittle plum.â
Esmeralda: âEmerald.â
The Muppets' Hey, Cinderella!
Lisa: Derived from Elizabeth, meaning âmy God is an oath.â
Rankin/Bass's Festival of Family Classics
Fatima: âTo abstainâ (though it serves as a play on âfat,â because she is fat)
Leania: Probably derived from Helen, meaning âlightâ (though it serves as a play on âleanâ because sheâs scrawny)
Katerina: âFar offâ or âpure.â
The 1973 Czech film Three Wishes for Cinderella
The 1976 film The Slipper and the Rose
Isobella: âMy God is an oathâ (see above).
Palatine: âOf the palace.â
The 1978 African-American adaptation Cindy
Olive: "Olive," of course.
The Faerie Tale Theatre adaptation
Arlene: âHonorâ or âeagle.â
The Grimm's Faerie Tale Classics adaptation (English dub)
Griselda: âGray battle.â
Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods
The Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child adaptation
Margarita: âPearlâ or âdaisy flower.â
Esmeralda: âEmeraldâ (see above).
The musical A Tale of Cinderella
Moltovoce: âMuch voice.â
The 1996 Burbank Animation version
Nellie: A nickname for Ellen or Helen, meaning âtorchâ or âlight.â
Melba: Derived from Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne means âmill stream.â
(Their names are inspired by the famous Australian opera singer Nellie Melba, whose birth name was Helen Mitchell and who took her stage name from her home city of Melbourne.)
The anime series Cinderella Monogatari
Catherine: âFar offâ or âpure.â
Jeanne: âGod is gracious.â
The 1997 version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical
Minerva: âIntellect.â
Calliope: âBeautiful voice.â
The 1998 film Ever After: A Cinderella Story
Marguerite: âPearlâ or âdaisy flower.â
Jacqueline: âHeel-grabberâ or âsupplanter."
Gregory Maguire's novel Confession of an Ugly Stepsister
Iris: "Rainbow" or "iris flower."
Margaret Peterson Haddix's novel Just Ella
Griselda: "Gray battle" (see above).
Corimunde: Possibly a variant of "Clarimond," meaning "shining defender."
The 2000 stage version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical
Joy: Self-evident (see above).
Goneril: Unknown meaning.
Regan: "Little ruler" or "king's child."
(In case anyone didn't know it, their names are taken from the evil sisters in Shakespeare's King Lear.)
The Simsala Grimm adaptation
Beatrice: "One who blesses.â
The novel and film Ella Enchanted
Hattie: A nickname for Harriet, meaning âhome ruler.â
Olive: Self-evident (see above).
The 2004 film A Cinderella Story
Brianna: "High" or "noble."
Gabriella: "God is my strength."
Ana: "Grace" or "favor" (see above).
Clara: "Clear" or "bright.
The 2010 Märchenperlen adaptation
Clothilde: âGlorious battle.â
The 2011 Sechs auf einen Streich adaptation
Annabella: "Grace and beauty."
The 2013 stage version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical
Gabrielle: âGod is my strengthâ (see above).
Charlotte: âFree woman.â
Griselda: âGray battleâ (see above).
Zibaldona: Possibly derived from Zebada, which is derived from Zebadiah, meaning âGod has bestowed.â
Betsy Cornwell's novel Mechanica
Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Bad Cinderella
Marie: âBitter,â âdrop of the sea,â or âbeloved.â
The 2021 Sony/Amazon film
Narissa: âSea nymph.â
Malvolia: âIll will.â