Maleficent Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: muh-LEF-uh-sent /məˈlɛfɪsənt/
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Latin: 'malevolent'; English: 'evil fairy'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Maleficent is derived from the Latin word "maleficentem," which translates to "doing evil" or "harmful." This term is a combination of "male" meaning "bad" and "facere" meaning "to do or make." The name entered the English language through its association with the character from Charles Perrault's fairy tale "La Belle au bois dormant" (Sleeping Beauty), published in the late 17th century. The character of Maleficent, originally depicted as a wicked fairy, has since evolved into a prominent figure in various adaptations, most notably in Disney's animated film "Sleeping Beauty" released in 1959, where she is portrayed as the primary antagonist.
Historically, the character of Maleficent has been linked to themes of vengeance and the consequences of betrayal. In Perrault's tale, she curses the princess Aurora, which reflects the archetypal motif of the evil fairy or witch found in many folklore traditions.
The name gained further cultural significance with the release of Disney's live-action adaptation in 2014, which reimagined Maleficent as a more complex character, exploring themes of love and redemption. This reinterpretation has contributed to a broader understanding of the character beyond her original malevolent portrayal.
Culturally, the name Maleficent resonates with the archetype of the powerful female figure who embodies both fear and fascination. The character's enduring presence in literature and film underscores the societal fascination with the duality of good and evil.
The name has also inspired various adaptations and merchandise, solidifying its place in popular culture. While diminutive forms or variations of the name are not historically prominent, the character's legacy continues to influence contemporary narratives surrounding female empowerment and villainy.
Fictional characters named Maleficent
The following list of fictional characters named Maleficent is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
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Maleficent is a fictional character from Disney's animated film Sleeping Beauty. She is the powerful fairy who curses Princess Aurora to fall into a deep sleep on her sixteenth birthday.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Maleficent, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Maleficent. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Maleficent was first seen in the United States in 2015.
Maleficent has ranked as high as #1357 nationally, which occurred in 2021, and has been most popular in .
In the past 5 years the name Maleficent has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Maleficent is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Maleficent was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Maleficent
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
No state data available for this year.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Maleficent.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2015 | 5 |