Holidays

36 Festive Elf On The Shelf Girl Names

For those who want their elf to stand out.

by Romper Staff
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

It's about that time of year again for the tiny Christmas elves to come out of their hiding place and wreak havoc on their homes, spreading mischief and magic through Christmas day. If your Santa’s little helper identifies as a girl, you may need some inspiration for names for Elf on the Shelf girls. While I always appreciate the family who gives their elves ironic and normal names like "Tiffany" the elf, or go old school and name her "Sally," nothing will get you in the Christmas spirit like having your naughty elf have a Christmas-inspired name.

Maybe your little elf named Cookie will be nice this year and have some baked Christmas cookies ready to snack on the next day for your family before she heads back to tell Santa about her observations, or Candycane can be ready to give your kids a little peppermint treat after dinner if they've been really nice that day. And if you name your elf "Wunorse Openslae," I salute you and hope you have access to a tiny elf-sized horse or reindeer and a red sleigh for her to ride back to the North Pole in to give her reports on how well your children are behaving. These names will definitely get your family in the holiday spirit, and perhaps give your kids a one-up on other children to Santa.

1Felicity

Felicity means “happiness,” which is the only feeling you want to be feeling this time of year, and definitely a fitting name for your Elf on the Shelf who you, as the parent, might see as a cause of stress, but is something most children look forward to.

2Minnie

For some of us, Christmas and Disney memories are intertwined — perhaps you went to one of the Disney theme parks during the holidays growing up (or do with your children now), or lived off of Disney Christmas movies starring Mickey, Minnie, Donald — you know, the whole OG gang. If the Disney presence is strong in your household, consider the name Minnie for your she-elf.

3Mariah

A nod to the queen of Christmas, herself.

4Sia

Staying on the pop culture thought train, Sia also has a remarkable Christmas album that might serve as inspiration when naming the family Elf on the Shelf. If Everyday is Chrsitmas is played on repeat between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Sia is a strong contender.

5Misty

Short for mistletoe, if your Elf on the Shelf is a romantic at heart, Misty is a cute and sweet name to bestow upon them.

6Gloria

Gloria means “glory,” and many classic Christmas tunes have religious undertones and are about the glory of god. If this resonates with you and your family, consider naming your girl elf Gloria.

7Holly

Simple, cute, and festive, Holly is a great go-to elf name. It’s also obviously perfect for a girl elf. Holly is a dark green shrub with bright red berries that happens to make a lovely Christmas-themed plant, so the name is ideal for the holiday season. Bonus: it’s also easy for even the littlest ones to say.

8Twinkle

When I think of the holiday season, I automatically picture a soft, snowy scene outside, with homes and businesses draped in holiday lights and decorations, Christmas music playing in the background, and a feeling of happiness in the air (so, basically a movie). Twinkling lights are always a part of that picture. So why not name your elf Twinkle after all of the sparkling lights that are hanging everywhere?

9Ginger

Ginger might be a root we use year round for flavor and spice, but it’s especially important during the holiday season: think gingerbread houses, decorating gingerbread people cookies, and gingerbread lattes. It’s just one of those flavors you can’t get through Christmas without... and that’s why it’s the perfect name for your elf. Plus, it just sounds a little mischievous.

10Carol

Carol is a traditionally female name, which is one obvious reason it’s a good choice for your female elf. But also, you can relate it back to Christmas carols. Maybe your elf has some secret singing talents that no one ever knew about. Could be a fun backstory.

11Cocoa or Coco

Okay, for starts, Coco is just a really adorable name for an elf. So, you can choose it for that alone. But Coco also feels like a Christmas vibe: think a steaming cup of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows and a candy cane.

12Angel

It can sometimes be easy to forget that, at heart, Christmas is a deeply religious holiday. Angels are prominent to that religious story: it was an angel that appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus Christ, and an angel that told Joseph that this son was from the Holy Spirit. If you want to celebrate that religious story, then Angel is a nice name choice.

13Candycane

You can't have the holidays without a candy cane, it's the law. And though many folks try to paint a picture of the candy cane as being a religious thing, its origins are actually not religious at all. The candy cane actually came from candy maker Bob McCormack's candy store Bob's Candies in Albany, Georgia, back in the '20s, per the Georgia Encyclopedia website.

14Silverbell

Like the classic holiday song, Silverbell just has a magical ring to it — pun totally intended.

15Hope

Christmas often feels like the season of hope for so many people. It’s a time when things just seem more sparkly and the impossible seems possible. Hope is a beautiful name choice for your elf.

16Tinsel

Is Tinsel a name? One could argue no, but, honestly, they would be wrong. Tinsel is the perfect name for an elf. This sparkly, glittery holiday decoration is an essential, so it just makes sense.

17Faith

The holiday season is all about faith — not gifts, decorations, cookies, or anything else that happens to make it fun. The heart of Christmas is faith, so this pretty choice is just right for an elf.

18Noelle

James Devaney, Getty images

There are a few reasons to pick this name. For one thing, Noelle derives from the old French word noël, which means Christmas. For another, it’s a key part of a lot of carols. And then, of course, there’s the Disney Christmas movie Noelle, which is the adorable and fun story of a girl who has to save Christmas by becoming Santa Claus. Need we say more?

19Cindy Lou

Any fan of The Grinch will tell you right away that, of course, Cindy Lou is from the classic Dr. Seuss tale. In the book and movie, Cindy Lou Who is the cute little girl who manages to charm the Grinch into saving Christmas instead of stealing it, making this a great elf name choice.

20Pixie

Pixie just feels like the name of an elf, you know? It’s whimsical, fun, and sweet, and it’s also easy to remember and pronounce.

21Jovie

Jovie is an adorable and unique name choice for your elf. The name comes from Zooey Deschanel’s character in the movie Elf, and conveniently, she actually plays someone who dresses as Santa’s elf in the movie.

22Judy

If you’ve never seen the holiday classic movie The Santa Clause, let this be your sign to watch it. In the film, Judy plays a kind elf who has to help the new Santa Claus adjust to his brand new life. She also makes a mean hot chocolate.

23Martha May

Another pick from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Martha May is a fun choice for a name. In the movie, Martha May plays the love interest of the Grinch, who finds that his heart actually warms for her — who knew it was possible?

24Sally

The debate rages on as to whether or not The Nightmare Before Christmas is actually a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie, but that doesn’t really matter. In the film, Sally is a rag doll who also plays Jack’s love interest. This makes for an interesting and unique name choice.

25Clarice

It might sound a little old-fashioned, but Clarice is truly an adorable name choice for your elf. This one is inspired by the movie Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, where she is the cute female reindeer and love interest of Rudolph.

26Lucy

Not only does the name Lucy just feel like it fits for an elf, but it also has some festive vibes. Think of Lucy from A Charlie Brown’s Christmas, a holiday classic.

27Ivy

Greenery and Ivy make me think of the holidays and yule, and I think it would be a pretty cute elf name, too. Ivy means faithfulness.

28Chestnut

I don't care how Grinchy you are, when you hear Nat King Cole croon, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." in The Christmas Song, you get in the Christmas spirit, dang it. And if you name your Elf on the Shelf Chestnut, I bet you'll get into the holiday spirit yourself whenever you look at her.

29Gumdrop

A classic stocking stuffer and cookie topper, Gumdrop just sounds fun and magical for an elf name, no?

30Pepper

Pepper Minstix was chief of security and guardian of Father Christmas' secret village according to elfcrazy.com. The description didn't say whether Pepper was a girl or boy elf, but I definitely think a girl could have been chief of security for Santa, right?

31Star

Thomas Merton, Getty images

What better name for a Christmas elf than the object that adorns most people's trees every year?

32Jingle

It just isn't the holidays until you hear the song Jingle Bells 80 thousand times. Plus Jingle is a pretty adorable name for an elf.

33Bell

The name Bell is a cute choice and one that ties into the holiday spirit as well. Christmas bells make a nice decoration and are key to some Christmas carols out there. You can also add an “e” at the end to make the name Belle like in Beauty and The Beast for Disney lovers.

34Cinnamon

Whether in your coffee, in your hot chocolate, or in your holiday cookies, cinnamon is a pretty tasty and festive ingredient, as well as a festive elf name.

35Snowflake

Those who live in no-snow zones can live vicariously through their elf if they name her Snowflake.

36Cookie

Not only Santa's favorite food in the entire world, but a fun holiday tradition for many families is to bake cookies. I bet your elf will be particularly sweet if you name her Cookie.

Picking a name for your Elf on the Shelf girl should be fun. Let this list inspire you to come up with something festive on your own, or just choose from here to keep things simple and easy.

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