Princesses have been present in popular culture for centuries, from the ruling dynasties of the East to Grimms’ broadly European fairy tales. Many of the princesses we know well today came into cultural relevance as Disney animated characters. But they had lives before Disney. Had you heard of the Snow Queen before Elsa in Frozen? How about Denmark’s little mermaid before the animated movie? Some of those stories have been around for centuries!
Now, as moviegoers across the country prepare for the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid movie and Disney prepares to remake Moana, we wanted to know which princess was the most searched in each state. But don’t worry, you’re not tied to your state’s favorite princess. As a princess who didn’t make our list (I’m not bitter) once asked, “If you could change your fate, would ya?”
Using data from Google Trends, we examined the search volume for nine princesses. Let’s dive into the unknown and see which princess is part of your world!
Elsa rules over most states
The most searched princess in America is Elsa, who tops the list in 16 states. No one comes close to taking her crown. States in both warm and cold climates find themselves identifying with the queen who just wants to let it go.
Next up is Ariel. The mermaid from under the sea is the top-searched princess in 12 states across the U.S.
- The areas are a mix of landlocked and coastal states.
- Her popularity may be tied to the ad blitz from Disney for the new live-action Little Mermaid movie.
Jasmine is the third-most searched princess in the U.S. She’s the top princess in 11 states, only one fewer than Ariel.
- The states tend to be clustered in the Northeast and the Mountain West.
- Maybe Jasmine uses the magic carpet to go between them?
While most states pick one of the top three princesses—Elsa, Ariel, and Jasmine—there are some outliers.
- Seven states choose Pocahontas, including Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, and Washington.
- The belle of the ball in South Dakota and West Virginia is… Belle!
- New Hampshire loves Rapunzel, while Alaska feels a kinship with Snow White. (Do Alaskans connect with her name?)
South Carolina is the only state that can’t make a decision. People there search for Elsa and Ariel in equal numbers.
Finally, states also love characters from their own states. Hometown princess Tiana reigns over Louisiana, while Moana rules over the Pacific from Hawaii.
Each state’s favorite princess
State | Princess |
---|---|
Alabama | Ariel |
Alaska | Snow White |
Arizona | Jasmine |
Arkansas | Pocahontas |
California | Ariel |
Colorado | Jasmine |
Connecticut | Jasmine |
Delaware | Jasmine |
District of Columbia | Jasmine |
Florida | Ariel |
Georgia | Pocahontas |
Hawaii | Moana |
Idaho | Elsa |
Illinois | Pocahontas |
Indiana | Ariel |
Iowa | Elsa |
Kansas | Elsa |
Kentucky | Elsa |
Louisiana | Tiana |
Maine | Ariel |
Maryland | Ariel |
Massachusetts | Jasmine |
Michigan | Ariel |
Minnesota | Elsa |
Mississippi | Elsa |
Missouri | Elsa |
Montana | Elsa |
Nebraska | Elsa |
Nevada | Jasmine |
New Hampshire | Rapunzel |
New Jersey | Jasmine |
New Mexico | Ariel |
New York | Jasmine |
North Carolina | Elsa |
North Dakota | Elsa |
Ohio | Elsa |
Oklahoma | Elsa |
Oregon | Pocahontas |
Pennsylvania | Pocahontas |
Rhode Island | Ariel |
South Carolina | Elsa and Ariel |
South Dakota | Belle |
Tennessee | Ariel |
Texas | Ariel |
Utah | Jasmine |
Vermont | Elsa |
Virginia | Pocahontas |
Washington | Pocahontas |
West Virginia | Belle |
Wisconsin | Elsa |
Wyoming | Jasmine |
Where to Watch?
Now that you know your state’s favorite princess, you should check out their starring roles. Lucky for you, all of the animated movies starring these princesses are available to stream on Disney+.
- Elsa from Frozen (2013)
- 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989)
- 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Jasmine from Aladdin (1992)
- 95% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Pocahontas from Pocahontas (1995)
- 54% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
- 97% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Rapunzel from Tangled (2010)
- 89% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Tiana from Princess and the Frog (2009)
- 85% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Moana from Moana (2016)
- 95% on Rotten Tomatoes
Not surprisingly, all your favorite animated princess movies are available to stream on Disney+. And they’re some of the best animated movies on the streaming platform.
Whether you want to start a movie marathon or just watch your favorite princess lose a shoe, turn into a frog, or take a really long, magical nap … you can find all of those movies and more on Disney+.
If you’re in the mood for the classic stories, check out your local library or indie bookstore for copies of fairy tales that include Polynesian mythology, Grimm’s fairy tales, and Hans Christian Andersen stories for a whole new world of classic princesses. You may be surprised at how sad and gory the originals are, so when you’re ready for happily ever after, cue up Disney+ and watch how true love breaks all spells.
What can we say except … you’re welcome!
Methodology
The team at CableTV.com used data from CBR.com and IMDB to determine the best-rated Disney Princess movies. Then we fed the 15 leading princesses through Google Trends to determine whether or not the princesses had sufficient search volume. Finally, we used Google Trends to uncover each state’s most searched for princess.
Disclaimer
This content was produced by CableTV.com and is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Disney or any property mentioned.