Elf on the Shelf names: 185 ideas for girl, boy and pet elves
Names for every kind of elf: girl, boy and gender-neutral, funny and British, famous elves from films and books, Elf Pets and pairs, plus a generator by initial and birth month.
An Elf on the Shelf arrives without a name, and the children choose one. In the official story, the family reads the book together and then names the elf, which is how it gets the Christmas magic it needs to fly to the North Pole each night; the official UK FAQ adds that any name will do. Below are 185 ideas: girl, boy and gender-neutral names, funny and British ones, famous and fantasy elves, names for Elf Pets and pairs, and a generator. Outfits and props to suit the name are in our Elf on the Shelf accessories.
How to choose an Elf on the Shelf name
- Let the children decide, after reading the book on the elf’s first day. Our Elf on the Shelf arrival ideas include a name jar for that first morning.
- If brothers and sisters cannot agree, put one suggestion each in a hat and draw.
- Short names of one or two syllables are easiest, since the name will be called out every morning until Christmas Eve.
- Avoid anything close to a child’s, a classmate’s or the dog’s name, or every shout turns into a mix-up.
- Write it on an adoption certificate: the official Elf Registry has a printable one with a letter from Santa, and Elf Pets are named when they are registered too.
- Once the elf has a name, the props for its December are in our Kids & Elf collection.
The 10 most popular elf names
There is no official ranking. These ten turn up again and again across the popular name lists we compared, which makes them safe choices for a first elf:
- Buddy, after the human raised by elves in the film Elf
- Jingle
- Tinsel
- Holly
- Snowflake
- Ginger
- Cocoa
- Frosty
- Noel
- Peppermint
Girl Elf on the Shelf names
Christmas names for a girl elf
Ivy, Noelle, Carol, Joy, Merry, Star, Angel, Twinkle, Snowdrop, Belle, Gloria, Evie, Clara (the girl in The Nutcracker), Winter and Sugarplum.
Vintage girl elf names
Mabel, Ethel, Florence, Winnie, Agnes, Edna, Dot, Hattie, Mildred, Pearl, Ruby, Violet, Beatrix, Elsie and Peggy. An old-fashioned name makes an elf sound as if it has worked in Santa’s workshop for a century.
Boy Elf on the Shelf names
Christmas names for a boy elf
Kringle, Nicholas, Rudy, Chip, Tinker, Jolly, Sprocket, Gabriel, Klaus, Jasper, Sledge, Blizzard, Flurry, Kris and Topper.
Vintage boy elf names
Bertie, Percy, Cyril, Reggie, Ernie, Archie, Stanley, Harold, Wilf, Cedric, Norman, Arthur, Alfie, Herbert and Monty.
Gender-neutral elf names
Scout Elves come as boys and girls, but these twenty names suit either, or an elf whose outfit could go both ways: Aspen, Juniper, Sky, Frost, Robin, Sparkle, Pepper, Maple, Nutmeg, Sprinkles, Snowy, Pine, Spruce, Pixie, Rowan, Willow, Bramble, Flake, Acorn and Berry.
Funny Elf on the Shelf names
Puns and grand titles get the biggest laughs, and so do the most ordinary human names: an elf called Kevin is funny every single morning.
- Puns: Elfis Presley, Elf Sheeran, Sprouty McSproutface, Mince Pie McGee
- Grand titles: Sir Jingles-a-Lot, Professor Pudding, Baron von Bauble, Sergeant Sparkle, Lord Tinseltoes, Captain Crumpet, Sir Snores-a-Lot
- Silly words: Noodle, Pickle, Waffles, Bogey, Chaos, Wobble, Sausage
- Ordinary names: Kevin, Gary
A funny name needs set-ups to match: our funny Elf on the Shelf ideas and naughty elf ideas give it something to live up to.
British Christmas dinner names
Fifteen names from the Christmas table, from the trimmings to the pudding: Sprout, Gravy, Parsnip, Stuffing, Pudding, Trifle, Satsuma, Custard, Mince, Cracker, Figgy, Chestnut, Marzipan, Fudge and Toffee.
Famous elf names from films and books
Buddy, in the top ten above, is the best known. These ten come with a story children may already know.
| Name | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Hermey | The elf who would rather be a dentist, in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer |
| Bernard | The head elf in The Santa Clause |
| Dobby, Winky, Kreacher | House-elves in the Harry Potter books |
| Legolas | The elf archer in The Lord of the Rings |
| Galadriel, Elrond, Arwen | Elves of Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings |
| Thranduil | The Elvenking in The Hobbit |
Fantasy and high elf names
For children who know their elves from fantasy books rather than Christmas, borrow a grander name.
More elves from Tolkien
Celeborn, Glorfindel, Haldir, Lúthien, Finrod, Gil-galad, Círdan, Elladan, Elrohir and Tauriel, the elf created for The Hobbit films.
Woodland fantasy names
Fern, Thistle, Moonbeam, Bramblewick, Wren, Briar, Sorrel and Linden, plus Oberon and Puck from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Names for Elf Pets and pairs of elves
Elf Pets are the official companions: a reindeer, an Arctic fox and a Saint Bernard, each named by its family when it is registered.
Reindeer names
Santa’s nine: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. For a reindeer of your own: Velvet, Pinecone or Clover.
Arctic fox and Saint Bernard names
For the fox cub: Ember, Icicle, Misty or Tundra. For the Saint Bernard pup: Barnaby, Bernie, Biscuit or Teddy.
Names for two elves
Jingle and Jangle, Holly and Ivy, Bubble and Squeak, Mince and Pie, Fish and Chips, Salt and Pepper, Pip and Pop, Cocoa and Marshmallow, Frost and Flurry, Tinsel and Twinkle.
Elf name generator: find your elf name
Take the first letter of your first name, then add the surname for your birth month. Ben, born in March, becomes Bauble Tinseltoes; Sophie, born in December, becomes Sparkle Sleighbells.
| Letter | Elf first name | Letter | Elf first name |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Angel | N | Nutmeg |
| B | Bauble | O | Olive |
| C | Cinnamon | P | Pom-Pom |
| D | Dimple | Q | Quill |
| E | Elfie | R | Ribbon |
| F | Fizz | S | Sparkle |
| G | Gumdrop | T | Toffee |
| H | Hopscotch | U | Ukulele |
| I | Icing | V | Velvet |
| J | Jingle | W | Wink |
| K | Kipper | X | Xylo |
| L | Lolly | Y | Yule |
| M | Muffin | Z | Zippy |
| Birth month | Elf surname | Birth month | Elf surname |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Frostbottom | July | Puddingpaws |
| February | Snowberry | August | Candycane |
| March | Tinseltoes | September | Hollyberry |
| April | Jinglepocket | October | Mistletoe |
| May | Sugarsocks | November | Gingersnap |
| June | Sparkleboots | December | Sleighbells |
The generator works for the elf too: use the initial of the child who found it first and the month it arrived.
Elves Behavin' Badly
Girl elf with hat, red plush body and long legs, vinyl face, 30 cm
The Elf on the Shelf
Elf on the Shelf box set, girl Scout Elf with blue eyes and storybook
The Elf on the Shelf
Elf Pets Arctic Fox plush with storybook and adoption certificate
A named elf needs a wardrobe: outfits and props are in our Elf on the Shelf accessories, and Christmas Eve boxes and gingerbread kits for the rest of December are in our Kids & Elf range.
Frequently asked questions
What are some good names for a girl Elf on the Shelf?
Christmas names such as Holly, Ivy, Noelle, Twinkle and Sugarplum are the usual favourites. For something less expected, try a vintage name like Mabel, Winnie or Hattie, which makes the elf sound as if it has been with Santa for years.
What are the top 10 elf names?
There is no official top 10. The names that recur most across popular lists are Buddy, Jingle, Tinsel, Holly, Snowflake, Ginger, Cocoa, Frosty, Noel and Peppermint, with Buddy taken from the film Elf.
What are some hilarious names for an elf?
Puns such as Elfis Presley, Elf Sheeran and Sprouty McSproutface, grand titles like Sir Jingles-a-Lot or Baron von Bauble, and very ordinary names: an elf called Kevin or Gary gets a laugh every morning.
What should I name my Elf on the Shelf?
Let the children choose after reading the book together on the elf’s first day: in the story, the name is what gives the elf its Christmas magic. Short names of one or two syllables work best, and a draw from a hat settles arguments between siblings.
What are some vintage elf names?
For a girl elf, Mabel, Ethel, Florence, Hattie, Pearl or Peggy. For a boy elf, Bertie, Percy, Cyril, Reggie, Wilf or Monty. Old names work well for a returning elf with years of North Pole service behind it.
What are some cool high elf names?
Tolkien’s elves are the classic source: Galadriel, Elrond, Arwen and Legolas from The Lord of the Rings, and Thranduil, the Elvenking in The Hobbit. They suit older children who know the films or books.
How can I find out my elf name?
Use a generator: the first letter of your first name gives the elf first name and your birth month gives the surname. With the one on this page, a Ben born in March is Bauble Tinseltoes.
What is a common elf name?
Buddy is probably the best known, from the human raised by elves in the film Elf. Jingle, Tinsel, Holly and Snowflake also appear on most of the popular elf name lists.
