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The Little Mermaid is the Disney animated film that has captured the hearts of fans since its release in 1989. After appearing on screen during the iconic Daughters of King Triton performance, audiences have been naturally curious about the stories of Ariel’s sisters. So today we are diving deep into the world of Ariel’s six older sisters.
We’ll explore The Little Mermaid sisters’ origin, names, appearances in movies, TV shows, and video games, their expanded storylines, and more. So, let’s shell-ebrate their unique personalities and the fascinating facts related to Ariel’s sisters.
To learn about their live action counterparts, check out our post on Ariel’s animated sisters. For a look at the differences between the two sets of sisters, check out our overview of all of Ariel’s sisters, live action and animated.
But first, let’s check out all there is to know about King Triton’s six oldest daughters.
Ariel’s Sisters
Ariel and her six mermaid siblings are the daughters of King Triton and Queen Athena. The sisters, Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista, and Andrina, live with Ariel and their father in the kingdom of Atlantica.
Inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen
In the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, the mermaids that would be Ariel and her sisters’ counterparts are all equally interested in life on land. Obviously, we know this is not how the story goes in Disney’s version.
Walt Disney originally intended to create The Little Mermaid as one of his earlier animated films. He wanted to create a “package film” which would have been a larger, singular film consisting of multiple story vignettes.
Development even began on it in the 1930s, with illustrator Kay Nielsen creating concept art for the film. The project was ultimately delayed, until 1985. It was then that Ron Clements, director of the Disney films Hercules and The Princess and the Frog, took an interest in the project that the work was resumed.
Fun fact: Kay Nielsen was given a “visual development” credit on the completed film.
Here’s a look at the concept art Kay Nielsen created for the film. See if you recognize any moments from the art that appear in the 1989 film.
Ariel’s Sisters’ Names
Ariel sisters’ names are Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista, and Andrina. Incredibly, they are all voiced in the 1989 film by actress Kimmy Robertson.
They appeared during the Daughters of Triton scene where they intended to introduce their youngest sister, Ariel, to the kingdom. Of course, Ariel did not make her appearance.
Let’s take a look at the details of each sister.
Attina
Attina, the eldest daughter of King Triton and Queen Athena, is depicted as the leader of the group. Known for her intelligence and wisdom, Attina serves as a voice of reason among her sisters. Attina’s strong sense of responsibility and love for her siblings make her an essential character in Ariel’s journey.
Appearance: Attina has an orange tail and matching seashell bra. She has green eyes and her brown hair is adorned with a five-point crown.
Personality Traits: intelligent, wise, motherly
Trivia: Attina’s name was inspired by the musical Atina: Evil Queen of the Galaxy by Alan Menken.
Alana
Alana is the second oldest of The Little Mermaid’s sisters. She’s possesses a flair for beauty and style. She takes pride in her appearance and enjoys making her own beauty products. An acute attention to detail and fashion-forward mindset make Alana the glamorous one of the bunch.
Appearance: Alana has a violet tail with shades of pink and matching seashell bra. She has violet eyes and her black hair is adorned with a pink pointed crown.
Personality Traits: image-conscious without vanity
Trivia: The name Alana was Howard Ashman’s lyrical “Easter egg” to Alan Menken.
Adella
Adella, the third sister, brings a playful energy to the group. Her sisters consider her to be boy-crazy. Her outgoing nature makes her a source of entertainment within the family.
Appearance: Adella has a golden ochre colored tail and a lime green seashell bra. Her eye color is teal. Her dark brown hair is up in a ponytail, with her bangs similarly styled, both surrounded by golden pearls.
Personality Traits: bubbly, boy-crazy
Trivia: Her favorite style of music is love ballads.
Aquata
Aquata is the fourth sister and middle child of the family. She’s possessive of her things and will let you know she doesn’t appreciate those who take without asking. She’s not very good at dancing, which she’s aware, but her sisters encourage her to have the confidence to dance anyway.
Appearance: Aquata has a blue tail and matching seashell bra. She has brown hair and eyes. Her hair is styled in a ponytail tied up with white pearls.
Personality Traits: values organization, lacks grace
Trivia: She has a toy plush seahorse named Mr. Fuzzyfinkle.
Arista
Arista, the fifth sister, shares the same love of adventure Ariel does—though maybe not as strongly since she’s never set foot (or tail) on land. Not only does she love music, but she also plays various musical instruments like the saxophone and clarinet.
Appearance: Arista has a red mermaid tail and matching seashell bra. Her eyes are light blue and her blonde hair is tied up in a messy ponytail surrounded by red pearls.
Personality Traits: adventurous, fun loving, musical
Trivia: Arista plays in a band.
Andrina
Andrina, the sixth sister, is known for her sense of humor and wit. Her light-hearted approach to life makes a lot of sense when you learn one of her hobbies is swimming with dolphins.
Appearance: Andrina has a plum colored mermaid tail and matching seashell bra. Her short blonde hair is topped with a pink hairpiece. She has green eyes.
Personality Traits: wise cracking, sassy
Trivia: Andrina was named after the aerobics instructor of one of the directors of The Little Mermaid.
Ariel’s Sisters in Movies and TV
Ariel’s sisters have appeared in various movies and television shows. Some of their prominent appearances are:
The Little Mermaid (1989)
This is the movie that started it all, with their most well known appearance during the Daughters of King Triton scene.
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)
In this sequel, the story follows Ariel and Eric’s daughter Melody who longs to explore the ocean, much like her mother longed to explore land. Ariel’s mermaid sisters make small appearances in this film and appear in a scene celebrating Melody’s birthday.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning (2008)
This prequel shows the tragic backstory of their mother, Queen Athena’s, death and its impact on their family. This storyline naturally puts the sisters in more prominent roles in the film allowing us to see more of their individual personalities and relationships with Ariel.
The Little Mermaid TV Series (1992-1994)
The Little Mermaid television series is set before the events of the 1989 film. In the episodes, Ariel goes on various underwater adventures with her friends. Her sisters are featured more prominently in the show as the relationships Ariel shares with her family and friends are naturally highlighted.
Ariel’s Sisters in Video Games
Kingdom Hearts II
Attina and Andrina make appearances in Kingdom Hearts II. They are part of a game sequence where they sing A New Day is Dawning.
Ariel’s Sisters in Books
Here’s a selection of books with stories featuring Ariel’s sisters:
- Disney Princess Beginnings: Ariel Makes Waves by Liz Marsham
- Disney Princess Beginnings: Ariel and the Sea Wolf by Liz Marsham
- Disney Princess: Ariel and the Mysterious World Above by Gail Herman
- Part of Your World-A Twisted Tale by Liz Braswell
Expanded Storylines
Apart from their appearances in popular movies and shows, Ariel’s sisters have also been featured in various books and live action productions that have expanded their characters’ storylines.
Disney’s Live Action The Little Mermaid
The most notable is Disney’s 2023 live action remake of The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey as Ariel. In it, the sisters have fresh new looks, expanded backstories, and even new names. Head over to our extended post all about Ariel’s live action sisters for more info on their new stories and names.
For a closer side-by-side look at Ariel’s animated sisters and their live action counterparts, check out our post that gives you an overview of each set of Ariel’s sisters.
The Little Mermaid Live!
Disney previously created a live action production called The Little Mermaid Live! It was televised in 2019 on ABC. While critics’ reviews were mixed, it received three nominations for Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
In this production, the sisters appeared more as background characters as the song Daughters of Triton was performed by a new character, Emcee, played by Amber Riley.
Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival
Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival was a stage show that ran from 2010 to 2016. In it, fan-favorite Disney characters performed remixed Disney songs. Part of the show featured Ariel’s sisters, as seen in the video above.
Ariel’s Sisters at Disney Parks
There are a few surprising ways to catch The Little Mermaid sisters at the various Disney Parks across the globe.
King Triton’s Concert at Tokyo DisneySea
Each sister appears as a projection in a bubble-shaped screen in King Triton’s Concert at Tokyo DisneySea .
“it’s a small world” Ride
A few of Ariel’s mermaid sisters can be seen along with Ariel in the tropical part of the ride at Disneyland in California and Hong Kong Disneyland.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure
You don’t even need to hop on the ride to see the sisters at California Adventure! They’re carved into the building’s facade. So, next time you’re at Ariel’s ride, look up!
Ariel’s Sisters Toys and Merchandise
It’s currently rare to find newly released toys and merchandise featuring the sisters from the animated film. However, there are a few finds out there.
To purchase previously released items, you will be most likely be purchasing through third party marketplaces, like eBay or Amazon sellers, or at your local collectibles or thrift store.
Here’s a look at products out there today.
Little Mermaid Ariel Sisters Shirt
Choose your favorite sister to represent on your next Disney trip. Check out our Disney couple shirts post for more shirt ideas you can wear with your partner.
Mattel Disney Princess Swimming Mermaid Ariel’s Sister Aquata Doll
Aquata has a sparkling glitter tail and is perfect for bath time—though, she’s also a pretty cute collector’s item too!
Disney Princess Ariel & Sisters Fashion Dolls 3 Pack
This doll set comes with Ariel, Aquata, and Arista. They have glittery tails and skirts and each doll comes with her matching headpiece.
The Little Mermaid 30th Anniversary Ariel & Sisters Doll Set
This set is a showstopper! It comes with all seven sisters in vibrant rainbow colors.
Disney Princess Ariel and Sisters Mermaid Dolls
Another great set of all seven sisters—this time for smaller hands. Each doll comes with her own tiara.
Ariel’s Sisters Trivia and Fun Facts
- Each sister’s name starts and ends with the letter A, except for Ariel—ever the rebel!
- In the original fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, the mermaid in the story had five sisters instead of six.
- Aquata is derived from the Latin word for water.
- Arista is Greek for “the best.”
- Attina is a version of Athena, who is the goddess of wisdom.
- Andrina is the feminine form of Andrew, which means “brave.”
- Adella means “noble.”
- Alana has a few different name meanings, but most widely known is “precious.”
- Ariel’s sisters’ costumes from Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival are also used for their appearances in Disney On Ice shows.
Final Thoughts
Ariel’s sisters may have started as minor characters in The Little Mermaid, but they have grown to have their own fans. With their individuality shining through, Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista, and Andrina have become recognizable Disney characters in their own right.
Their presence extends beyond the original film, gracing screens big and small while also sparking inspiration for their live action counterparts.
Whether it’s at Tokyo DisneySea or California Adventure, admirers can delight in catching a glimpse of Ariel’s sisters in Disney Parks across the globe. Or, bring the sisters closer to home with books or playful doll sets.
Overall, each sister has carved out their own special place in Disney history and immersing us further in their kingdom, where it’s so nice to be part of their world.
