In Once Upon a Time, characters' names were kept as they are in the fairy world from Prince Charming to Rumpelstiltskin. But why is Cinderella called by the name of "Ella" by all the characters?
asked Jul 29, 2015 at 13:59
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1Isn't it is just a diminutive?– Chanandler BongJul 29, 2015 at 14:03
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@Hegemon but why only here, not others.– Ankit Sharma ♦Jul 29, 2015 at 14:14
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I'm pretty sure I've heard them use it in other versions... including in the most recent Cinderella film.– Catija ♦Jul 29, 2015 at 15:12
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4"Snow White" is just called "Snow" (she was never referred to as "Snow" in the animated film)... Belle calls Rumpelstiltskin "Rumple". Ella's not the only one who has a shortened name.– Catija ♦Jul 29, 2015 at 15:18
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1"Snow White" is her first name. In English, we have common compound first names like "Mary Ann". You can't just call someone named "Mary Ann" "Mary" and have it be the same thing. "Snow White" isn't an actual first name, but her last name is not "White". As far as I know, none of the royals have anything other than first names.– Catija ♦Jul 29, 2015 at 18:03
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1 Answer
Possibly because "Cinderella" was a mean-spirited nickname given by her stepsisters, and others, especially friends, wouldn't be so cruel. The stepsisters called her that because she was forced to sleep in the cinders by the fireplace, leaving her dirty. "Cinderella" meant something like "little cinder girl".
It's not clear what Cinderella's real name is supposed to have been. But since "Ella" is a modern first name it's a reasonable choice. One example where it's used is the old Ella Cinders comic strip. This name is really a back formation to "Cinder Ella", since it doesn't seem to be part of the original stories. But since those stories didn't give her real name, it's not a bad idea.
