Santa's Reindeer Names: The Complete List and Their Stories

Introduction

Well, howdy there. I look after the reindeer, which means I am the one who gets asked their names most often, usually by a child who has heard the song and wants to know if it is accurate.

It mostly is. Here is the complete list, where the names came from, and what each one is genuinely like.

The Complete List

• Dasher
• Dancer
• Prancer
• Vixen
• Comet
• Cupid
• Donner
• Blitzen
• Rudolph

Eight in the original team, plus Rudolph, who came along later and is now usually up front.

Where the Names Came From

The first eight appeared in a poem published in 1823, A Visit from St. Nicholas, the one that begins with a night before Christmas. Rudolph arrived much later, in 1939, in a story written for a department store, and then the song made him permanent.

Two names have shifted over the years. Donner was originally written closer to Dunder, and Blitzen appeared as Blixem. Both come from Dutch words for thunder and lightning, which suits a pair who pull hardest when the weather turns.

How to Say Them

The one children stumble on is Blitzen, which is BLIT-sen, not BLITZ-en. Donner is DON-er. Vixen catches adults out more than children, because people expect it to be a male name and it is not.

What They Are Actually Like

Dasher is the fastest over short distances and knows it. First to the harness every single night.

Dancer has the best footing on rooftops. When the tiles are icy, Dancer goes first.

Prancer is vain. Spends longer than any other reindeer being brushed and will not go out looking untidy.

Vixen is the clever one. Works out how to open the feed store roughly twice a season, no matter what latch we fit.

Comet is the patient one. If a young reindeer is nervous, we put them next to Comet and the problem sorts itself out.

Cupid is the friendliest and the reason visitors leave the stables smiling.

Donner is the strongest. On the heaviest nights, when the sleigh is fully loaded, Donner does more of the work than anyone realises.

Blitzen is the fastest in a straight line and the most impatient about waiting for the rest of the team.

Rudolph you know about. What people miss is that the nose is not just a lamp. He can see through fog the rest of the team cannot, which is why he leads even on clear nights now.

What About Olive and the Others

Children sometimes ask about Olive, which comes from mishearing all of the other reindeer in the song. There is no Olive. It is a lovely mistake and we have never had the heart to correct anyone quickly.

What They Eat

Lichen and moss mostly, which is what reindeer eat everywhere. On Christmas Eve they get carrots, and yes, they do actually eat the ones children leave out. If your child wants to leave something, carrots are correct and chocolate is not.

Answering the Follow-Up Question

Once a child has the names, the next question is usually whether they can meet them, or whether Santa will confirm the list himself. Hearing it from Santa carries more weight than hearing it from a parent, which is the whole point of a call with Santa.

Final Thoughts

Nine names, two of them slightly misspelled for two hundred years, and one added by a song. Children love this list because it is finite and learnable, and knowing all nine feels like being let in on something.

Teach them in the song order. It sticks better, and it is how the team lines up anyway.