What Are the Names of Santa's 12 Reindeer? Complete List Explained

Discover the full list of Santa's 12 reindeer names, including Rudolph and lesser-known reindeer like Olive and Clarice.

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The names of the 12 reindeer, traditionally known from the Christmas lore, include Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner (or Donder), Blitzen, and, of course, Rudolph. The last three, often less mentioned, are Olive (as in 'Olive, the other reindeer,' a common mishearing of 'all of the other reindeer'), Clarice (introduced as Rudolph's girlfriend in the 1964 movie), and Blixem (an alternative name for Blitzen used in some early versions of the story).

FAQs & Answers

  1. Why are there 12 reindeer in Christmas stories? Christmas lore traditionally names 9 main reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh, but some stories and adaptations add additional names, bringing the total to 12 to include characters like Olive and Clarice.
  2. Who is Olive the reindeer? Olive is a character from a popular Christmas pun referencing the phrase 'Olive, the other reindeer,' which arises from a mishearing of 'all of the other reindeer.' She is sometimes included as one of Santa's reindeer in modern retellings.
  3. Are Donner and Blitzen the same as Donder and Blixem? Yes, Donder is an alternative spelling of Donner, and Blixem is an early variant of Blitzen, both derived from German words meaning thunder and lightning.