How Many Reindeer Does Santa Have? Names, Order and Fun Facts for Kids

Your child asks a simple question at bedtime, and suddenly you’re not sure of the answer. Is it eight reindeer or nine? Where does Rudolph fit in, and what about the “12 reindeer” lists you’ve seen online? If you’ve ever wondered how many reindeer does Santa have, you’re not alone, because the answer changed over time. Here you’ll find the clear answer, all nine names in order, what each name means, where the stories came from, and real reindeer facts your kids will love sharing on Christmas Eve.

How Many Reindeer Does Santa Have and What Are Their Names?

Here are all nine of Santa’s reindeer, with the year each one joined the story and what the name means. The personality notes come from Christmas legend and storybooks, so think of them as fun extras rather than facts.

Santa’s Reindeer in Order: The Sleigh Lineup

Santa’s reindeer are usually listed in the order they appear in the 1823 poem. When people picture the sleigh, they often pair them up two by two in that same order, with Rudolph alone at the very front so his nose can light the way.

What Is the Order of the 9 Reindeer?

The order of the 9 reindeer is Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. The first eight follow the famous line from the 1823 poem, and Rudolph is added last because he joined in 1939, even though he leads the team at the front of the sleigh.

Does Santa Have 8 or 9 Reindeer?

It depends on which story you follow. The poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known as “The Night Before Christmas,” was first printed in the Troy Sentinel newspaper in New York on December 23, 1823. It named eight reindeer, and for more than a hundred years that was the whole team.

Rudolph came much later. Robert L. May wrote the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1939 as a free booklet for the Montgomery Ward department stores, and about 2.4 million copies were handed out that first year. The 1949 song recorded by Gene Autry made Rudolph famous everywhere, and since then most families count nine reindeer.

How Many Reindeer Does Santa Have Including Rudolph?

Including Rudolph, Santa has 9 reindeer. Without Rudolph, the classic team from the 1823 poem is 8 reindeer. Both answers are correct, so a simple way to explain it to kids is “eight in the old poem, nine once Rudolph joined.”

Does Santa Have 12 Reindeer?

No classic Christmas story gives Santa a team of 12 reindeer. The “12 reindeer” lists you see online usually add characters from TV specials, like Rudolph’s friend Clarice, or names made up for fun. One popular joke adds “Olive, the other reindeer,” which comes from mishearing the song line “All of the other reindeer.”

L. Frank Baum’s 10 Reindeer

There is one real story with a different count. In his 1902 book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, gave Santa ten reindeer named Flossie, Glossie, Racer, Pacer, Reckless, Speckless, Fearless, Peerless, Ready and Steady. These names never caught on, so most people still go with the original eight plus Rudolph.

A Few Reindeer Jokes to Share

• What do you call a reindeer with no eyes? No idea!
• Why did the reindeer cross the road? Because it was tied to the chicken.
• Which reindeer has the worst manners? RUDE-olph.

What Do Santa’s Reindeer Names Mean?

Most of the names describe how the reindeer move or look. The last two have a surprising history. In the first printing of the poem they were called Dunder and Blixem, from the Dutch words for thunder and lightning. The poem was later changed to Donder and Blitzen, and “Donner,” the German word for thunder, became the most common spelling in the 1900s.

How many reindeer does Santa have and what do their names mean? The 9 names and their meanings.

Are Santa’s Reindeer Boys or Girls?

Santa’s reindeer are often called “he” in songs and cartoons, but science suggests they may be girls. Unlike most deer, both male and female reindeer grow antlers. Adult males usually drop their antlers in late fall, around November or early December, while females keep theirs all winter until their calves are born in spring, according to PBS Nature. Since Santa’s reindeer are always shown with antlers on Christmas Eve, many people think the team is female.

What Is a Boy Reindeer Called?

A boy reindeer is called a bull, a girl reindeer is called a cow, and a baby reindeer is called a calf. A group of reindeer is called a herd. In North America, wild reindeer are usually called caribou, though they are the same species.

All About Rudolph

Rudolph is the newest member of Santa’s team and the most famous. His story is about a young reindeer who gets teased for his glowing red nose, until Santa needs that nose to guide the sleigh through a foggy night.

Who Is Rudolph’s Dad?

In the 1964 TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Rudolph’s dad is Donner, one of Santa’s original eight reindeer. At first Donner tries to hide Rudolph’s red nose, but he learns to be proud of his son by the end of the story.

Who Is Rudolph’s Crush?

Rudolph’s crush is Clarice, a young doe in the 1964 TV special. She is the first reindeer to tell Rudolph that his red nose is special, and she sticks by him when the others laugh at him.

What Was Rudolph’s Original Name?

Rudolph almost had a different name. Robert L. May considered names like Rollo and Reginald before choosing Rudolph, which he felt had the right sound for the story.

Real Reindeer Facts Kids Love

Reindeer are real animals, and some of their true facts are almost as magical as the stories.

• Their eyes change color. Reindeer eyes are golden in summer and turn blue in the dark Arctic winter, which helps them see better in low light, according to The Franklin Institute.
• They can see ultraviolet light, which helps them spot things in the snow.
• Some of their knees click when they walk, which may help the herd hear each other in a blizzard.
• Their fur traps air. Hollow hairs keep them warm and even help them float in water.
• Some red noses are real. Scientists found that reindeer noses have lots of tiny blood vessels, which can give them a reddish color.
• They travel far. Some caribou herds in North America walk thousands of miles in a single year.

How Long Do Reindeer Live?

Reindeer usually live about 15 to 18 years, according to PBS Nature. Adults can weigh from around 120 pounds to over 500 pounds, with males usually much bigger than females.

Can Reindeer Fly Without Santa?

In real life, reindeer can’t fly at all, with or without Santa. In Christmas stories, it’s the magic of Christmas Eve that lets Santa’s reindeer fly, which is why they only take off once a year.

Can You Name All 9 Reindeer?

Test your family with this quick game. It’s a fun way to practice the names before Christmas Eve.

Fun Reindeer Ideas for Christmas Eve

• Track the sleigh. Follow Santa’s route on Christmas Eve with NORAD Tracks Santa, which has tracked his flight every year since 1955.
• Leave reindeer treats. Put out a few carrots or apple slices next to Santa’s cookies. Skip glitter “reindeer food” outside, since it can harm birds and wildlife.
• Play a name memory game. Say one name each and see who can list all nine in order without a mistake.
• Make reindeer hoofprints. Use a little flour by the door for tracks your kids will find in the morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

So how many reindeer does Santa have? Nine in most homes today: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph at the front. The classic 1823 poem named eight, Rudolph joined in 1939, and the “12 reindeer” lists are just for fun. Share the names, play the game, and enjoy the magic with your kids this Christmas.