Middle Names, Not Secrets

A resurfaced piece of trivia about Elle and Dakota Fanning recently sparked attention online. Fans noticed the sisters use their middle names professionally. While some outlets framed this as surprising, longtime followers saw nothing new. Social media quickly debated whether the story deserved “breaking news” status.

“Technically, those are their real names, just not their first names,” one fan wrote.

A Southern Family Tradition

Elle and Dakota were born Mary Elle Fanning and Hannah Dakota Fanning. Both actresses have openly discussed their use of middle names. In a 2016 Glamour interview, Elle explained:

“My mom goes by her middle name, and my sister goes by her middle name. It’s possibly a Southern thing.”

Dakota echoed her sister in 2022, sharing:

“My first name is Hannah… but I have always been called Dakota.”

Fans were surprised media outlets treated this as a revelation, as the sisters’ middle-name preference has long been public knowledge.

Social Media Reacts

Comments poured in across platforms:

• “They’re Southern. Most people from the South go by their middle name.”

• “A lot of famous people go by their middle names. This isn’t news.”

• “It’s still their real names, just their middle names.”

• “If that stunned you, you were born stunned.”

Clearly, fans were more amused than shocked.

Image credits: Getty/Jon Kopaloff

A First Movie Together

The name discussion comes as Elle and Dakota prepare to star together for the first time in The Nightingale, a film adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s 2015 novel. Both sisters are producing the project, marking a long-awaited collaboration.

“We’ve been looking for something for so long, and this story is completely a sister story. That’s the heart of it,” Elle told Entertainment Tonight in 2020.

The sisters have promised to maintain professional boundaries on set. Elle joked at the 2026 Golden Globes:

“She promised me that she’s not gonna boss me around. I’m like, ‘You have to treat me like a fellow actor.’”

Hollywood Upbringing, Individual Paths

Despite growing up in Hollywood, the Fanning sisters emphasize independence. Elle explained:

“So I don’t even see something that’s right for her as being right for me. I don’t feel competitive.”

Fans also noticed Elle’s towering presence at the Golden Globes. Standing 5’9” in heels next to her boyfriend, Gus Wenner, she sparked viral clips highlighting her height.

Royal Lineage

Interestingly, the sisters have royal connections. Research by Ancestry.com revealed they are the 22nd great-granddaughters of King Edward III, making them 21st cousins of Kate Middleton. This connection comes through their mother, Heather Joy Arrington.

“Generation after generation, the lines we looked at pieced back directly to King Edward III, proving that Elle is a direct descendant of royalty,” said Michelle Ercanbrack