The Meaning Behind Nala’s Name Foreshadows Her Role In The Lion King

The meaning behind Nala’s name in Disney’s The Lion King foreshadows not just her role in Simba’s story, but her end-of-movie fate. The 1994 film, which was later rebooted in CGI form in 2019, takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In one of the saddest animal deaths in film history, King Mufasa is killed by his power-hungry brother Scar, and his son, Simba, is forced into exile. With the help of some newfound pals and his lifelong friend Nala, Simba returns to the Pride Lands to defeat Scar and assume his rightful place as king.