The Most Popular Disney Villains, Mapped

Though Disney protagonists are usually the center of attention, some antagonists are much more interesting. It’s hard to deny a villain’s appeal, whether you’re into their personality, powers, or design—and if you’ve ever wondered which evildoers are each state’s favorites, you’ve come to the right place.

1. Most Popular Disney Villain by State
2. Most Popular Disney Villain by Generation

Most Popular Disney Villain by State

Google Trends created the map below using search data from April 9, 2024 to April 9, 2025. In this case, the “top searched” queries had the highest search volume for a given location. You can find the map below.

Mufasa’s conniving sibling, Scar, won by a landslide. The lion’s charm, snarky attitude, and unwavering confidence captured the hearts of many, especially in the central and eastern parts of the U.S. (we also can’t deny his musical talent in “Be Prepared”). The The Lion King (1994) character wasn’t originally written as Simba’s relative: In the movie’s first script, Scar was a lone lion who led a baboon pack. The creators even planned for the villain to defeat his nephew in the final fight scene, though he would have died in a fire afterward.

Next up is Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), who dominates the western part of the nation. The burlap sack’s ghastly appearance, boisterous demeanor, and inclination to jazz tunes put him at the top. Similar to Scar, Oogie Boogie was intended to have a different ending. A deleted scene from the DVD version of the movie shows that he was supposed to be Dr. Finkelstein, the mad scientist and creator of Sally, in disguise. The character planned to take out Jack Skellington because Sally fell in love with the Pumpkin King. 

Rounding out the top three villains is Ursula from The Little Mermaid (1989), who was most popular in Vermont and Maine. The sea witch’s confidence, humor, and performance in “Poor Unfortunate Souls” make her one of the most iconic Disney villains. According to the BBC, her looks were inspired by Divine, a prominent drag queen and actor in John Waters’s raunchy cult comedies, who passed away one year before The Little Mermaid’s release. 

Most Popular Disney Villain by Generation

In addition to the map, Google found trends across different generations. Millennials searched Oogie Boogie the most. Gen Zers and Boomers preferred Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula’s moray eel minions, and the Horned King from The Black Cauldron (1985), respectively. You can find the complete chart below.

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