'Blunder': What 'Little Mermaid' Sidekick Flounder Is Called Around the World

Disney’s 1989 classic The Little Mermaid is widely credited with reviving the company’s animation division. While Ariel and her search for terrestrial love gets most of the attention, the film’s MVP might be Flounder, the precocious fish sidekick of seemingly indeterminate species.

With the live-action remake starring Halle Bailey opening in theaters, language learning hub Preply decided to investigate what Flounder is called in various parts of the world.

As you can see from the map, Flounder has a bit of an identity crisis. While he’s known by his original name in Italy, Romania, and several other countries, other international markets have opted to use different names. In Denmark, Flounder is known as Tumle, which means “tumble” in Danish. His penchant for clumsiness has led to similar rebrands in Sweden, where he’s known as Blunder; in Norway he’s Fomle, or “fumble.”

France took a different tact, dubbing him Polochon, or “duffel,” which may refer to his status as a traveling companion.

Though he appears to be a tropical fish, The Little Mermaid animated television series classified him as a guppy. While neither types of fish are typically served as a source of protein, actual flounder is often prepared in a variety of ways, including baked, pan-fried, and in tacos.

The Little Mermaid opens May 26.