Popular Characters From Bubble Guppies

The Nickelodeon cartoon teaches preschoolers empathy and other important skills

Many preschoolers love the underwater adventure cartoon Bubble Guppies. The Nickelodeon series, which takes a look at a fictional under-the-sea preschool and its adorable, aquatic students, first aired on Nick Jr. in 2011.

Overview

The animated show focuses on things preschoolers like, including dinosaurs, music, recycling, and more. There are sing-alongs, often parodies of popular songs such as Pencil Case (Lady Gaga's Poker Face), as well as lessons in math, pre-reading, science, the arts, and the environment.

In the series, six students—Gil, Molly, Deema, Nonny, Oona, and Goby—learn from their teacher, Mr. Grouper, and play will Gil's pet, Bubble Puppy. There are also the Little Fish, who serve as a chorus of underwater guides and help explain the lessons to the audience.

As a whole, the Bubble Guppies characters exhibit a wide range of social attributes. Whether your child is shy or outgoing, there's probably a guppy they can identify with.

The show represents the wide array of personality types and how these diverse characteristics of humans are not only normal but necessary in a group of people. Characters demonstrate important social skills, such as empathy and inclusion. In addition, the show introduces little ones to a school environment and demonstrates daily routines with catchy tunes. Here is a look at the different personality styles and social attributes of the Bubble Guppies characters.

Gil

Bubble Guppies - Gil
Nickelodeon

Gil, the co-host of Bubble Guppies, is a curious and high-energy boy. He gets involved with whatever he sees in front of him and is usually the funniest of the group. His best friend is Molly.

Gil is a great example of how humor can lighten almost any situation. He also reinforces the innate curiosity so common in our preschoolers. Gil is voiced primarily by Zachary Gordon, best known for his role as Greg Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies. 

Molly

Bubble Guppies - Molly
Nickelodeon

Molly is the other co-host of Bubble Guppies, and this mermaid does it all! She's a great singer and usually takes the lead on all of the songs. She is very smart and has a lot of friends—and serves as a great reminder to kids that you can be both smart and popular. Molly is voiced by Brianna Gentilella and Bailey Gambertoglio.

Mr. Grouper

Bubble Guppies - Mr. Grouper
Nickelodeon

Mr. Grouper is the school teacher who is adored by the Bubble Guppies. Super-smart, he loves his students and is always looking for ways to encourage their intelligence and creativity.

If your preschooler holds any fear about starting school, Mr. Grouper may help ease her worries. Mr. Grouper is voiced by Tino Insana, who is best known as the voice of Uncle Ted in the 1990s cartoon Bobby's World.

Bubble Puppy

Bubble Guppies - Bubble Puppy
Nickelodeon

Although he has a fishtail, Bubble Puppy is definitely all dog and always ready to be a part of the action. His favorite activity is popping bubbles, but anytime the guppies are up for some fun (especially Gil), Bubble Puppy is front and center.

Bubble Puppy is a model of optimism and cheer, something common in preschoolers. This guy is a good model for young ones as well as a reminder for parents who may have lost some enthusiasm for daily life amidst the busyness of adulthood. Bubble Puppy is voiced by Frank Welker, who is best known as the voices of Fred Jones and Scooby-Doo in Scooby-Doo.

Oona

Bubble Guppies - Oona
Nickelodeon

They don't get much sweeter than Oona, the most empathetic of the group. Oona is the one most likely to jump in and help someone who is sick or sad. She is super-aware of the feelings of others and can always be counted on.

The example of empathy shown by Oona may be the most important social skill depicted in this series. Empathy, or the ability to put yourself in another person's shoes, is a key component of emotional intelligence (EI). Teaching empathy to your children helps prevent bullying.

Not only does a sense of empathy often lead to better relational skills, but research also suggests that emotional intelligence is even more important than intellectual IQ when it comes to job success. Fortunately, there are ways to nurture empathy in your kids. Oona is voiced by Reyna Shaskan and Tori Feinstein.

Deema

Bubble Guppies - Deema
Nickelodeon

Deema has a larger-than-life personality and hair to match. She always wants to be the center of attention and finds herself in funny situations trying to capture the interest of whoever she is with. She sings in funny voices, imagines outlandish situations, and dances. Deema is voiced by Angelina Wahler and Selena Ann Gonzalez.

Goby

Bubble Guppies - Goby
Nickelodeon

Goby is the creative and artistic Bubble Guppy. He's got a big imagination, loves to dress up, and is always coming up with outdoor adventures for his friends to act out.  Goby teaches kids that the world needs all types: the dreamers, the doers, the behind the scene types, and the on-stage actors. Goby is primarily voiced by Jelani Imani. 

Nonny

Bubble Guppies - Nonny
Nickelodeon

Nonny is a shy Bubble Guppy who tends to worry. A lot more cautious than the other guppies, Nonny would rather talk about what is going on than actually do it. He is very smart, but physical activities (like basketball) make him anxious.

If your child is shy, she may recognize herself in Nonny and find comfort in knowing that shyness is a normal personality trait. Nonny is voiced by Eamon Pirruccello. 

Little Fish

Bubble Guppies - Little Fish
Nickelodeon

These fish have all the answers. If a guppy asks a question, the Little Fish pipe in with the right response. The fish follow the group around, serving as a helpful guide to the viewers at home. The Little Fish are voiced by Skai Jackson, Mia Vavassuer, and Kayla Erickson.

3 Sources
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Additional Reading

By Amanda Rock
Amanda Rock, mom of three, has spent more than a decade of her professional career writing and editing for parents and children.