Only a pass is given for Arya as being a name used internationally. Now I'm no names expert but...
- Brienne is a variant of Brianna Celtic) or a place name (French)
- Ramsay is a surname
- Gregor is a perfectly ordinary name (of Dutch / Scots origin) as is Ghita (Greek) although it also resembles the Indian name Gita / Geeta.
- Sandor is a Hungarian variant of Alexander - no different to naming your kid Alex or Xander
- Shae, Myrcella, Catelyn, Myranda etc are simple spelling variants too. Most are based on real world names.
Joffrey, which doesn't make the list, is also the name of Meghan Duchess of Sussex's half uncle. Assuming names have been chosen DIRECTLY as a result of Game of Thrones (hereafter GoT) is a bit of a leap of logic. Naturally it is raising the profile of certain names but that means parents considering certain names like, Alexander or Miranda, might go for a less common variant 'inspired by' but not exactly 'because of' GoT.
Even names that seem to definitely belong to the GoT universe aren't always what they seem. Tyrion is listed as a variant of the Irish name Tyrone and while Cersei is considered a created name it's based on the Greek goddess Circe.
With the recent excitement over #BabySussex's name the BBC ran an article on how to choose a name for your baby (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48185728) and I was rather taken by this contribution by Richard Jones, a university lecturer from Salford, who with his wife:
"We were really keen to have a name that was unusual, but
not wacky.
We didn't want one that there was going to be a whole class full
of them.
We also didn't want to go for a made-up one.
The couple ruled out anything in the top 100 most popular names
list and,
because he is Scottish and his wife is Welsh,
wanted the name to originate from either of those places.
It needed to be easily shortened, both the short and long names
had to work
with both the single and double-barrelled versions of their
surname
and it couldn't start with the same initial as the mum or
dad.
But apart from that we didn't really think too much about
it."
Excellent advice all round! I have never understood why parents pick super common names unless they have a really meaningful reason for it - like naming your kid after your brother Jack who died when Jack has been a VERY popular name for years. For this reason I can see why GoT names are appealing for being a bit different but kind of familiar.
It's also worthwhile thinking how the first and last names go together...as well as checking that the initials don't spell out something unfortunate or match a problematic acronym.
Naming your child is probably the most important decision you will ever make but you aren't the person who will have to live with the worst of the consequences if it's a bad choice. All the same, parents DO regret the names they pick for their kids, quite frequently. Choosing a name from a current pop-culture source can be regretted when you move on to the next trend but also uncomfortably obvious (so many boys named Jensen! Guess who mom has a crush on...), dated in a few years (which affects unusual names more because they stand out), embarrassing (fancy being named after Kylie Minogue and forever being associated with Kylie Jenner!) etc etc
It's also worthwhile thinking how the first and last names go together...as well as checking that the initials don't spell out something unfortunate or match a problematic acronym.
Naming your child is probably the most important decision you will ever make but you aren't the person who will have to live with the worst of the consequences if it's a bad choice. All the same, parents DO regret the names they pick for their kids, quite frequently. Choosing a name from a current pop-culture source can be regretted when you move on to the next trend but also uncomfortably obvious (so many boys named Jensen! Guess who mom has a crush on...), dated in a few years (which affects unusual names more because they stand out), embarrassing (fancy being named after Kylie Minogue and forever being associated with Kylie Jenner!) etc etc
There are also some pretty good motives for naming your child after a fictional character you admire - it's not much different than naming your child after anyone else. In some ways it's safer than naming them after a celebrity or other living person who may yet go on to do something you find abhorrent. HOWEVER, when naming your child after a fictional character it is a good idea to let their story come to completion before doing so. GoT is currently airing its final season but there are apparently books yet to come.
Like with any name it is worthwhile to do your homework and be sure what it means...and to consider what it will mean to the child. My elder daughter tells me there are significant differences between the books and TV show - the TV show is likely to be the one most present in people's minds when they consider your kid's name... the kid is also likely to want to see it themselves. Given the nature of GoT and the events that happen to various characters...is that REALLY a good idea?!
Fairly sure that any of the 14 kids named 'Theon' will be scarred for life as and when they find out what happens to their namesake... shortening the name to Theo for everyday use might help but in the US your legal name is harder to change and follows you around.
One thing I like about GoT characters is how they all have good and bad sides - Tyrion is bloody brilliant in many ways but he's also a womanising alcoholic capable of some really dubious stuff. As a parent you really ought to consider all the angles - will your child and their peers see Arya as a powerful heroine or will they see her as a cold-hearted assassin?
My favourite GoT characters are probably Tyrion Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Sandor Clegane, Olenna Tyrell and Samwell Tarly (whom I affectionately refer to as 'stupid fat Hobbit' due to the similarities of character and name to Samwise Gamgee of LOTR). Brienne and Sandor are fine as names, not so sure about the others...
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