If I had a dollar for every time I have been called Arya Stark — by colleagues in the office, by fellow-travelers on a public transit, by my mother every time I visit home — I would be a millionaire by now (slight exaggeration there, please excuse).
Move over Harry Potter baby names (not seriously though, because I still plan to name my kids Luna and Albus; future husband, please note) because people in the UK are naming their kids Arya and Khaleesi after the popular Game of Thrones characters.
Baby Names in the UK in 2016: Some Stats
According to a report by the BBC, more than 300 girls born in England and Wales in 2016 were named Arya, after the younger Stark daughter who is now faceless (she is ‘no one’ with an ability to become anyone), and can be seen in an assassin avatar in Game of Thrones, Season 7.
The report states that these statistics are actually higher than those of the more traditional English names such as Mary (204) and Catherine (163).
A second choice for parents in England is the name Khaleesi, with about 69 girls named after another strong woman lead of the show, Daenerys Targaryen.
.gif?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
To Name or Not to Name: Redditors Debate
Quoting these statistics, people on a recent Reddit thread debate whether Arya and Khaleesi are good choices as far as naming your children is concerned. While most agree that Arya is a pretty and strong name with diverse cultural associations, the opinion is divided about Khaleesi.
Khaleesi is a title not a name!
Is it really that weird?
Well, it’s not my kid...
Fandom Before All Else?
Whether we agree with these opinions or not, we must not forget that the alleys of fandom are dark and full of terrors, and people can go far to remain on the bandwagon.
While in India...
As far the topic of popular baby names in India is concerned, a recent trend has been observed. Increasingly, there is a disappearance of Poojas, Nishas, Anjalis and Nehas and the appearance of Kairas, Shyras, and Shanayas, all thanks to Bollywood. An article on Livemint interestingly terms these new-age names as “First-World Yoga Names” or “FWYN”.
.gif?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
What is slightly worrying about these names — as with Arya, Khaleesi, and other names inspired by the entertainment industry — is that they come with a baggage of personality. Names are, after all, important parts of people’s identities.
The owner of an FWYN name, for instance, may be burdened with the need to have a dynamic professional and personal identity, while I — the bearer of a face-cut and hairstyle similar to Arya Stark — may be presumed to be intimidating or a secret assassin (I don’t deny either of those presumptions *sharpens sword blade*).
Would you name your kid after a popular TV or film character? Tell us in the comments below!
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)