As anyone who even tangentially follows pop culture probably knows, Game of Thrones has had a pretty profound impact on people’s lives. According to new data from the Social Security Administration, the lives of some pretty young children are among them.
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The data, which was released Friday (via NBC News), reveals that more than 4,500 children born in 2018 were given Thrones-themed baby names. This data, which does include babies named “Jon” and “Jaime”, is up pretty significantly from the 3,800+ in 2017, and 3,200+ in 2016.
The report, which includes data of any name given to five or more babies in a year, features a surprising amount of Thrones-themed references. While we can’t run through every name listed on the report, here are some of the most popular entries on the list.
#10 – Jorah
First on the list is Jorahย Mormont (Ian Glen), with 30 babies reportedly being born with that name in 2018.
As NBC News’ reporting outlines, the name “Jorah” has had an interesting evolution over the years, with it predominantly being used as a girl’s name from 2000 to 2008. Ever since Glenn’s version of the character debuted in 2014, more than 80 boys have been born with that name.
Of course, there’s a bit of a heartbreaking connotation to that name, now that Jorah was among those who perished at the Battle of Winterfell. But either way, those 30 kids have a pretty awesome namesake.
#9 – Brienne
It’s no secret that Brienne of Tarth (Gwendolyn Christie) has been a bonafide fan-favorite for the entirety of her Thrones run, and this baby name data reflects that. In 2018 alone, 33 babies were officially born with the name “Brienne”.
(Hopefully, at least one of those children will go by the nickname “Ser Brienneย of Tarth”, because that feels like too good of an opportunity to pass up.)
#8 – Tyrion
Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) unsurprisingly makes it onto this list, with 58 babies named “Tyrion” being born in the past year.
Apparently, Tyrion’s popularity as a baby name has coincided with Thrones for quite some time, with the name beginning to pop up on the SSA’sย data since 1997. As diehard fans of the franchise will know, that comes just a year after George R.R. Martin published the first book in the series, A Game of Thrones.
#7 – Jory
Maybe one of the deepest cuts on this list is Joryย Casselย (Jamie Sives), with 72 babies earning the name “Jory” in 2018.
As fans will probably remember, Joryย served as the captain of Ned Stark’s household guards, and traveled with Ned on his ill-fated trip to King’s Landing. Joryย only appeared in five episodes of Season 1, before being stabbed in the eye by Jaime Lannister.
Of course, “Jory” isn’t necessarily a super Thrones-specific name, but it’s certainly nice to know that the character’s legacy lives on, intentionally or unintentionally.
#6 – Renly
Another gone-but-not-forgotten character on this list is Renly Baratheonย (Gethinย Anthony), who was the namesake of 102 babies in 2018 alone.
The youngest of the Baratheonย brothers played a pretty substantial role in Season 1 and the beginning of Season 2, before being killed by a Shadow bearing his brother’s face. Renly’s death ultimately set in motion a surprising amount of actions on the show, which could explain why his name has such an enduring legacy.
#5 – Shae
Arguably the most surprising entry on this list is Shaeย (Sibelย Kekilli), who shares a name with 125 babies born in 2018.
The sex worker who falls in love with Tyrionย Lannister in the show’s early season, Shaeย became a pretty particular fan favorite, beforeย tragically dying at Tyrion’s hand.
As with Jory, there’s no indication that every new baby named “Shae” was borrowing from Game of Thrones, butย the statistic still remains pretty bittersweet either way.
#4 – Lyanna
Anyone who’s kept up with Thrones’ recent years probably won’t be surprised to see Lyannaย on this list, considering the name’s significance in the show’sย world. 319 babies born in the last year reportedly bear that name.
There’s Lyannaย Stark, the sister of Ned Stark whose secret marriage to Rhaegarย Targaryen brought us Jon Snow (and brought some pretty major complications to the current season). And of course, there’s Lyannaย Mormontย (Bella Ramsey), the young Lady who stole quite a lot of scenes since she debuted in Season 6 — up until her death in the Battle of Winterfell.
#3 – Yara
Next on the list is Yara Greyjoyย (Gemma Whelan), who shares the name of 434 babies born in 2018.
Yara’s arc has had some pretty major ups and downs over the course of Thrones‘ tenure, as she became an unlikely ally of an ever-growing number of characters. While she has yet to play much of a role in the show’s final season, there’s no telling exactly what’s in store for her character.
#2 – Khaleesi
Second on the list is “Khaleesi”, the title that Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) has held since Season 1. According to the report, 560 babies now hold that title as well.
As the report revealed, Khaleesiย has brought about someย interesting spelling variations, with 19 babies named “Caleesi”, and five names “Khaleesie” (yes, that’s Khaleesiย with an extra “e”). So while it’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not Danyย ends up on the Iron Throne, it’s safe to say that her legacy will still be felt.
#1 – Arya
At the top of the list isย Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), with a whopping 2,545 babies born in 2018 being named “Arya”.
Considering the significant arc that Aryaย has undergone since Thrones began, it’s easy to see why her name would be such a consistent source of inspiration. And hey, there’s no telling exactly what that number will be like in the next batch of data,ย now that she’s delivered the epic final blow to the Night King.
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Which Game of Thrones baby name is your favorite? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
