Guest blogger Aislinn Nicole is a fan of both baby names and George R. R. Martin‘s epic Game of Thrones series.  Here, she combines enthusiasms and helps us navigate the names of the new season.

The people of George R.R. Martin’s book series A Song of Ice and Fire (adapted by HBO to become the TV series Game of Thrones) are very much like the people of our world.  Martin’s characters are vivid and real, and their names are an extension of that, including interesting similarities and alternatives to several classic names.

There’s the simple and lovely Jeyne, pronounced just like Jane.  Tywin and Tyrion are similar to Tyler, while Edmure and Eddard sound much like our Edmund and Edward.  Marcella was my grandmother’s name, so Myrcella holds a particular fondness for me.  There are a dozen other examples in the series… and some names you’ll never have heard before, that are equally lovely.

Game of Thrones is about a continent (Westeros) of feuding noble families, all vying to control the Iron Throne.   At the beginning of the series, the Iron Throne is held by King Robert Baratheon, who requests the aid of his childhood friend Eddard Stark to help him keep the Iron Throne which he won by defeating House Targaryen.  Below, the noble houses are listed with the main characters included as well as some characters with more interesting names. Note: some of the characters listed don’t appear (or become important) until later in the series, but they are simply too good to exclude.

If you’re interested in knowing more about Game of Thrones, the series’ first season came out on DVD March 6^th, and the second season began on HBO on April 1^st.  For the real experience though, I’d recommend the book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, whose first book is called A Game of Thrones.

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Our intrepid and ever inventive friend Nephele now ventures back to the future and into the fantastic territory of Steampunk names.

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that presents an alternative future or universe in which modern-day type inventions and conveniences are propelled by steam or inventive clockwork mechanisms.  Dirigible airships are also iconic to steampunk.

Although the steampunk movement emerged in the 1980s, there have also been novels, movies, and television series which are today identified as steampunk (or containing steampunk elements) that predate the actual coining of the term. 

The steampunk movement has inspired an entire subculture consisting of enthusiasts who meet at steampunk conventions and who tend to dress in fabulous fashions that meld a futuristic look with 19th century Victoriana.  Much of steampunk fashion incorporates goggles (the apparent badge of the Victorian scientist/adventurer).  Steampunk jewelry features clockwork motifs. 

The names in the following list include typical steampunk names (names which were in vogue during the latter half of the 19th century), character names appearing in popular works containing steampunk elements, and names of noted authors who have influenced the steampunk literary movement.

BOYS

• ALEKSANDAR – the young hero of Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan series.
• AMBROSE
• ARRONAX – from Professor Pierre Aronnax, a scientist in Jules Verne‘s, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
• ARTEMUS – after Artemus Gordon, secret agent partner to Jim West in the television series and movie, The Wild, Wild West.
• AUGUSTUS
• BARTHOLOMEW
• BERTRAM
• BLAYLOCK – a name honoring early steampunk author James P. Blaylock.
• BRISCO – the cowboy hero in the television series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
• BYRON
• CORNELIUS
• CYRUS
• EMERSON
• GRANVILLE

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Loyal nameberryite Linelei leads us into the arcane world of science fiction names.

As both a science fiction nerd and name nerd, nothing gives me greater pleasure than combining the two. Since I was a little girl, I adored not only the stories but the names within the fantastical plots, and collected them as I read. While there are many science fiction names which have a tendency to be hokey, conjuring up images of green men and relying a little too heavily on the letters Z, Q, and X, there are some fabulous gems to be found in the sci-fi realm.

For example, names like Kayen and Cade, both from the expanded Star Wars universe, would mesh nicely with a classroom full of Aidans and Cashes, while names like Serenity and River, from the sci-fi show, Firefly, resonate with current nature naming trends for girls. So here I present you with boy’s names from science fiction, old and new, well-known and obscure, that may pique your interest. After all, how much fun would it be to explain that your baby was named after a psychic alien who fought to save the galaxy from total annihilation?

Boys:
Mass Effect:
KAIDAN – human soldier, one of the good guys
GARRUS – alien who teams up with the good guys
THANE – alien assassin, but still a good guy!
Firefly:
MALCOLM (MAL) – captain of the ship.
DERRIAL – Shepherd (preacher)
Farscape:
STARK – has the power to help souls pass peacefully into death
BIALAR – turned against the bad guys
TALYN – living, sentient ship
RYGEL – deposed leader of many planets
Chronicles of Riddick:
RIDDICK – Vin Diesel. Need I say more?
The Fifth Element:
KORBEN – Bruce Willis’ character who saves the universe
VITO CORNELIUS – priest who assists Korben
Blade Runner:
DECKARD – main character, a Blade Runner
HOLDEN – another Blade Runner
TYRELL – genius who created the Replicants

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