From Game of Thrones

Brienne

Modern invented name

There aren't many characters in the notoriously amoral world of Game of Thrones with a spotless record of moral righteousness -- but Brienne of Tarth comes close. She's one of the most accomplished,…

Cailin

American variation of Caitlin or Kaylin

While the Cailin spelling doesn't appear on popularity charts, other forms such as Kaylin and Kaylen do, along with several similar names, from Caitlin to Jalen to Kayla. The result: a name that…

Catelyn

Variant of Caitlin

This spelling of Caitlin is closely associated with Game of Thrones matriarch Catelyn Stark, whose name is pronounced CAT-lin on the show.

Daenerys

Literary name

Daenerys is yet another girls' name invented by "Game of Thrones" author George R. R. Martin that is beginning to gain some traction in real life. Daenerys was used for 67 baby girls in 2013 while…

Gilly

Literary name

Gilly is a name that's popped up from time to time in different contexts: As a nickname for Gillian, for instance, and as the name of a town in Switzerland. But it's increasingly associated with…

Margaery

Literary creation from Game of Thrones

Of all the Game of Thrones creations this is surely the most delicate and the most wearable. Margaery, (pronounced like the Scottish name Marjorie) is a beautiful, powerful and intelligent character…

Meera

Hindi, Sanskrit

"light, saintly woman; prosperous"

Meera Bai, also spelled Mirabai, was a great female Hindu mystical poet whose works are popular throughout India. She was a fifteenth-sixteenth century Indian princess who devoted her life to writing…

Myrcella

Variant of Marcella

One of the many faux-Medieval names invented by George R.R. Martin for his A Song of Ice and Fire series of books, the source of HBO's Game of Thrones . Princess Myrcella Baratheon is the daughter of…

Olena

Ukrainian, Hawaiian

"torch, shining light; turmeric, yellow, ginger"

This chic Ukrainian form of Helen is relatively unknown outside of its native country, but it definitely has international appeal. Olia or Olenka are the usual Ukrainian diminutives, but tomboyish…

Olenna

Literary name or variation of Olena, Ukrainian

"light, shining torch"

Likely inspired by the Ukrainian form of Helen, Olena, George R. R. Martin used this spelling for a character in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. The name first appeared in the US stats in 2017,…

Sansa

Sanskrit

"praise, charm"

Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin is a master namer, and this unusual choice from India is beginning to be heard in nurseries as well as on television. Sansa was perhaps slower to catch on…

Talla

Talla is a delicate feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Scottish Gaelic tradition, it may derive from the word meaning 'by the river' or 'peaceful water.' In some African cultures,…

Vale

Geographical name

Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie put this name of a geographical feature on the baby name map when she chose it for her newborn daughter, Vale Guthrie Feldman. Vale might be considered part nature…