Names that just don't work

[Ocelot]

Since GRRM doesn't have Tolkien's advantage of being a linguist, or even speaking more than one language, his names can be kind of hit or miss. Here are some names I think just don't work:

Jaime: An alternative spelling of a diminutive name generally used for females, it's hardly what Tywin Lannister would name his 1st-born son and heir. And it isn't remotely badass.

Kevan: a misspelling of an Irish name; I associate the Lannisters w/ the Normans/Plantagenets; and much too modern

Martyn: derived from the Roman god Mars, and therefore not fitting in GRRth; the "y" makes it even lamer.

Robb: a king or the heir of a high lord should not have a diminutive name.

Rickon: again, a diminutive name might work for a commoner, but not for the son of a great lord.

Victarion: most of the names ending in "on" are found in the North or the Iron Islands and are probably supposed to be from the 1st men. Most of them are only 2 syllables, so "Victarion" doesn't fit in. Also, it sounds like "victor," which doesn't fit either.

Mace: a great lord named after a weapon? WTF? There was also a rapper named Mace which makes it even lamer.

Addam: 1st off, the extra "d" is lame; 2nd, an Old Testament name doesn't really make sense in GRRth.

Harrold: would have been fine w/out the extra "r."

Quentyn: A Latin derived name associated w/ stuffy Brits hardly suits exotic Dorne. And the "y" just looks stupid.

All of the Targ names that sound like real English-language names: Daena, Elaena, Rhae, Daella, Helaena, ec.

Also, all the first names derived from last names, like "Harys," don't work either b/c the practice of using surnames as first names didn't begin until the 18th or 19th century.

What does everyone else think?

[Aelle]

A bit off topic, but it was always weird for me to hear Sansa called "Alayne" because that's actually part of my real name. Same spelling and everything.

Honestly, it's not worth comparing Westeros to real life. By that logic, I could argue that the time period that Westeros is "set in" (assuming 1300s England) is a bit too early for patronymic/inherited surnames. Most surnames during that time (if they even had one) were topological or based on occupation (the surname Smith or Tanner means that the person in question actually is a smith or a tanner) or looks (Brown, Small, etc). There weren't too many people with names like "Stark" or "Lannister"--even the kings during the time were known by first names or monikers. At the end of the day, even though Tolkien had the linguistic advantage, he didn't really need it--his world was based in fantasy and he could have said they meant anything he wanted. Same with GRRM. If their works were meant to be historical fiction, some knowledge of names would've been necessary, but since they're fantasy, they pretty much have/had free reign.

Edit: I should mention that true patronymic names are names like Stevenson or Johnson, and the names we consider to be patronymic today are a very loose interpretation of "patronymic"--only that they're inherited.

[Free Northman Reborn]

Jaime. For years I pronounced it "Jaim", with a silent "e", which sounds so much more masculine and powerful.

When I finally read Martin's confirmation that it was pronounced like the gender-neutral "Jamie" in the real world, I was flabbergasted. To this day, about a decade after this discovery, I have never been able to look at Jaime the same way again.

And the other big one is of course "Aenys". You just don't name someone "Aenys" and expect people to take the dynasty seriously.

[Rhaenys Reborn]

The only problem I have with the names are the omnipresent "Y"s. Just use "I" for crying out loud!

The two names that look particularly stupid for me are Myranda and Mya (as a non-native in English, I struggled a lot with whether that should be pronounced as Mia or Maya).

[Aelle]

Jaime. For years I pronounced it "Jaim", with a silent "e", which sounds so much more masculine and powerful.

When I finally read Martin's confirmation that it was pronounced like the gender-neutral "Jamie" in the real world, I was flabbergasted. To this day, about a decade after this discovery, I have never been able to look at Jaime the same way again.

And the other big one is of course "Aenys". You just don't name someone "Aenys" and expect people to take the dynasty seriously.

:lol: I get what you're saying about "Aenys", but the "ae" is most likely intended as an ash (æ) which was pronounced "eh", making it sound more like "Enis" than "Anus".

[Stormland's Fury]

Isn't Jaimie simply a variation of Jamie which is an abbreviation of James?

[Jon Dovahkiin Snow]

Every name given to someone in Essos.

[Aelle]

Isn't Jaimie simply a variation of Jamie which is an abbreviation of James?

It was also originally exclusively male.

[Free Northman Reborn]

Isn't Jaimie simply a variation of Jamie which is an abbreviation of James?

But the e at the end makes it similar to calling Jon "Jonny" or Robert "Bobby", that type of thing. It lessens the gravity of the character.

[oba]

Dickon Manwoody

[Stormland's Fury]

But the e at the end makes it similar to calling Jon Jonny or Robert Bobby, that type of thing. It lessens the gravity of the character.

What bothers me more is that he hasn't a Ty- name, especially since he's his father's firstborn.

[Guard of the Rainking]

Petyr

Maekar (as much as I like the character IMO K has no place in Targaryen names)

Valarr

Merrett

I also don't like the bastard name Hill, but then again I don't find the Westerlands to be that interesting.

[LadyoftheNorth72]

Umm... I think there's been entirely too much time between books.

I have no problem with the fact that GRRM takes names from a variety of sources in our world and changes them in subtle ways for his. And of all the names that could bug you, Westerosi names are your big issue? How about the Mos and Pos and "can I please buy a vowel" ones in Essos?

We have no idea what the name Jaime denotes in their world. Tommen seems a bit ridiculous until you find out there were kings named Tommen in the past.

That Jaime does not denote bad-assery in our world is your opinion - thousands of Scots called Jamie as a nickname for James would probably love to discuss it with you, but whatever. And the popularity of names for certain genders changes all the time, Jamie has become a girl's name from a boy's, not the other way around (just as Leslie and Ashley were once men's names).

Also, want to take a swing at how many little boys are running around named Jaime now? There have been dozens of articles written on GoT names climbing the charts.

The spelling "Kevan" IS used commonly in our world, and is the Anglicized spelling of the Irish name, which dates to at least as early as the 6th century. How is that too modern?

Robb was named after Robert with no clue he would ever be a king. Once he was a king it simply would have been ridiculous to insist on being called King Robert. "Umm... which one are you talking about?" X 10,000 conversations.

The practice of using surnames or family names as first and/or middle names goes back at least to the Roman Empire, and certainly being called by your surname rather than your first was common. Gaius Julius Caesar? Marcus Tullius Cicero? Marcus Junius Brutus? Both Caesar and Brutus's middle names were derived from their descendance from the Julian Clan. I have no idea where you're getting this 18th-19th century thing from. And how do we know Harris/Harys was once a last name in their world?

"... on" names... Aegon. Daeron. Daemon. Aemon. Balerion. Aerion. Don't seem to be necessarily associated with the First Men... more of a typical male name ending overall. Nor restricted to syllables, though two seems most common.

[Stormland's Fury]

Also, all the first names derived from last names, like "Harys," don't work either b/c the practice of using surnames as first names didn't begin until the 18th or 19th century.

There wasn't an European 18th or 19th century in Westeros and there never will be.

[Pod The Impaler]

What bothers me more is that he hasn't a Ty- name, especially since he's his father's firstborn.

Named after his mother's side of the equation.

[Stormland's Fury]

Named after his mother's side of the equation.

She was still a Lannister and a Westlander.

[lord summers]

Jaime. For years I pronounced it "Jaim", with a silent "e", which sounds so much more masculine and powerful.

When I finally read Martin's confirmation that it was pronounced like the gender-neutral "Jamie" in the real world, I was flabbergasted. To this day, about a decade after this discovery, I have never been able to look at Jaime the same way again.

And the other big one is of course "Aenys". You just don't name someone "Aenys" and expect people to take the dynasty seriously.

Same here. I always said Jaime as 'Jaim' with the 'J ' pronounced as the 'g' in genre

[Lady Blizzardborn]

She was still a Lannister and a Westlander.

Her father was a Lannister, we don't know what family her mother was born into.

You know Joanna named the twins at least. No way Tywin chose Cersei and Jamie. The J name for the male twin could certainly indicate a tie to his mother, or her family, but I wonder where Cersei came from. Tywin's mother's name maybe? But then it would probably have been mentioned in the books somewhere, undoubtedly by one of the Lannister clan.

[To catch a Lannister]

How about the entire story is made up and takes place in a different universe than ours so none of this shit really matters. Why would name implementation in the 18/19th century of Earth have any bearing on Westeros?

[Red Wedding Cake]

It's worse to see similar names with such a dizzying cast of characters.

Is Viserion the dragon or the guy that's coming to take Daenerys' dragons?

Was it Jeyne Westerling or Poole that Robb Stark impregnated?

Why is Asha going to save Theon? I thought she was supposed to be bringing Rickon to safety!

Is Arianne just another one of Arya's name changes like Arry the orphan boy?

Which one was the asshole in the early chapters, Ser Berristan Selmy or Ser Boros Blount?

Is Roose the old methodic Bolton or the crazy deceptive Bolton?

Which Frey killed Robb again and which ones are leading armies against Stannis?

Was it Khal Jorah or Jaqo Mormont that raped and murdered Daenerys' girlfriend?

Don't get me started on all the people in Mereen...