(Spoilers ADWD) What was Theon's name before he became 'Theon'?

[Alayne Stoned]

In ADWD's the turncloak chapter, it is written:

"A few names came back to him,unbidden..... Theon Stark, the Hungry Wolf. My namesake."

I doubt that Balon Greyjoy named him after a stark at birth, so this begs the question: If the Starks named him Theon, what was his name before he became a hostage?

[Aemond's Eye]

I don't see why Balon wouldn't have called him by the name he gave him if it were not Theon. Plus he wasn't necessarily named after Theon Stark - they just share a name; they're namesakes like Balon Greyjoy and Balon Swann.

[Everett Snow]

Theon was a little boy when Ned took him, but he was already named Theon before that. The Starks didn't rename him halfway through his childhood.

[Alayne Stoned]

So just to be clear; Theon was named after Theon Stark, 'The Hungry Wolf', former King in the North.
So Balon, arch enemy of the North names his son after a Stark that was once King, soon before crowning himself king and declaring war on the Starks?

Forgive me if this doesn't sound like it makes a lot of sense.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

So just to be clear; Theon was named after Theon Stark, 'The Hungry Wolf', former King in the North.

So Balon, arch enemy of the North names his son after a Stark that was once King, soon before crowning himself king and declaring war on the Starks?

Forgive me if this doesn't sound like it makes a lot of sense.

He wasn't named after Theon Stark. Theon is some other name that repeats. There is a Jon Stark who was a King. Arryn wasn't name after him.

[Alayne Stoned]

I guess it depends what 'namesake' means to GRRM. In my opinion it's open to interpretation and furthermore, it makes sense that the Starks named him Theon and he blocks out his old name, much like he does now as Reek.
Tinfoil?

[Bright Blue Eyes]

Definitely tinfoil.

The Ironborn and the Northmen are both primarily First Men, with the same original language. They share a lot of their names and don't have different dialects twisting them as much as the First Men and Andals do.

Another example would be Theon's brother Rodrik Greyjoy, sharing a name with Ser Rodrik Cassel.

[Aemond's Eye]

I guess it depends what 'namesake' means to GRRM. In my opinion it's open to interpretation and furthermore, it makes sense that the Starks named him Theon and he blocks out his old name, much like he does now as Reek.

Tinfoil?

Namesake isn't open to interpretation though - it simply means you share the same name as someone. Balon Swann is a namesake of Balon Greyjoy - he's not named after him.

Again, why would all the Greyjoys refer to him as Theon when he returns, if it wasn't the name they gave him? They hold the "greenlanders" in contempt, so they'd hardly recognise any name the Starks gave him.

There's nothing in the text to suggest Ned renamed him. Or that he would.

[The Last Conformist]

Namesake isn't open to interpretation though - it simply means you share the same name as someone. Balon Swann is a namesake of Balon Greyjoy - he's not named after him.

Again, why would all the Greyjoys refer to him as Theon when he returns, if it wasn't the name they gave him? They hold the "greenlanders" in contempt, so they'd hardly recognise any name the Starks gave him.

There's nothing in the text to suggest Ned renamed him. Or that he would.

This is arguing too much. "Namesake" is a vague word that can be a synonym with "eponym" (and typically is used that way) but which some dictionaries have decided can also mean two things that just happen to have the same name. (Quite why some dictionaries feel this way is unclear, as the oldest uses of the term use it as a synonym for "eponym", and that remains the common usage today.) Certainly, that makes it a pedant's favorite, but one where the pedantry has only a vague claim to being correct.

But that aside, when Theon was born, Balon hadn't rebelled yet, and there is no indication that at the time Balon bore any particular animosity towards the Starks. So it would be quite plausible for a Greyjoy to be named after a Stark king.

[Queen Ayras Lord Commander]

Theon's name has always been Theon. We can't say for sure if he was named after Theon Stark or not. I always felt it was Theon's way of coping with the fact that he's with the Starks now, and deep down, wants to be one of them (Stockholm syndrome much?). We also don't know how Balon viewed Ned before his failed war of ambition.

But long story short, Balon would call him what he named his son, not what the Starks had named him. Case Closed!

[Aemond's Eye]

This is arguing too much. "Namesake" is a vague word that can be a synonym with "eponym" (and typically is used that way) but which some dictionaries have decided can also mean two things that just happen to have the same name. (Quite why some dictionaries feel this way is unclear, as the oldest uses of the term use it as a synonym for "eponym", and that remains the common usage today.) Certainly, that makes it a pedant's favorite, but one where the pedantry has only a vague claim to being correct.

Valid point. Posting that namesake isn't open to interpretation wasn't really correct - I meant that, in this case, I didn't particularly feel it's open to interpretation in the way the OP does.

As to whether Balon would have named him after a Stark KITN? It's possible, but unlikely; he seems to have a contempt for "the greenlanders" in general. I think it's more likely that Theon is a shared name due to their roots, as Bright Blue Eyes suggested. Either way though, I don't see any indication in the text that Ned Stark renamed him.

[Sophie Lannister]

Maybe Theon was named after some other Theon, but views Theon Stark as his namesake anyway because he always secretly wanted to be one and its a way of feeling like he belongs at Winterfell?

[Gizzelle]

Balon, Victarion, Euron, Aeron, Theon.

The Greyjoys seem to favour a certain suffix the way others favour a prefix.

Seems to point to Balon naming him

[Hyperboreer]

I've thought about that too. It's noticeable that two of Balons sons (Rodrik and Theon) share their names with former Stark Kings. I was wondering which connection to the North Balon has. Maybe he wants to state ambtition with his choice of names. That he has the goal to take the North for his sons during his lifetime (as he did).

[Bright Blue Eyes]

I've thought about that too. It's noticeable that two of Balons sons (Rodrik and Theon) share their names with former Stark Kings. I was wondering which connection to the North Balon has. Maybe he wants to state ambtition with his choice of names. That he has the goal to take the North for his sons during his lifetime (as he did).

The Ironborn and the Northmen are both primarily First Men, with the same original language. They share a lot of their names and don't have different dialects twisting them as much as the First Men and Andals do.

[Ygritte]

Balon, Victarion, Euron, Aeron, Theon.

The Greyjoys seem to favour a certain suffix the way others favour a prefix.

Seems to point to Balon naming him

Yup. I'd actually find it more likely that Theon Stark was given an ironborn name on purpose (maybe his mother was ironborn?) than that Balon named his kid after a Stark on purpose. Or it could just be a coincidence.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I guess it depends what 'namesake' means to GRRM. In my opinion it's open to interpretation and furthermore, it makes sense that the Starks named him Theon and he blocks out his old name, much like he does now as Reek.

Tinfoil?

Namesake doesn't have to mean "deliberate."

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Balon, Victarion, Euron, Aeron, Theon.

The Greyjoys seem to favour a certain suffix the way others favour a prefix.

Seems to point to Balon naming him

Urrigon, Harlon, Quenton... D: it's true!

[Lady Meliora]

The word "namesake," for me at least, implies that one was named for the other. I don't know if that's how GRRM or Theon meant it, but I assumed there was some sort of connection between the names other than their just being the same name.

[nickdt]

Before Theon was Theon, his name was Reek.