Jo(h)n? What is the appeal of the name?

[Sullen]

Could he be named after Jon Connington? If Ned named him you'd think he'd pick a Stark name, even though he's a bastard.

I think you forgot Jon Arryn.

[falcotron]

Touché. It has to be short, and start with a strong but pleasant sound. Also, I'd say that the following vowel shouldn't be too tense, I don't think Jim works, either.

<insert 300 Spock and McCoy quotes here>

Anyway, I've always found it funny is how many fantasy characters are named John/Jon, Luke, Paul, and other names that would not even exist in the English language were it not for Christianity. You can justify names like Bran making it from the Old Tongue to the Common the same way it made it from Celtic to English, and Eddard/Ned and Robb deriving from Old Andal the same way they derived from Anglo-Saxon (or dually from Anglo-Saxon and Norman French, in the latter case), but what's the parallel for Jon making it from Hebrew to English?

[Free Northman]

A hero's name should be short, sharp, strong and a monosyllable if possible.

[Ygrain]

A hero's name should be short, sharp, strong and a monosyllable if possible.

Yeah, but what makes John better than Don, Ron, Tom, Shawn... :-)

[Free Northman]

Yeah, but what makes John better than Don, Ron, Tom, Shawn... :-)

I can't say. But there's a magic to it. John Clayton was Tarzan's real name, for example.

Ron, Tom, Shawn or Don sound kind of silly next to John. There is a power to that name, for some reason.

EDIT

Oh and Jon reads so much better than John. Also, for some reason.

[roxWolfox]

Jack is another 'heroic' name...as is Al (Alexander, Albert). Jon being the 'chosen one' or somesuch is a fave name for writers writing about heroes.

John Shep from ME doesn't hold a candle to John 117 of the UNSC...truly...that man is gigantic in persona and in person. 6'7, 287 lbs...plus he's got one of the most awesome voices on the planet...

If you need a little know-how on how spectacular Master Chief is, just chat me on CMDA, and I'll give you a link...otherwise just google Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn...

John Shep doesn't even come close....

Heh heh heh

I'm so evil....

:cool4:

[The Wolves]

Thanks for pointing this out but I don't think Jon Snow is a hero and his name is really common I do like the sound of Jon Snow

[Techelles]

Could he be named after Jon Connington? If Ned named him you'd think he'd pick a Stark name, even though he's a bastard.

Jon Arryn was Jon Snow's namesake, but there have been Jon Starks in the past as well.

[Aetta]

I have definitely been saved by a Don's John before...just sayin'

[James Arryn]

There is nothing wrong with ubiquitous male names beginning with the letter J.

We are people too.

[Ally Cat of the canals]

It's a solid everyman name. I don't think it's the same thing as being "bland," so much as it's something relatable about the character (we all know a John/Jon), and takes the focus off the guy's name and puts it more onto what he does.

It's a solid everyman name. I don't think it's the same thing as being "bland," so much as it's something relatable about the character (we all know a John/Jon), and takes the focus off the guy's name and puts it more onto what he does.

I also know a few Seans or Shawn if you can't spell. Sean is Irish for John. It does seem to be a popular name in fiction and real life so it works. I really boring name would be Dave if you asked me. Dave belongs working weekends in a hardware shop with the price of screws to keep him occupied

[Greymoon]

...wasn't it said somewhere that GRRM has purposely alluded to Memory Sorrow and Thorn? Just thinking, that the old King who sits on the Dragonbone chair at the beginning of the tale is called John.

And then there's the whole Jon's short for Jonathan and means "Gift from God" thing, seems a fitting name for an AAR pretender.

Or maybe we're meant to take a hint, and Jon is named for John Lackland.

Its also a very typical name, as old and used as Richard, Henry, William, etc.