MORE PARENTS than ever before are naming their newborn children after Game of Thrones characters.
According to Social Security Administration data published in the US via NBC, excluding Jons and Jaimes that may otherwise be explained, 4,500 children were given names seemingly inspired by the show in 2018.
That represents an increase on the 3,800-plus reported in 2017 and the 3,200 or more recorded in 2016.
The figure comes from the total of 3.8 million babies born in the US in 2018, which were given more than 29,000 distinct names.
According to the new data, 319 newborn baby girls were named Lyanna last year, while Yara (434), Shae (125) and Renly (102) were all surprisingly popular choices.
560 baby girls were named Khaleesi while some decidedly dodgy spelling meant 19 were named Caleesi while five were named Khaleesie. Oh dear.
Arya was far and away the most popular, with 2,545 named in 2018 though that name is used internationally.
The full list of names reads as follows:
- Arya: 2,545 (note that Arya is a name used internationally)
- Khaleesi: 560
- Yara: 434
- Lyanna: 319
- Shae: 125
- Renly: 102
- Jory: 72
- Tyrion: 58
- Brienne: 33
- Jorah: 30
- Sansa: 29
- Catelyn: 21
- Ellaria: 17
- Oberyn: 15
- Nymeria: 15
- Ramsay: 15
- Theon: 14
- Aerys: 14
- Gregor: 11
- Shireen: 11
- Talisa: 11
- Sandor: 10
- Khal: 9
- Olenna: 9
- Rennick: 9
- Daenarys: 8
- Bran: 8
- Beric: 8
- Brynden: 8
- Myranda: 8
- Bronn: 7
- Samwell: 7
- Myrcella: 6
- Aegon: 6
- Benjen: 6
- Ghita: 6
- Martyn: 6
- Meryn: 6
