The success of Game of Throne is such that the show has influenced many parents when deciding what to name their children. The risk when naming your offspring after a character in a show which hasn’t yet finished, is that that character might still evolve to show a less pleasant side. And, in the blink of an eye, a character whose courage, values and integrity we once admired transforms into a violent killer.
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Those who chose to name their children after Cersei already knew the type of character they were referring to. However, those who wished to pay homage to the Mother of Dragons by naming their children Khaleesi or Daenerys may live to regret their decision (see the video above).
No regrets
In episode 5 of the last series on HBO, the “Breaker of Chains” loses her mind. Enraged by the loss of her two dragons, her friend Missandei and by the prospect of seeing the Iron Throne slip through her fingers and into the grasp of the rightful heir (who just so happens to be her nephew and her lover), Daenerys deserts her values and descends into violence. Not content with killing Cersei and the rest of her enemies, she went on to burn the whole of King’s Landing to the ground, along with the innocent civilians within it. The final episode didn't do much to redeem Dany before she met a sticky end either...
So, are some parents regretting their decision to name their offspring after a power-hungry mass-murderer? Not exactly. The magazine, Vulture got in contact with several families who chose Daenerys or Khaleesi as names for their kids, and the show’s recent events do not seem to have prompted second thoughts, although no one condones the Mother of Dragon’s behaviour in “The Bells”.
“I have no regrets whatsoever. I still love the name, and I have fond memories linked to the name, insofar as I am still hooked to the show”, explained American Hector Morales Rivera to Vulture. And his reasoning: when his wife was pregnant, she felt her baby kick at the very moment when a character mentioned Daenerys’ name whilst the couple were watching an episode. Khaleesi’s recent behaviour “has not changed how I feel about Dany…I don’t have the slightest regret!”, explained Chanel Stout. What awaits us in the final episode of the series remains to be seen.