Careful What You Name Your Kids

Published May 22, 2019 · Updated July 6, 2022

I just wanted to point out something that isn’t being talked about much. For almost a decade, the names Daenerys and Khaleesi we’re 2 of the most popular names for both children and pets. While having a pet named after Daenerys wouldn’t be so bad, there are hundreds 9f thousands of girls, now aged zero to 10, who are named after a mass murdering queen of fictional lore. I’m sure that none of the people who chose to name their children Khaleesi or Daenerys envisioned such a turn, but regardless, we can all use this as a cautionary example: wait until you are sure which side the coin lands on before naming your children after fictional characters.

Speaking through personal history, I named my son Peyton after Peyton Manning. My son is 9 years old now and had asked why he was named after a football player, to which I tell him that Peyton Manning is athletic, smart, rich, funny, and genuinely an all-around role model, and I show him clips from time to time of his highlights on the field as well as commercials he’s been in and interviews he’s done.

When all the Khaleesi’s of this world ask their parents the same question, I hope those parents know how to lie better than Jon.

Derek English, Pittsburgh

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