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[Opinions] All 56 named Targaryen's, which do you like? which do you hate?
I'm eagerly awaiting season 2 of House of the Dragon and wanted to utilize some of that energy. Here are all of the named Targaryen's in the GRRM universe. Which do you like? which do you hate? I will add my own later. (also I just pulled this list from online and did not verify if they are all correct so don't come after me, lol) Aegon
Aelor
Aelora
Aelyx
Aemon
Aemond
Aenar
Aenys
Aerea
Aerion
Aerys
Alysanne
Alyssa
Baela
Baelon
Baelor
Daella
Daemion
Daemon
Daena
Daenerys
Daenora
Daenys
Daeron
Duncan
Elaena
Gael
Gaemon
Helaena
Jaehaerys
Maegelle
Maegon
Maegor
Maekar
Maelor
Matarys
Naerys
Rhae
Rhaegar
Rhaegel
Rhaella
Rhaelle
Rhaena
Rhaenyra
Rhaenys
Saera
Shaena
Shaera
Vaegon
Vaella
Valarr
Valerion
Visenya
Viserra
ViserysEdit: This list is not complete as I am realizing it did not include Jaehaera, twin of Jaehaerys. There are probably others as well not included thenPlease rate my "Names I would Use" list & "Backup Favorites" list. Feel free to rate some of my other lists too if you have the time.
https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/223226/138473

This message was edited 3/14/2024, 12:32 PM

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Note: I have a bad memory and haven't read any ASOIAF since high school so I might accidentally put some names in my 'works IRL' list that are actually way too associated with non-nameworthy characters that I forgot about!
Like (for real people-- doesn't mean I'd use them myself but I'd like to see them IRL):
Aelora (but Elora and Alora are better for IRL)
Aemon
Aemond
Aenar (but it's close to Einar and that's better)
Alysanne
Baela (much better than Bailey on a girl IMO)
Daella (would be a little annoying to spell but not bad)
Daemion
Daemon
Daena
Daenora (a bit complicated but still ok for IRL I think)
Elaena (I actually really like this even though I know it would be easier to be named Elena, Elaina, or Elayna)
Gael
Helaena
Rhaella
Rhaelle
Rhaena (but it would always get mistaken for Raina, Rayna, Reyna, etc.)
Saera (GP, I know it wouldn't really work with Sarah, Sara, Sera, etc. being more obvious)
Shaena (I do like this as a version of Shayna. Shae is already popular and Shaena looks nice)
Vaella
Visenya
Like (for characters only):
Aegon
Aelor
Aerion (Arion or Erion for IRL-- I like the "Ae" thing but only when the rest of the name is more simple)
Aerys (sounds like Eris to me, although I think they pronounce it like Ares on the show?)
Baelon
Baelor
Daenerys (too complicated and too tied to the character for an IRL person)
Daeron (I could see someone using this almost as a variant of Darren but the pronunciation would emphasize "ron")
Maegelle (I could sort of see this IRL but idk)

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This message was edited 3/14/2024, 11:15 PM

Daenerys
Gael
Helaena
Maegelle
Viserys
Aemond
Vaegon
Jaehaerys
Jaehaera
RhaegarMy favorite is Viserys
The names below are ok for fictional characters. Most of them are "youneek" spellings of names in existence. Of course, there are some names that are already well established human names (eg. Alyssa, Duncan, Gael and Valerian with an "a").Alysanne
Alyssa
Baela
Baelon
Baelor
Daemon
Daena
Daenora
Duncan
Gael
Helaena
Maelor
Naerys
Rhaena
Saera
Shaena
Shaera
Vaella
Valerion
Viserra

This message was edited 3/14/2024, 3:34 PM

Love: ValerionLike: Alyssa, Daemion, Daemon, Gael, ShaenaNeutral: Alysanne, Elaena, Saera, Shaera, Vaegon, Visenya, Viserra, Viserys
I like Visenya a lot. I wouldn't use it but would like seeing it used. I think Vi and Enya could be NNs.I like Alysanne a lot more than Allison tbh.Duncan and Alyssa look normal, although Duncan seems dorky.I like Baela a lot, although I prefer the spelling Beyla.Aelora, Daena, Rhaena, Shaena, Daemon are ok, but I'd just spell them Alora / Elora, Dana, Raina, Shaina, and Damon.I like Aemon and Gael pretty well but would be just as content with Eamon and Gail.I think Valarr is a good elaboration of Valor. It's less in your face but sounds strong.Maegelle reminds me of Miguel. Miguela? Maegella?Vaella (vay-la), Rhaenys, Daenys (day-nees), Daenerys, Jaehaerys, Jaehaera sound nice to me, although Rhaenys and Daenerys are very tied to the characters in a way I don't really like (but they're good enough names for characters).

This message was edited 3/15/2024, 6:38 AM

I don’t like any of them. I’m not a fan of “ae”.
Actually, Valerion and Viserra aren’t bad.
Doesn't Viserra sound like Viscera? I've got no knowledge of the stories/books/movies at all, so it might not, but equally, it might.
I have no idea, but it’s possible. I personally was pronouncing Viserra with emphasis on the second syllable.
For some more fun: here are some of the twin sets Jaehaerys and Jaehaera
Aelor and Aelora
Rhaella and Aerea
Baela and Rhaena
Wow, the overkill on lazy name-invention. As a list they look computer-generated.
(grousing about the author - not about your post, which I think is fun.)if taken one at a time ... which I'm sure is what you mean for us to do...Raina is a great name and spelling it Rhaena is just, it doesn't make it more like it's part of a fictional world, it just looks bad to me. Or is it supposed to be an "eye" sound, like rhino with an -a?
Same with Elaena, Daemon, Saera ... lol what is Aenys? I read it to sound like "anus." And Aerea ... area? I'm irritated by this. The most appealing ones to me are:
Valerion, Matarys ... those are kinda cool.
Shaera, too, but that "ae" - I want it spelled a better way. I like Alyssa and Duncan, even though it seems like in a story with the rest of them, they'd make me laugh.
Yeah, they are supposed to be based on "Valyrian language" names, but he didn't actually make up a language, so they're not really based on anything. Alyssa and Duncan look different because they aren't supposed to be traditional Valyrian names. They were named after people from Westeros (probably Andals? Idk, whatever).

This message was edited 3/14/2024, 1:55 PM

agree ...I'm not very familiar with the franchise, but it does feel lazy the way the names have been created. When you see them all together it gives off a terrible, repetitive, made-up-by-a-fourteen-year-old-with-too-much-time-indoors. I can't imagine listening to the books on audio, I would have a hard time keeping characters straight.
Agree with many of your points
The "ae" in these Valyrian names alternates between being pronounced like a long-A, or like the æsc / "ash" during the Roman Empire. Application of this, admittedly, seems a bit inconsistent, but for the names you asked about:Rhaena = Raina
Elaena = Elena / Alaina
Daemon = Damon
Saera = Sarah
Aenys = Ennis
Aerea = ...I think this one is eh-RAY-uh? Alas, I don't know.
Very close! Aerea is ah-Ray-ah
You are mentioning all of the ones that stood out to me as well, and I agree. I prefer Tolkien’s inventions. Aenys… yeah. I’d be interested to know about that character’s role.
I'd pronounce Aenys as "ay-NEES" since Rhaenys has been pronounced "ray-NEES" in the shows. Though Aerys was more like "EH-ris" so who knows.He's the 2nd Targaryen king. His father was called The Conqueror and his younger brother was called The Cruel. He was an affable guy supposedly but known as a weak king. He had a short reign, died from stress induced cramps and loose bowels (although a LOT of Targaryens died from random things like that, so there's a fan theory that the Maesters were assassinating them, as part of a bigger conspiracy to eliminate magic; the Maesters had the monopoly on medical care for Westerosi nobility fyi). Maybe it is supposed to bring to mind incontinence...

This message was edited 3/14/2024, 6:35 PM

This is fun! George R.R. Martin largely modified existing names, especially names in use in the Medieval Europe, for most of Westerosi culture (though at one point in the Fire & Blood chronicles you can tell he just said "eff it," because a group of Tullys have legit Muppet names: Kermit, Grover, and Elmo). But the Valyrian names for Targaryens are where he got creative with name roots and mashing them together. They're obviously too "weird" to use in real life, but some of them really appeal to the name nerd in me.I genuinely like:Aemon
Aemond
Daemon (luckily has a real-world counterpart, Damon)
Daeron (luckily has a real-world counterpart, Daren / Darren)
Valerion (luckily has a real-world counterpart, Valerian)
Viserys
&
Alyssa (okay, this is a legit - if a bit dated now - name)
Elaena (luckily has a real-world counterpart, Elena / Alaina)
Helaena (luckily has a real-world counterpart, Helena)
Naerys (luckily has a real-world counterpart, Nerys)
Rhaenyra
Visenya
Viserra

This message was edited 3/14/2024, 11:36 AM

Same. I really love Helaena actually! I think it's beautiful and would even venture I like it a bit moreso than Helena!