Once again Game of Thrones fever has the nation in its thrall. The eagerly awaited eighth and final season of the epic show dropped on Sunday night to the delight of fans (both canine and human) worldwide!
Ever since a gorgeous litter of direwolf puppies—played by Northern Inuit dogs—appeared in the opening scenes of the series, dog lovers everywhere were hooked. Game of Thrones actor, Sophie Turner who plays Sansa even adopted the dog who plays her character’s direwolf, Lady.
Sadly though their popularity has sparked an alarming trend; many GoT viewers have gone out and bought huskies because of their resemblance to direwolves but failed to take into consideration the amount of time, money and patience required to take care of these highly active, sociable, and intelligent dogs. This has led to a surge in the number of huskies being left at shelters around the world—last week, Dogs Trust reported that there had been a 420% rise in abandoned “wolf lookalike” dogs. GoT stars Peter Dinklage and Jerome Flynn have urged the show’s fans to stop buying huskies because they look like direwolves, and Rover also advises that you adopt instead of buy if you’d like to add a new member to your family.
But even if you’ve got your eye on a Chihuahua-sized mixed breed from the local shelter, you can still show the world that you’re a hardcore GoT fan. Just give your new family member a name from the show! So how do you choose a great GoT-themed name for your new dog? Consider size, look, and personality—this list has options to fit any dog and many of the names are gender-neutral. Good luck and have fun picking the perfect name for your new buddy!
Great Game of Thrones Dog Names
- Aemon
- Arya
- Asha
- Asshia
- Balon
- Bear
- Bronn
- Cersei
- Daario
- Dorea
- Dorne
- Drogon
- Elia
- Ellaria
- Ghost
- Grey Wind
- Hodor
- Ice
- Jaqen
- Jorah
- Khal Drogo
- Khaleesi
- Kingslayer
- Lady
- Longclaw
- Loreza
- Lyanna
- Meera
- Melisandre
- Mhysa
- Myrcella
- Ned
- Nymeria
- Osha
- Ramsey
- Raven
- Rhaegal
- Rhaella
- Roose
- Sandor
- Sansa
- Shaggydog
- Snow
- Stannis
- Stark
- Sully
- Summer
- Syrio
- Tarly
- Theon
- Tormund
- Tyrion
- Valyrian
- Varys
- Viper
- Viserion
- Walder
- Winter
- Yara
- Ygritte
Dog Naming Advice
Keep training in mind when you choose your new dog’s name—this is particularly important for puppies. When you’re teaching your new dog to respond to commands like sit, stay, or come, you’ll want to be sure their name isn’t a source of confusion. In other words, avoid puppy names that sound like a common dog training cue, such as “Bit,” which could easily be misheard as “sit.”
Of course, what matters most is that the dog name you choose rolls off your tongue. The best names will make you happy. We’re fans of the “backdoor test” for dog name selection. It’s pretty much what it sounds like: stand at the back door and call out your new dog‘s potential name. Saying “Khal, it’s time for dinner!” or “Rhaella, leave it!” helps take the name out of your imagination and into reality.
Good luck, have fun, and make sure to check out the rest of our dog name coverage. As dog lovers through and through here at Rover we love searching through our data on the topic to discover hot trends, unique choices, and twists on the classics. Over the years, we’ve compiled plenty of names for you to peruse—and we keep our lists updated with new data each year. To start, check out our list of the most popular dog names of 2018, or take a look at our list of Scottish dog names, and Irish names for dogs!
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Featured image: Phillip Lauer via today.com
