Names.
A defining feature for individuals since time began. We are all given a name from or parents, hence the term Given Name,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Given_name
and eventually as time passed, we added surnames, our familial name usually patrilineal.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surname
Switching courses for a moment, etymology is the study of the history of words. All words we use in today's languages are derivatives from ancient languages, which in turn are derivatives from even more ancient languages. Eventually an original or base translation can be found.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology
This in mind, I hope to show that George R. R. Martin has covered even the most minute of details. He thought in advance of a very specific naming system that ties to many character's paths throughout the series.
Just as a reminder, these examples are my interpretations of the information gathered. There can and will be other possibilities. I chose these by relation to story mainly, with a small amount of influences from other thoughts, ideas, and theories. Hey, gotta keep some secrets, right???? Let's begin.
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- Stark
--German
--Means strong
--The Stark family is obviously a strong family physically. They live in the North in the harshest of climates. They have also shown their mental strength. Robb ran a very productive war campaign, even after his father was executed, until Tywin capitalized on Robb's one mistake. Bran is training to become the only living tree wizard. Rickon is living on an island of cannibals. Sansa had dealt with the liked of Joffery, and Ramsey in the show. Arya is training to become a faceless assassin. Pretty safe to say, at least, the children of Stark are strong characters.
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- Eddard/Ned
--Old English
--Means wealthy protector
--Nickname for Edward or Edmund
--Association- old, wealthy, protector(defender)
--Ned Stark is Warden of the North (protector).
--Stark is one of the oldest houses names we hear of in the North or Westeros (old).
--House Stark is very prominent and wealthy in comparison to other Northern houses, second only to House Manderly of White Harbor(wealthy protector).
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- Catelyn/Cat
--Greek-
--Means pure
--Catelyn is a variation of Caitlin. Caitlin is Irish Gaelic for Catherine. Catherine is Old French for Katherine. Katherine is Greek for pure. (Shooooo)
--Associations- Hecate(magic), aikia(torture)
--Associated with Aikaterine of Alexandria who was born a pagan but died a Christian martyr. Many other Catherine died as martyrs throughout history.
--Catelyn was of House Tully who served the new gods, the Faith of the Seven. In that regard, she married a Northman who worshiped the old gods yet stayed "pure" in a religious sense. She didn't convert her faith, but instead, Ned built a Sept at Winterfell for her worship(pure).
--In many ways Catelyn is associated with torture. In a sense, she has been tortured her entire life firstly, having to marry the brother of a man she loved. Then immediately after Ned returned from war, she is tortured by having to, not only see, but also help raise a constant reminder of Ned's infidelity. I would consider it torturous to be a part of a revenge plot, while trying to grieve for your recently executed husband. To add to the overpowering feeling, while on said war campaign, news arrived that her two youngest sons have been killed. They were supposed to be safe at home, and she should have been there with them in normal circumstances. Torture is the only word I know to describe what she must have felt while watching the events play out at the Twins, during the Red Wedding. And finally, probably the most torturous of all, being brought back from death, to relive all those emotions and griefs, while in a zombie state. Catelyn finally had an end to all the torture that this life had put her through, only to be resurrected three days later to live on in a world where everything important was dead, murdered by rival houses(torture).
--Last but not least, Lady Stoneheart is definitely associated with magic. Whether it's the powers of the R'hllor or magic in the typical sense, something defied science as we know it, and brought her dead body back to a state of consciousness(magic).
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- Robb
--Old German
--Means bright, fame, king
--Association-bright, fame, king, duke
--Robb is nobility by birth and raised to head of House Stark after his father's execution, essentially making him Warden of the North(duke).
--While fighting in the war campaign to avenge his father, he gains much notoriety for his battle tactics, fearlessness, and his fighting shadow, the direwolf Grey Wind(fame).
--With Grey Wind by his side, he leads his men to battle where he outshines most men his elder. He even manages to capture Jaime Lannister at the Whispering Wood(bright).
--After many battles, the Northmen decide to secede from the Seven Kingdom. In the process, they proclaim Robb as King in The North(king).
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- Sansa
--African
--Means or is a musical instrument, thumb piano
--San
--English and Hebrew-
--Means sandpiper bird, lily, rose
--Nsa
--Greek- short for Nysa-
--Means goal or ambition
--Both of Ned Starks daughters names are associated with music. Sansa being an African instrument more commonly known as a thumb piano. .
--Throughout the series Sansa is referred to by pet names. One in particular we the reader, hear multiple times is little bird. This particular one is the Hound's choice of pet name for her(sandpiper bird/little bird).
--Being that she is a Stark, Sansa is a relative to Lyanna, who is metaphorically referenced as Winters Rose or Blue Rose(lily/rose).
--Petyr Baelish has had an eye for Catelyn since they were children. Now that he's older, he sees an opportunity to have her daughter. She is both a prize and a slap in Catelyn face for denying him for all these years(goal).
--It could be said that's Sansa's eagerness to wed Joffery and become Queen was an act of ambition. It could also be described as a stupid little girls dreams and fantasies. Either way, I'm sure she regrets ever opening her mouth and asking to go to Kings Landing.
--She,herself, could be described as an ambition. Any man who manages to take her hand in marriage takes control of the North and Winterfell. As far as any Southerner knows, all the male children of House Stark are dead, making Sansa a hot commodity(ambition).
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- Bran
--Gaelic and Welsh
--Means crow, raven, thicket, bramble
--Bran starts dreaming of a three eyed raven or crow after he is pushed from the tower. Jojen convinced him to set out on a journey that leads them North of the Wall to meet a man who they call the three eyed raven. We find out later his name is Brynden Rivers also know as Bloodraven. (crow or raven)
--When Bran meets Bloodraven he is sitting on a Weirwood Throne. After further investigation, he sees the weirwood is growing through him, making him part of the actual tree. We find out the tree holds the consciousness of past children of the forest. With training, Bran will be able to view this consciousness and see what the children and trees have seen(thicket/tree).
--Being a Stark, Bran is related to Lyanna who is metaphorically know as the Winters Rose or the Blue Rose(bramble).
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- Arya
--Sanskrit and Persian
--Means noble
--Hebrew
--Means lioness
--Italian
--Meaning or is associated with music, a solo performed by a leading character in an opera
--Associated with being both a boy's and a girls name equally
--Firstly, Arya is born from House Stark making her nobility(noble).
--She is known to be fiesty. She likes to run and play with the boys, getting dirty, sword fighting, and riding to name a few. She has also became the hunter of the pack by becoming an assassin(lioness).
--After the Hound succumbs to his wounds and she leaves him there to die, Arya has no real direction. She has a sword called Needle, a Braavosi coin given to her by Jaqen H'ghar, and a list of names of the people she wants to kill. With no other options, Arya follows Jaqen's orders and sets off to Braavos on a solo trip . Her goal is to find and learn the way of the assassin from Faceless Men(aria/solo performance by leading character).
--The series is also called A SONG of ice and fire(opera).
--Lastly, her name Arya is interchangeable between genders. It shows up just as frequently as a boys name as it does a girls name in Persian countries. This foreshadows her ability to disguise herself as both boy and girl. While in hiding with Hotpie and Gendry, she pretends to be a boy as often as she does a girl(interchangable genders).
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- Lyanna
--English
--Means lioness
--Associated with blend, lioness
--Leana is a variant of the Greek name Helen
--Lyanna Stark is an enigma. We never meet her but she is at the core, the reason events have happen in the series. She is the first in history to be part in combining two of the most powerful bloodlines, House Stark and House Targaryen. This makes Jon a unique combination of fire and ice(blend).
--Arya is compared to Lyanna quite frequently. Everything for appearances to mannerisms. So it's no surprise both Arya and Lyanna translate to the same thing. But also, Lyanna was very much a tomboy like Arya. She was more interested in playing, swordfighting, and riding that girly stuff. If she turns out to be the Knight of the Laughing Tree it just shows her willingness to hunt for her pack/pride and that she is fiercely protective(lioness).
--Leana is a derivative of the Greek name Helen. In Greek mythology, Helen was the daughter of Zeus. She was abducted by Paris, which in turns causes the Battle of Troy. Whether this is an abduction and rape, or a consensual elopement is still debated. Paris is killed in the fighting and in at least one account Helen dies as well. This scenario sounds quite familiar if you ask me!!!
--Lyanna is also referred to as the a Winter Rose or Blue Rose. As shown, more than one Stark child is associated with roses.
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- Rickon
--Ric
--Old Englsh
--Means complete ruler, powerful ruler, peaceful ruler
--Con
--Old German and Latin
--Means hound, wold, brave ruler, horn
--Ill start this by being honest. This translation is nothing like what I foresaw for this character. I expected a Shaggydog story, then rickon to die. That being said, this is as much theory of what could happen to him, as it is association to his part in the books.
--With Bran becoming a tree wizard, it leaves Rickon as heir of Winterfell. After events of the Long Night, he could take over and become the ruler the North needs during the rebuilding stage(peaceful, complete, powerful ruler).
--Rickon, being of Stark descent, has the Dire direwolf as his sigil plus his actual direwolf Shaggydog (hound, wolf).
--As stated before, he could become the ruler the North needs during the time of rebuilding(bold ruler).
--I have no idea how he could be associated with horns. I guess he could find the real horn of Joramun on Skagos and awaken giants, but that's just an idea pulled out of thin air. He could be a metaphoric Horn of Joramun and be the catalyst to wake giant from Skagos (I've seen it theorized giants are metaphoric for greenseers). Other than those tin foil, no proofed ideas, I have no legitimate answer to horns.
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- Jon
--English and Hebrew
--Means gift from God
--Jon is definitely set up to be one of the main character. Tyrion and Daenerys are the only other characters that can rival his amount of POV chapters throughout the series. From the show, we see Melisandre bring him back to life after he was stabbed multiple times by this own men. She claims it is the work of R'hllor. During the Battle of the Bastards episodes, we see arrows hit all around him but not touch his person. R'hllor gave him back for a reason and it's a good chance he could turn out to be the Azor Ahai figure from prophesy(gift of God).
This is an article I wrote last year. Once I started researching, it was amazing all the little tidbit hidden in the characters names. Apologies for the absence. I'll be doing a blog explaining very soon. As always thank you for your time.
-Bran the Builder