The rise of Arya, Khaleesi, and Daenerys: How pop culture influences baby name trends

Best Baby Names Famous politicians can be a strong source of names for some parents. Woodrow was a rare name in the U.S. until the early 20th century when Woodrow Wilson gained national prominence, first as the governor of New Jersey in 1911, and then as president in 1913. Decades later, the number of baby boys named Lyndon surged when Lyndon B. Johnson succeeded John F. Kennedy as president in 1963. Sports stars have also left their mark on naming registries. During the early 1990s, there was a brief spike in the popularity of Shaquille, tracking with Shaquille O’Neal’s rise from college basketball phenom to NBA superstar. The name Peyton climbed steadily from the late 1990s through the 2000s, mirroring the growth of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning’s career. Television, too, has shaped boys’ names. The mid-1990s spike in Chandler is thanks to “Friends” and the character Chandler Bing. Similarly, Dawson became a popular name for baby boys when the show “Dawson’s Creek” rose in popularity. Perhaps the most notable example of parents inspired by pop culture is the name Anakin. In 1999, as “Star Wars: Episode I” introduced the boy who would become Darth Vader, the name Anakin shot up dramatically, cementing George Lucas as a tastemaker not just in theaters, but in maternity wards, too. Story editing by Carla Pineda. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on Best Baby Names and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.