George R. R. Martin on how he comes up with his characters' names. 

*slowly closes online name generator tab in browser*

Wonder how he came up with Hodor...*cries in corner*

danielle-Daenerys Edward-Eddard Brianna-Brienne Martin names people like nintendo names pokemon

Can't wait for Grizznuckle's books after ASOIAF

this is probably why there isnt a new book, hes probably just been stuck on a name for the last few years... :p

Cersei is a absolutely BEAUTIFUL name, I love saying it. Sansa too BTW.

The names are brilliant. They sound otherworldly but also realistic at the same time, like if our own world had turned out just a little different, we might have those names in real life.

Sand The Door. SaaandTheeeeeDooorrrr. SaaaannnnDooorrrr. Sandor.

Rhaegar Targaryen. With a name like that, of course he was bad ass.

"how did you come up with these beautiful names? it intrigues me." "uh... names are hard."

WAIT A FUCKIN MINUTE!!!! He has no Heir!??!?! This is dreadful news!! So George R. R. Martin will be the last of his House. The Grace of his Blood will end with him.

"Never give 2 characters names that start with the same letter" Proceeds to make Jon, Jon, Jon and Jon

"What's been useless to me is-you know, I thought it would be a cool tool at first, but it's the online fantasy name generators things." *Slowly closes Blood Elf Name Generator tab*

LOOOL so he gave Rhaegar a name different from other prev kings of Westeros and BOOOM the guy is dead.. its the name that jinxed him :P

WHAT TO NAME YOUR BABY IF YOU INTEND TO KILL IT OFF a book by George R R Martin

This man is a genius.

Theon Greyjoy has to be one of the best and most fitting names for a character ever.

Uhg. I so agree with his last bit saying he doesn't know the character if they don't have the right name yet. I spend sooo many hours looking up the "right" name for a character.

Oh my god, I actually got inspired by fantasy name generators for few names for my story and I was thinking to myself "I am such a loser, using this tool. I cannot come up with something myself."... Now I don't feel ashamed anymore, haha.

I've met a guy named Danerys (not Daenerys) and he was in 30s and from Mexico...

Stannis sounds like czech Stanislav, which mean"gaining fame by perseverance"

He's right. You could built the most amazing backstory, choose the name with the coolest etymology, but in the end it just has to sound right. You have to feel that the name completely suits the character

Grizznuckle isn't a bad name for a wildling I think?

Edric Storm is still the most badass name of all time.

I've always thought Rhaegar was such a badass name, such a shame that someone with a cool name like that was beat in battle by someone named Robert lol

It just occurred to me that Renly sounds like Henry lol

Beric Dondarrion must be my all time favourite name of all this awesome saga. Such a badass name.

Targaryen is such a powerful sounding name...

I love the name Alysanne, never heard it before and the combination of Alyssa and Anne is pretty creative. Velaryon and Targaryen sound like very strong and noble last names.

4:00 there is a Lady Stoneheart i loved it i wish i could see the whole costume 10/10

I love how he points out that there wasn't a lot of naming variety of the English kings at a certain point. Pre-Norman conquest had names like Egbert and Aethelred, and then all the Henrys and Edwards in the early modern era. Furthermore, not a single James or Charles until the Stuart Dynasty, and not a single George until the Hanover Dynasty.

A man has no name

He's my Idol in terms of fiction writers.

I really like Pycelle for some weird reason.

4:10 "Aegons and danaeryses"

GRRM you have such a beautiful mind. I envy the depths of thought and imagination, that fill the pages of your books. I am constantly left in a state of awe and admiration when I think of the complexities of your worlds and how effortless and reflective they are to me, a reader and aspiring writer. You, sir, are a legend!

Did anybody else realize that he said: "occasionally a Richard sneaks in?" I'll let myself out.

Did anyone else catch that guy cosplaying as robert baratheon?

"Occasionally a Richard sneaks in", I'm just imagining Richard the Fifth hiding behind the drapes, peering into the crowd of Henrys and Edwards.

"I AM DOLPH, SON OF SHAGGER" "ohh uhm.. i am Tyrion of house Lanister" "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DIE TYRION OF HOUSE LANISTER?"

There is a lady in the audience that truly scare me... look at 3:56, down in the middle...

“Readers will get confused if you name two characters with the same letter.” I am sad that these writers do not give me, a reader, the confidence in being able to tell the difference between the name John and the name Jack and distinguish their personalities.

This is one of the most burning questions I've had about the story. If I have a daughter I will names her Lyana or Elia. I love those names so much

How did you name that Hodor fella ?!

i just wanna ask george rr martin...have u ever been to dominican republic? cuz some of ur valyrian, exotic names are common in that island...my uncle's name is "danerys", and its a common name for a man, also jahaira which sounds like jaeherys is a very common female name too...my aunt's name is xiomara...sounds perfect for one of ur characters i would say...are those names greek?

This man is amazing, incredibly creative. It amazes me how he came up with such a living fantasy universe. The names, the bastard names, the house's and the storyline

Man I admire authors who can instantly come up with unique and interesting names, for me I can picture a character or ability but find it hard to give it a catchy name.

"People didn't know how to spell their own names." - It's actually more accurate to say that there simply was no standardization in medieval times. People simply wrote how they thought it sounded right, and there was no institution that could have given out universal norms. The Church had norms for Latin, obviously, but even those were only binding to the clergy, and pretty much only internally. You could say that all languages originally worked like jargons. Our understanding of spelling and grammar that we have today is a modern invention.

Lady Stoneheard in fucking character the whole time... Didn't even do an awkward giggle when someone I assume she is startstruck by makes shite joke, well played random lady, well played.

Martin be like: Sometimes I just use the daily expressions you face in life like: Oh, could you close the window and that becomes Closindow or: visit the loo: visiloo and I don't know, "close the door"? Clodor.

The way he talks and explains things just seems so natural and effortless to him. A natural storyteller for sure. I could sit and listen to him talk through the histories of Westeros all day

"Aegons and Deanerys..."

3:26 There's Lady Stoneheart lol

Did I see the Burger King in that crowd?

This guys an absolute genius. It amazes me is the imagination he has to create a world and people out of nothing. Authors are extremely gifted.

I love his answers he always answers properly and goes on with detail

hold the fridge

i demand more!!!!!

He gives so excellent answers to such small questions, he is so amazing

All hail King Eustace Targaryen First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm

He's not kidding about the English kings. The entire line from William the Conquerer to the end of the Tudors is: William, William, Henry, Henry, Richard, John, Henry, Edward, Edward, Edward, Richard, Henry, Henry, Henry, Edward, Edward, Richard, Henry, Henry, Edward, Mary, Elizabeth

I'm also very interested in names! Since I was a little kid, I I've loved reading books of names and making lists of them and using them for toys, pets, characters. There really are a lot of beautiful and awesome "made-up" names in GoT, whether they're like variants or combinations of "real" names or something wholly new...

I love how he speak, he inspire me, I really really like him and his books

I'm glad you said you get hung up when you can't get the name right. I thought I was doing that just because I'm dumb. Now I can relax and go with the flow. Who cares if it takes a week or two. The rest of the cast can just hang out and relax. Thanks.

04:04 that girls warging in the audience haha i need those contacts

I don't know why, but I always pictured George as a bit of a loner/awkward guy. Hell, maybe South Park put that image in my head. But now that I listen to all his stuff, he's actually really genuine and hilarious!

Agreed George R R Martin, creates brilliant names from his characters, Sandor Clegane, Beric Dondarian, Quaran halfhand, Mance Rayder

Names are so tough to think of especially original other worldly cool names.

I only want the books to come out if GRRM wants them to come out, if he dies and they dont come out then they weren't destined to come out...I dont think that will happen but Im making a point...Gdo bless this man

I keep staring at his head thinking "where's his damn hat?"

2 great writers on 1 stage omg 💜

"We're never gonna see King Eustace." *That's it, I'm gettin me mallet!*

And it take 2 months to name my cat...

"I can make mine all Aegons" ... oh boy ! This is why Jon Snow new name is Aegon !

Would've love to have been there for that! Hobb & Martin, my favourite post-Tolkien authors!

"For the right character, any name will do" - Love that!

Targaryen is a great name, reminded me of Trevelyan too. I don’t know if there is a set way to pronounce Arya, I would say “Ar-ya” rather than “Ar-ee-ah”. I think reading the first book I thought it was “Ar-ee-ah” for a short time, but thought that it didn’t make sense in the way other names were written. I have seen a few clips from the show and the Maisie Williams seemed to be able to pronounce it almost in between the two versions sometimes.

I've always wondered, did Final Fantasy borrow "onion knights" from asoiaf or vice versa, or just sheer coincidence?

Jaenara Belaerys, or house Qoherys, or even Vhagar & Meraxes, These names are Just astonishing 😭. Love Them

I really felt the last thing he said. “If I don’t find a right name for a character, it’s like I don’t know who he is and I can’t proceed on him”

pretty suspicious example "I can make mine all Aegon and Daeneryses" for those who watched 7x07.

Lannister is just a mix of Lenister an Lancaster

"Something always happens to the guy name Eustace before he can uh climb to the throne!" 😂😂

This man... truly is a genius. He has so much passion for what he does. And he really is the best at it. You can see in every thing hesays every detail he is very clear and he also has a good sense of humor. I really love GRRM, and millions of people do. He changed my life forever with game of thrones. And I know it's fantasy and it's just a serie and books, but still. This is what i've been busy with the last month. Preparing for s7. And it's finally on our doorstep. #Thelongwaitisover

I always see my name getting used alot in these things- Sam. It’s always that loveable character you can count on just to help out. we never gunna be the best in the game but we there anyways for a laugh 😂😂😂 shout out sams

Bend the knee Ben da knee Be da knee Da knee Danee Dany

I'm no professional author. I mostly just write fanfiction, though I have kinda started writing my own story a little bit (but I haven't gotten very far, mind you). And some of what George has said here resonates with me when it comes to naming characters. Especially characters that don't already exist in the fictional world or universe they live in, so you have to create your own and give them a unique name. I'm currently writing an Elder Scrolls fanfic with the characters from ESO and Skyrim, and in TES games, some of the main characters have no identity save for what you give them, so I used the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Page (UESP) wiki page to find names that caught my eye and I gave them to my characters. And when it comes to naming characters from my own story, I used those fantasy name generators he mentioned and managed to find some cool names on them. Also, when George said he gives his characters names that sound right to him, I can relate because I basically do the same thing.

Greatness takes time. People need to be patient with him when it comes to his new books.

he came with the name jaime cause jaime is a spaniard, thats a spanish name. And lannisters are based on the Borgias.

3:57 White Walker sighted!

This man is just straight up genius!! He created a whole entire world!

Cool-sounding names, that is his criteria. Very nice.

When I listen to George R. R. Martin without watching him talk, I can't help but picture Peter Griffin. :)

I wonder what's the origin of Hodor's name.

The girl who asked the question has such a soothing nice voice omg

I wondered about the names and spellings too. "Podrick " could come from "Padraig"; "Catelyn" is reminiscent of "Caitlyn "; "Cersei " called to mind the enchantress "Circe" from the Odyssey. The man is a master wordsmith and moniker-maker....

4:03 Is that a Warg amongst the crowd?

Let me get that straight, so it's no to Grisnuckle, and yes to Kraznys mo Nakloz and Skahaz mo Kandaq? Right.

He took two names from the Hungary: Sandor Clegane. - Sándor is the Hungarian version of Alexander. Janos Slynt. - János is the Hungarian version of John.

Best fantasy story ever based on many characters but The Name of the Wind is probably the best one based on just one. Top 2 fantasy right there