Any new fan getting into Game of Thrones for the first time might struggle to remember all the differnet character names. George R.R. Martin's world of Westeros is filled to the brim with incredible, three dimensional characters, but that doesn't mean they're always easy to keep straight. In season 1, audiences meet a "Varys" and a "Viserys," a "Jorah," a "Jeor," and a "Jory," and two different characters named "Robert."
Luckily, plenty of major players throughout the show have equally recognizable nicknames, both to show off their personality and to help fans remember who they are. These five Game of Thrones nicknames are just as iconic, if not more, than their character's actual name.
As a note, this list will not include any changed names, such as "Willis" to "Hodor" (Kristian Nairn), or "Theon" to "Reek" (Alfie Allen) and back again.
5. "The Spider"
Fans first meet Varys (Conleth Hill) in the third episode of the series, "Lord Snow." When Ned Stark (Sean Bean) arrives in King's Landing, audiences meet a number of new faces in relatively quick succession, including members of King Robert's (Mark Addy) small council. As such, it can be difficult to tell the "Petyrs" apart from the "Pycelles" if you're not paying terribly close attention,
Luckily, Varys has earned the nickname of "the spider" thanks to his large web of spies, spanning throughout Westeros and even into the neighboring continent of Essos. "The Spider" nickname suits Varys, a clever yet crafty underdog, quite well. Plus, Varys' nickname helps differentiate him from another similarly named character from season 1, Viserys (Harry Lloyd). Though they don't share any scenes, it can be easy to trip over those two strikingly similar names when reading them in A Song of Ice and Fire for the first time (just ask this writer).
4. "The Kingslayer"
Not every character on this list will actually want to go by their iconic nickname. For example, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is utterly ashamed to go by "the Kingslayer." Much to his chagrin, Jaime earned that nickname after killing King Aerys Targaryen, the man he was sworn to protect as a member of the Kingsguard.
Later on in the series, Jaime opens up to Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) about his dislike for the name. He reveals that he only killed the Mad King to protect the citizens of King's Landing, since Aerys had planned to destroy the city with a wildfire explosion and had been repeating "burn them all" non-stop before his death. As such, apologies to Jaime Lannister for including "the Kingslayer," a name he'd rather be forgotten, on this list.
3. "The Hound"
Often referred to as King Joffrey Baratheon's (Jack Gleason) "dog," Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann) is more commonly known as "the Hound." Sandor leans into this nickname, which comes from the three black dogs depicted on House Clegane's coat of arms, by sporting a hound-shaped helmet in battle.
Sandor's nickname might be in reference to his brother's. Ser Gregor Clegane (played by Conan Stephens in Season 1, Ian Whyte in Season 2, and Hafþór JúlÃus Björnsson in Season 4 and beyond), Sandor's sibling, is commonly referred to as "The Mountain that Rides," or simply "The Mountain." Giving both brothers a nickname further emphasizes both their relationship and their rivalry.
2. "Littlefinger"
Few people in Westeros actually call Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) "Petyr Baelish." Instead, the shifty Master of Coin/brothel owner is typically referred to as "Littlefinger." As he explains, the name comes from the fact that he hails from a region in the Vale known as "the fingers," and was very small as a boy.
The name dates back to Petyr's childhood in Riverrun, a somewhat unwelcome gift from a young Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies). Although Edmure had meant to mock Petyr with the name "Littlefinger," he would go on to wear the nickname with pride, emphasizing his small beginnings and how far he has risen. To quote Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), "Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you." Petyr's embracing of the name "Littlefinger" is one of the best examples of Tyrion's wisdom throughout the entire series.
1. "Khaleesi"
"Khaleesi" is not a nickname, but instead a Dothraki title to refer to the wife of a Khal, essentially their word for "Queen." Still, plenty of characters, especially Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), refer to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) as "Khaleesi," even after the death of her husband, Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), and the conclusion of her Dothraki storyline. Daenerys' embracing of the name "Khaleesi" showcases her origins as she expands her reign to Meereen and, eventually, the Seven Kingdoms.
Although usually referred to in-universe as "Daenerys," or by one of her countless other titles, fans out of universe have latched onto the word "Khaleesi." In fact, plenty of Game of Thrones fans have named their children "Khaleesi" after Daenerys. This showcases just how iconic both "Khaleesi" the name and "Daenerys" the character have become both in the show and in real life.
For the latest from the world of Westeros, make sure to stream House of the Dragon season 3 on HBO Max.
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