TV Character Baby Names Parents May Already Be Regretting

We've all been there — we discover a brand new TV show, and before we know it, we've fallen in love with one of the main characters. Obsessing over our favorite TV show characters is usually pretty harmless, but when the obsession leads to life-changing decisions, things can get a little complicated. Some new parents find themselves becoming inspired by their favorite TV characters when they come to naming their baby. And while some parents might end up loving their TV-inspired baby name, other parents aren't so lucky. After all, what happens when you fall out of love with your favorite characters? 

In 2019, a slew of articles came out about the hundreds of babies that were named after "Game of Thrones" character Daenerys. When Daenerys ended the show as the villain, plenty of parents were more than a little disappointed. But this isn't the only time a TV character has inspired young parents only to fall out of favor. Here are some of the TV-inspired baby names that parents might already be regretting.

Let's start with the obvious one — Daenerys. In HBO's hugely popular "Game of Thrones," Daenerys was the fierce Targaryen would-be-Queen. She freed slaves, walked through fire, and rode dragons. Many fans saw her as the show's heroine for the first few seasons. Many of these fans were so inspired that they decided to name their babies after her, calling their kids either Daenerys or Khaleesi (which Daenerys is also known as throughout the show). According to Organic Baby Formula, the name Daenerys shot up in popularity by 700% after the show began.

When Daenerys turned a little — well — evil in the show's final episodes, parents were shocked. But many tried to come to terms with their name choices. "I did feel a type of way, If I'm being honest, when I was first watching it," Dre Campbell, who named his daughter Khaleesi, told The Ringer. "When the bell sounded, and she was still going in and burning all the people, I was like, 'Oh my god, wow.'" However, Campbell tried not to regret the name too much. "I didn't name my daughter Daenerys, I named her after the queen," he reasoned. As for Jasmine Estrada, who called her daughter Khalessi (a variation of Khaleesi), she told The Daily Beast, "I definitely don't like the outcome of what she represents. So it's kind of bittersweet right now."

Arya was another popular name inspired by "Game of Thrones." Played by Maisie Williams, Arya Stark was the tomboy-ish younger daughter of Ned Stark, who eventually became a vengeful warrior. In 2012, Arya was the fastest-rising girl's name in the US (via Wired). In 2015, one parent-to-be told The Guardian that she was planning on calling her child Arya, saying, "I love Arya Stark! She's so feisty and just a lone ranger, in a way ... She decides her role. She's not a gender, really. And I think that's really inspiring." And in 2018 alone, a staggering 2,594 parents chose the name Arya (via NBC News). Although Arya ended up being one of the "good" characters in the show, some parents might have started to regret their decision to name their daughter Arya after the show ended. 

By the final season of "Game of Thrones," plenty of fans had turned on Arya, particularly when she had a nonsensical fight with her sister. "It's annoying to watch a once-savvy character act like a dummy not because it fits her character, but because it artificially creates conflict," one fan wrote for Spin. ScreenRant also noted that many fans felt that Arya got "worse and worse" as she got older. Chances are, there are a few parents of Aryas out there who are second-guessing their name choice.

The "Game of Thrones" prequel, "House of the Dragon," launched to rave reviews and huge audiences in 2022. The first episode was watched by a record-breaking 10 million people (via Variety). The show centers around two women — Rhaenyra and Alicent. At the beginning of the show, the pair are inseparable best friends. However, when Alicent marries Rhaenyra's father and begins having children that threaten her ex-friend's claim to the throne, their friendship naturally becomes a little complicated. After beginning the show as a likable, sympathetic character, by the end of season one, Alicent was one of the main villains. Slate even named her the "worst person in Westeros."

According to Nameberry, Alicent entered the list of popular names in the US in 2022, ranking 451. We can bet that some people who chose the name Alicent are having second thoughts after watching the full season of "House of the Dragon."

As fans of the HBO show "Succession" will probably know, the vast majority of the characters on the show are famously unlikeable. "Succession" follows the megarich Roy children as they battle to takeover their father's giant media conglomerate. The family's obsession with money, power, and status leaves them sorely lacking in empathy and morals. One of the characters who initially seemed to be a little better than the rest was Siobhan 'Shiv' Roy, the youngest Roy child. 

When the show began, Shiv worked in politics for a Democratic senator. She seemed to have liberal values and little interest in her family's capitalist ambitions. However, as the show progressed, that all changed. She became obsessed with taking over her family's company and showed herself to have zero moral or political values that weren't self-serving. According to many fans, she went from being the best Roy to being the worst (via The Sydney Morning Herald).

According to Baby Center, the name "Shiv" rose in popularity by three times since 2018. We're guessing some of those parents aren't thrilled with their baby's name now.

Kendall Roy is another one of the infamous Roy children in "Succession." Like his sister, Shiv, Kendall isn't exactly a model of goodness. In his fight for the top position at his father's company, Kendall has backstabbed his family and dealt with substance abuse problems. 

Even though fans hardly revere Kendall's character, viewers still seem to love him, probably because of Jeremy Strong's performance of outward bravado and inward desperation and loneliness. However bad Kendall may be, Strong always manages to make him a sympathetic character.

While some parents might have been inspired by their favorite "Succession" character when it came time to name their baby boys, we're willing to bet that parents that chose the name Kendall will probably start to regret their decision once they look back on the show. Plus, chances are, these parents are constantly asked if their babies were named after Kendall Jenner. 

In 2020, the world fell in love with Simon Basset, the main love interest of season one of "Bridgerton." Played by Regé-Jean Page, Simon was one-half of the enemies-to-lovers romance at the heart of the show. Initial reactions to the character were overwhelmingly positive. After all, he was handsome, brooding, and dressed in Regency clothes — what more could we want from a period drama leading man? 

However, over the past few years, the character's legacy has become somewhat tarnished. After the first season, Page announced that he would no longer be part of the Netflix series due to "creative differences" (via Page Six). Later, Page revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he had never been a huge fan of Simon. "We did so well on that redemptive arc that people forget that Simon was kind of horrific," he said. "He was the best example of a Regency f***boy that any of us had come across. And so, because we came around full circle so well, because we stuck that landing, you're left with this great feeling."

We're guessing that parents who were inspired to name their son Simon after "Bridgerton's" Duke are feeling a little regretful after everything that's gone down with this character!

Let's face it — "Gilmore Girls" is nothing short of a classic. First aired in 2000, the cozy, female-led drama centered around three generations of the Gilmore family: Emily, her 32-year-old daughter Lorelai and her teenage daughter, Lorelai "Rory." At first, Rory seemed to be the perfect model for teenage girls — she was smart, kind, determined, and witty. 

However, as the series went on, Rory had a slow but steady fall from grace — and from popularity. She seemed to become more entitled, more selfish, and apparently, more unmotivated. By the time the series was rebooted in 2016, Rory was officially one of the show's most hated characters (via CBR).

According to Everything Birthday, the name Lorelai skyrocketed in popularity in 2000, the same year the show started. After Rory's character development, we're willing to bet that some parents have a few regrets about naming their babies after her.

HBO's "Westworld" was an instant hit. The fantasy show was set in a fictional future where a Western-themed park filled with (very) life-like robots provided amusement for the rich. One of season one's main characters was Dolores, the robot programmed to play the part of the rancher's daughter who has a slow awakening and eventually begins the robots' revolt. When they began, she was smart, brave, and ultimately, a total badass. 

However, by season two, as Nerdist noted, she had evolved into a somewhat one-dimensional villain. Plus, in 2022, the show was canceled before its intended final season — so Dolores will never get to finish her journey (via The Hollywood Reporter). Chances are anyone who fell in love with Dolores in season one and named their child after her was a little disappointed — especially since the name went out of popularity in the 1950s (via Everything Birthday), and most people will probably associate it with "Westworld" for years to come. 

"Breaking Bad" was a massive success. By the time it reached its finale in 2013, the show was being watched by almost 6 million people (via Entertainment Weekly). However, not all of the main characters were well-liked by the end. The show followed Walter White, a chemistry teacher-turned-meth-maker on his moral downfall. However, it wasn't Walter who fans turned against — it was his wife, Skyler. And people hated her.

As actress Anna Gunn told the New York Times, she couldn't really understand the hate at first, but she realized that viewers had characterized her as "a ball-and-chain, a drag, a shrew." She added, "I finally realized that most people's hatred of Skyler had little to do with me and a lot to do with their own perception of women and wives because Skyler didn't conform to a comfortable ideal of the archetypical female; she had become a kind of Rorschach test for society, a measure of our attitudes toward gender." 

Even if you're not one of the Skyler-haters, chances are, if you've named your baby Skyler, plenty of "Breaking Bad" fans are likely going to have a negative reaction when they hear the name. 

"The Walking Dead" is one of TV's longest-running shows. Throughout its 11 seasons, plenty of different characters have passed through — but few have been more disliked than Lori, Rick's wife in Seasons 1 and 2, with hordes of fans claiming she was annoying. When Lori died during childbirth in season three, fans apparently celebrated.

However, as executive producer Glen Mazzara told ScreenRant, "I think Lori is a compelling, interesting character. I think she is realistic in a lot of ways and she's certainly a character that people are talking about. So I don't find her irritating." Actress Sarah Wayne Callies agreed, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "I think Lori is a powerhouse and a hero, but that's just my opinion."

Whether you find Lori annoying or you disapprove of what some think is sexist hatred of the character, chances are, parents who named their babies after Lori might have one or two regrets considering the general consensus about Lori.

When "Glee" began, Rachel Berry was presented as the show's heroine. Sure, she was a little annoying and a bit of a diva — but she was still pretty likable. However, as the show continued, Rachel slowly but surely became one of TV's least-liked characters. In hindsight, Rachel is even worse than many of us thought when the show first aired. As ScreenRant noted, a lot of her behavior has aged pretty poorly — hello, she flirted with a teacher, had an affair, and gave up on her dream career. Not exactly role model material.

As if that weren't enough, Lea Michele, who played Rachel, has had her own fall from grace since starring in "Glee" after reports of toxic behavior on set spread around the internet (via NZ Herald).

If any "Glee" fans initially had a soft spot for Rachel and decided to name their children after her, there's a good chance that a few of them have some regrets.

Carrie Bradshaw, the heroine of HBO's mega-hit "Sex and the City," has certainly had quite the journey since first appearing on our screens in 1998. Played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Carrie was a fabulous, vivacious sex writer living in New York City. She spent her time brunching with her besties, knocking back cocktails, and, of course, buying way too many pairs of expensive shoes. While the character initially inspired a generation of women, Carrie isn't exactly the role model we all thought she was.

In recent years, numerous articles have pointed out that Carrie was actually kind of the worst — after all, she tended to make every conversation about herself, she made terrible choices when it came to men, and she had no idea about what being a responsible adult actually entailed. 

Because of "Sex and the City's" massive popularity, we wouldn't be surprised to learn that a few fans went on to name their daughters after the show's central character. However, considering just how disliked she is these days, some of those parents might be feeling more than a little regretful now. 

"Killing Eve" was a smash hit. The stylish show followed the sociopathic assassin, Villanelle, and Eve, the detective obsessed with tracking her down. Even though Villanelle was slightly deranged, she instantly became a TV icon. "No, but seriously, why do you love Villanelle?" asked one confused viewer on Reddit. Whether or not you love Villanelle, there's no denying her popularity.

According to some sources, she was so popular parents started naming their children after her. Yahoo! reported that Villanelle was set to become popular in 2019, and in 2022, an expert told The Sun, "Three girls in England and Wales were named Villanelle in 2021. It's rich with nickname potential, but we're not sure if it sounds too villainous ... or if it could be an appealing 'bad girl name' like Delilah." One hesitant mother even wrote on Mumsnet in 2020, "It has a nice sound, but obviously not the best inspiration."

While Villanelle might sound nice, everyone will probably associate it with TV's most stylish serial killer — so we're guessing some parents out there have a few regrets about their baby name choice.