NAME OF THRONES
GoT superfan Natasha calls daughter Khaleesi
Meet Khaleesi McKay… The resemblance between the 14-month-old toddler and the Game of Thrones character who she is named after may not be immediately obvious.
But for mum Natasha, a devoted fan of the hit TV show, she’s every bit as special.
In Game of Thrones, Khaleesi – aka Daenerys Targaryen – is the indestructible heroine who survived a walk through the flaming funeral pyre of her late husband and raised three fearsome dragons.
Natasha’s Khaleesi has her own special story, though. The proud 26-year-old mum calls her daughter a rainbow baby – a term for children born following the death of an elder brother or sister.
Khaleesi, who celebrated her first birthday in February, has the middle name Carter as a tribute to her elder brother who was stillborn in 2014.
Natasha, of Maryhill, Glasgow, said: “I think her name makes her special. In the years before Khaleesi was born and during my pregnancy, I was mad about Game of Thrones.
“I watched every episode of seasons one to seven – at one point I was watching it every other night.
“It’s the kind of programme you really get into. There’s so much to it and so many different strands.
“I loved the name Khaleesi even before I was pregnant. When I found out I was expecting, it began to stick as a possible name if the baby was a girl.
“I had never heard of anyone else with the name Khaleesi but I didn’t pick it because it was unusual – I really liked the name.
“I had one other possible name, which was Lexie, but I’m so pleased I went for Khaleesi.
“She is a rainbow baby and has a middle name which was the name of her brother, who was sadly stillborn in August 2014.”
Fans like Natasha are gearing up for the final season of the acclaimed HBO series, which enters its final series on April 15. Natasha says she has no regrets over the name – although having her hands full with a baby daughter has meant she has less time than before to watch her favourite programme.
Khaleesi became popular as a name for baby girls in the US but has yet to catch on in the same way here. The name refers to the wife of a khal, or warlord, in the fictional Dothraki language. Khaleesi, or Daenerys, played by Engl ish actress Emilia Clarke, has the blood-right to the throne of Westeros as her father was formerly king. She becomes exiled to a distant land but, on her journey back to reclaim the throne, marries a Dothraki warrior to gain his army and assumes the title Khaleesi. Clarke has received three Primetime Emmy Award nominat ions for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of the Khaleesi. Natasha added: “People do say how unusual the name is. The show is so popular that most people have heard of it. “The only downside I can think of is it’s not that easy to pick up personalised items for your child in shops when she’s called Khaleesi. But you can order them online nowadays anyway. “I love the name and can’t imagine her being called anything else. I think Khaleesi will grow up loving it too.”
I just love the name and think Khaleesi will grow up loving it too