According to Buzzfeed the annual list most popular baby names is out and there are more than a few that share the name of a TV character, even in the Top 10. Oliver, otherwise known as the Green Arrow over on Arrow, ranked at number 9 on the Top 10 names for boys. Meanwhile Olivia, the heroine of Scandal, was the third most popular girl’s name. And Aria, which is the name of two popular TV characters — Aria from Pretty Little Liars and (with a different spelling but the same pronunciation) Arya from Game of Thrones — came in at number 8.
Whether it is a happy coincidence or actually the influence of TV, a lot of babies born in 2016 will grow up having the same name of popular TV characters from the year of their birth. There are some TV characters, though, that should never be used to name a baby. Here are 10 TV characters who should never be used as baby naming inspiration.
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10. Lorelai – Gilmore Girls / Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
It might seem like a fun idea to name your baby after one of the most likable mother and daughter duos in TV history, Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. But if you look at the evidence from Gilmore Girls and the revival A Year in the Life there is enough evidence to suggest that the name Lorelai might actually be a curse. According both series it seems no matter what you do or how strong your future might seem, if you are named Lorelai, even if you go by a nickname, you are doomed. Doomed to a case of arrested development in your early 30s, a complicated and messy love life and maybe most importantly an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy. No Lorelai is safe from these pitfalls on Gilmore Girls and it’s better to be safe than sorry in the real world.
9. Hershel – The Walking Dead
Apparently Hershel is a baby name that is on the rise in 2016. It has seen a 37% uptick since 2015. One of the influences has to be the now-deceased The Walking Dead character of the same name. This trend should stop immediately. There is nothing wrong with the character of Hershel from The Walking Dead. He is probably one of the kindest and wisest characters from that show. Perhaps this is even a credit to how memorable the character was but the name Hershel seems hopelessly linked to the image of a 60-year plus man. It just doesn’t fit a baby. Unless your kid has a Benjamin Button situation going on, Hershel will always be the wrong name.
8. Chanel – Scream Queens
This should be obvious, but Emma Roberts’ Scream Queens character is nevertheless a terrible inspiration for a baby name. Chanel Oberlin might show occasional glimpses of humanity and Roberts’ shameless delivery of her ridiculous lines might be the whole point of watching Scream Queens. Chanel is still a bully in every sense of the world, not to mention incredibly immature and selfish. She is the exact type of woman you don’t want your baby girl to grow up to become.
7. Cookie – Empire
Taraji P. Henson‘s Cookie Lyon is an excellent example of an awesome performance and character that should never inspire the naming of a child. For starters, with a name like Cookie a kid is almost definitely going to be mocked mercilessly on the playground. More than that, though, Cookie isn’t exactly a role model for young girls. Cookie is acerbic, fierce, ruthless and an actual convicted criminal. She is a powerful and highly entertaining character but not exactly a shining beacon of morality.
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6. Mon-El – Supergirl
There are plenty of characters on Supergirl who would it make perfect sense to tribute by using their names as baby names. Kara, Winn, Alex and even J’onn (without the apostrophe) are all acceptable and worthy baby names. It is going to take way more explanation to justify something as silly as Mon-El. Supergirl hasn’t even bothered to explain how silly and nonsensical Mon-El’s name is. Mon-El is only named that because he is based off the character from the comics. Mon-El in the comics received his name because Superman believed Mon-El a relative of his and he arrived on Earth on a Monday. Such a lazy name is not something you want to saddle a child with for their entire life.
5. Annalise – How to Get Away with Murder
Annalise is another instance of a great character and performance that would make for an absolutely awful baby name. Viola Davis commands the screen on How to Get Away On Murder. She is the reason to watch the show and it could be tempting to wish for that kind of self-confidence in your child. Annalise isn’t really someone you want to emulate, however. Annalise is a ruthless law school professor who is more involved in crime than she is in teaching about it. Viola Davis makes Annalise sympathetic and someone you want to root for but in any other show she would be a villain and a scary one.
4. Castiel – Supernatural
In a cast full of beloved characters, Castiel from Supernatural is easily a fan favorite. Considering how popular other angel names are as baby names, like Michael or Gabriel, it might not seem that crazy to name a baby Castiel. It is crazy though. Castiel is a name created solely by Supernatural. The closest equivalent in religious lore is an angel named Cassiel. Any kid with the name Castiel is going to have to explain they are named after a socially awkward angel who barely understands humanity and that is something that no kid should have to explain.
3. Daenerys – Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is nothing short of a pop culture phenomenon. It is so popular it is weird to run into people who have never seen it and even weirder to run into those who have never heard of it. As a rule, though, it is probably good to not name your child after anything ultra-popular in pop culture because it is never clear how long the fad is going to last. It is an especially bad idea when the name is something unique as Daenerys.
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A name like Jon or even Arya is fine because they are pretty normal names in terms of how they sound and how they’re spelled. Daenerys is a whole other beast. There is a reason the character is referred to as Dany more than Daenerys and that is because it is very hard to spell Daenerys. Plus, Game of Thrones is not over and Daenerys could easily become a much less benevolent and popular character by the time the series wraps up. Yet your child will forever be stuck with a name that has far too many vowels to fit into modern English.
2. Chad – The Bachelorette / Bachelor in Paradise
Naming your baby after any reality TV star is a tricky and trashy prospect. The idea of naming your child after the most recent villain of The Bachelor franchise, best known for threatening others, getting drunk and soiling himself, is nothing short of psychopathic. Chad was always a pretty douchey name (apologies to all the decent Chads reading this) but Chad from The Bachelorette took things to the next horrifying “dude-bro” level. Unless you want your child to have associations with the reality star who many people genuinely believe is capable of murder it is best to stay far away from a name like Chad.
1. Lucifer – Lucifer
Lucifer as a character is a lot of fun to watch. Watching the devil come to Los Angeles, solve crimes and try to be a better person is an amusing premise for a TV show. Especially when Lucifer is played by someone as naturally charming as Tom Ellis. This doesn’t change the fact that Lucifer is literally Satan. The only people that should be naming their child Lucifer are those found in horror movies or who are actually devil worshipers. Lucifer is a fun character but the mother of all bad baby name ideas.
What do you think? Are these all bad names for a baby? Would you consider naming your child any of these names? Have you been dissuaded from any of these names? Would you ever name your kid after a TV character? If so, who would you choose and why?
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Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.
