Arya is a Sanskrit word that means "noble" or "honorable" and is used as a given name in India and Iran. In the United States it took off thanks to Arya Stark, the fierce young heroine of Game of Thrones, which started in 2011. Arya entered the US top 1000 in 2010, peaked at number 92 in 2019, the year the series ended, and ranks 158th in 2025.