Daenerys is a name invented by George R. R. Martin for the dragon queen of A Song of Ice and Fire, better known through the TV series Game of Thrones; it has no traditional meaning and is simply "the name of the Mother of Dragons". American parents began using it when the show took off, with the nickname Dany attached. Daenerys peaked at number 1361 in 2018, dipped after the show's divisive final season and ranks number 1760 among girls' names in 2025.