Warning: Direwolf-sized Game of Thrones spoilers ahead!
What if your dog's name offered some sort of clue about your future? Sophie Turner's dogs' names [1] would definitely hint at an interesting turn of events for the Game of Thrones [2] star. As for the rest of the Thrones crew? Way back in season one, each Stark child was given a direwolf puppy [3] to name and care for as their own, and it turns out that the names they chose might have foreshadowed where each one of them would end up all along [4], according to one Reddit user [5].
While the connection between Lady's name and Sansa might seem a little more obvious than the connection between Grey Wind's name and Robb, it looks like we really should have paid more attention to the direwolves' telling names. Find out how each direwolf's name [6] connects to the Stark kids' fates ahead.
Jon's Direwolf: Ghost
"The most obvious parallel is that Jon was resurrected from the dead, so he's a ghost in a literal sense," said Reddit user www_earthlings_com, referring back to season six when Melisandre brings Jon back to life [8] after he's stabbed to death by his Night's Watch brothers [9]. "Another interpretation is that ghosts tend to roam around the place where they died, or at the very least, they gravitate around it," the theory continues. Jon does just that when he returns to the Night's Watch [10] at the end of season eight, haunting familiar grounds presumably for the rest of his days with Ghost right by his side [11].
Robb's Direwolf: Grey Wind
At the time of his death, Robb Stark is only 19 years old, yet he manages to rule as King in the North for a season and a half. Unfortunately, both Grey Wind and Robb Stark die [12] at the Red Wedding in season three [13] when the members of House Frey betray House Stark, making his time as king sadly short-lived and not nearly as memorable as his death, like a gust of wind just passing through. "Wind comes quickly and wind leaves quickly," the Reddit theory continues. "Robb came out of nowhere and surprised the Seven Kingdoms by being declared King of the North despite being a kid. In a short period of time, he won major battles and victories. And then, soon after it started, it all ended just as quickly at the Red Wedding."
Sansa's Direwolf: Lady
From the very beginning, Sansa has been the only Stark sister willing to fulfil her social duties as a lady, while also standing out as a fearless and relatively level-headed leader. Though she goes through hell and back [14] to get what she wants, Sansa eventually earns her status as Lady of Winterfell. In the show's final episode [15], Sansa, who has insisted that Winterfell remain an independent kingdom, is finally crowned the Queen of Winterfell, confirming our suspicions [16] that she was meant to be more than a lady all along.
Arya's Direwolf: Nymeria
If you break out your copy of A Song of Ice and Fire, you'll probably notice that Arya's direwolf Nymeria was named after Princess Nymeria of Dorne, a warrior-queen who led the Rhoynar refugees from Essos to Dorne a thousand years ago. It's no secret that Arya is a warrior in her own right, proving her sword-wielding skills and her ability to be literally anyone [17] because she's just that badass. Now that she's going off to travel beyond Westeros into uncharted territory, Arya is even more like the original Nymeria than ever before.
Bran's Direwolf: Summer
Winter is a huge theme in the Game of Thrones world, with character after character warning one another of its impending doom and destruction. Reddit user www_earthlings_com points out that, when winter finally does arrive, everyone realises that Daenerys has become the Mad Queen [18], and having her rule Westeros would only exacerbate all of the problems that winter has brought along with the cold. Bran, however, is chosen to rule over the Seven Kingdoms [19], marking a turnaround in the show's story line that falls in line with the end of winter in all senses of the word. While Summer the direwolf was killed by wights at the start of winter in Westeros, it certainly looks like his name was a clue that Bran would make it through Winter all along.
Rickon's Direwolf: Shaggydog
Last but not least, Rickon's direwolf Shaggydog has a peculiar name that doesn't really lend itself to any sort of foreshadowing at first glace. When I see "Shaggydog," I think of a big, fluffy mutt that deserves lots of ear scratches. But huge shout out to Reddit user jjwok [20] who pointed out that a shaggy dog story is actually the phrase used to describe a story that rambles on, only to end pointlessly. While some viewers would say as much [21] about all of season eight, Rickon's story, in particular, was a shaggy dog story in that it was drawn out for six seasons with little to no character development (and very few actual lines!), only for Ramsay Bolton to shoot him down with an arrow as revenge towards Jon Snow.