Khalessi
A fictional feminine name from Game of Thrones, derived from the title "Khaleesi".
Name Census estimates that about 348 living Americans carry the first name Khalessi. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Khalessi today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Khalessi births was 2024 (48 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Khalessi. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
348
~ 1 in 984,926 Americans
Peak year
2024
48 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,299
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Khalessi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Khalessi from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 180 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Khalessi by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Khalessi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Khalessis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Khalessi, while Tennessee, Florida, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Khalessi
The name Khalessi is a neologism that gained popularity after the debut of the fantasy TV series Game of Thrones in 2011. It is derived from the fictional title "Khaleesi" used in the series, which refers to the wife of a Khal (meaning "leader" or "king") in the Dothraki language created for the show. The word itself has no known historical or linguistic roots.
Despite its fictional origins, the name Khalessi has been adopted by some parents in recent years, particularly those inspired by the strong and powerful character of Daenerys Targaryen, who held the title of Khaleesi in the series. However, it is a relatively new and uncommon name, with no significant historical references or recorded usage prior to the 21st century.
While there have been a few individuals who have adopted the name Khalessi or variations of it since the show's popularity, there are no notable figures from history who bore this name. It is essentially a modern invention inspired by the world of fantasy and fiction.
It is worth noting that the name Khalessi is not directly related to any specific culture, language, or ethnic group. It was created for a fictional world and does not carry any traditional or cultural significance beyond its association with the Game of Thrones universe.
In summary, Khalessi is a recently coined name that has gained some popularity due to its connection with a beloved fictional character, but it lacks any substantial historical or linguistic roots. Its usage is primarily a reflection of contemporary pop culture influences rather than a deep-rooted tradition or cultural heritage.
People
Khalessi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Khalessi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Khalessi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Khalessi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 348 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Khalessi going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 984,926 US residents.
Is Khalessi a common name?
We classify Khalessi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 350 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Khalessi most popular?
The single biggest year for Khalessi was 2024, when 48 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Khalessi is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Khalessi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Khalessi a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Khalessi in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Khalessi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Khalessi in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Khalessi can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Khalessi?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.