Na vida real, as pessoas nomeiam seus filhos como membros da família, celebridades, pessoas que admiram e escolhem personagens o tempo todo. A próxima vez que um casal de celebridades de alto perfil tiver uma criança, basta olhar para o aumento nos nomes de bebês do nome de seus filhos.
Observe também que, com muitas famílias, pelo menos aquelas que eu conheço no Reino Unido, os nomes são transmitidos através das gerações. Meu primeiro nome é um nome passado através de todas as gerações conhecidas do lado do meu pai e meu nome do meio é um nome que vem do meu avô do lado da minha mãe (poderia até ir além disso, mas não tenho certeza). p>
Com isso em mente, vamos dar uma olhada no motivo pelo qual Brandon é um nome popular em House Stark.
Brandon the Builder
Diz a lenda que Brandon, o Construtor, é o fundador da Casa Stark, criou Winterfell, a Muralha, o Fim da Tempestade e uma torre de 200 pés em Oldtown; embora a torre possa ter sido projetada por seu filho Brandon.
The greatest castle of the North is Winterfell, the seat of the Starks since the Dawn Age. Legend says that Brandon the Builder raised Winterfell after the generation-long winter known as the Long Night to become the stronghold of his descendants, the Kings of Winter. As Brandon the Builder is connected with an improbable number of great works (Storm's End and the Wall, to name but two prominent examples) over a span of numerous lifetimes, the tales have likely turned some ancient king, or a number of different kings of House Stark (for there have been many Brandons in the long reign of that family) into something more legendary.
The World of Ice and Fire, The North: Winterfell
That tower, we are told, rose two hundred feet above the harbor. Some say it was designed by Brandon the Builder, whilst others name his son, another Brandon; the king who demanded it, and paid for it, is remembered as Uthor of the High Tower.
The World of Ice and Fire, The Reach: Oldtown
Brandon the Builder supostamente também deu as terras ao sul do Muro para a Patrulha da Noite, embora novamente este poderia ter sido outro Brandon.
"The Night's Watch," he answered. "This is the Gift. The New Gift, and north of that Brandon's Gift." Maester Luwin had taught him the history. "Brandon the Builder gave all the land south of the Wall to the black brothers, to a distance of twenty-five leagues. For their . . . for their sustenance and support." He was proud that he still remembered that part. "Some maesters say it was some other Brandon, not the Builder, but it's still Brandon's Gift. Thousands of years later, Good Queen Alysanne visited the Wall on her dragon Silverwing, and she thought the Night's Watch was so brave that she had the Old King double the size of their lands, to fifty leagues. So that was the New Gift." He waved a hand. "Here. All this."
A Storm of Swords, Bran III
Brandon, o Shipwright e Brandon, o Queimador
Ambos são membros da Casa Stark, o Shipwright amou o mar e tentou atravessar o Mar do Pôr-do-Sol, mas perdeu-se para ele. Depois que seu pai não conseguiu devolver a luz do Queimador para os navios do Stark e terminou seu poder no mar.
That's a Brandon, the tall one with the dreamy face, he was Brandon the Shipwright, because he loved the sea. His tomb is empty. He tried to sail west across the Sunset Sea and was never seen again. His son was Brandon the Burner, because he put the torch to all his father's ships in grief.
A Game of Thrones, Bran VII
Brandon Stark Filho de Rickard Stark
Talvez o mais óbvio, mas este é o irmão de Eddard e o tio de Bran e quem talvez tenha o nome de Bran. Especialmente quando a vida de Brandon foi interrompida devido ao Rei Louco.
"And there's my grandfather, Lord Rickard, who was beheaded by Mad King Aerys. His daughter Lyanna and his son Brandon are in the tombs beside him. Not me, another Brandon, my father's brother. They're not supposed to have statues, that's only for the lords and the kings, but my father loved them so much he had them done."
A Game of Thrones, Bran VII
Brandon, o sem Filha
Outra lenda, entre o povo livre, de um lorde Brandon Stark.
"This was Brandon the Daughterless," Ygritte said sharply. "Would you hear the tale, or no?"
He scowled. "Go on."
"Lord Brandon had no other children. At his behest, the black crows flew forth from their castles in the hundreds, but nowhere could they find any sign o' Bael or this maid. For most a year they searched, till the lord lost heart and took to his bed, and it seemed as though the line o' Starks was at its end. But one night as he lay waiting to die, Lord Brandon heard a child's cry. He followed the sound and found his daughter back in her bedchamber, asleep with a babe at her breast."
A Clash of Kings, Jon VI
Brandon da Lâmina Sangrenta
Outra lenda, Brandon, de onde se diz que Brandon, o Construtor, descendeu.
The list is long, and many are the legends, for there is scarce a noble house in all the Reach that does not boast of descent from one of Garth Greenhand's countless children. Even the heroes of other lands and kingdoms are sometimes numbered amongst the offspring of the Greenhand. Brandon the Builder was descended from Garth by way of Brandon of the Bloody Blade, these tales would have us believe, whilst Lann the Clever was a bastard born to Florys the Fox in some tales or Rowan Gold-Tree in others.
The World of Ice and Fire, The Reach: Garth Greenhand
Brandon the Bad
Their footsteps echoed through the cavernous crypts. The shadows behind them swallowed his father as the shadows ahead retreated to unveil other statues; no mere lords, these, but the old Kings in the North. On their brows they wore stone crowns. Torrhen Stark, the King Who Knelt. Edwyn the Spring King. Theon Stark, the Hungry Wolf. Brandon the Burner and Brandon the Shipwright. Jorah and Jonos, Brandon the Bad, Walton the Moon King, Edderion the Bridegroom, Eyron, Benjen the Sweet and Benjen the Bitter, King Edrick Snowbeard.
A Clash of Kings, Bran VII
Rei Brandon Stark
Outro Brandon e este forçaram o stoneborn de volta para Skagos e destruíram seu poder naval. Note que a citação também inclui o nono de seu nome, o que significa que há ainda mais pessoas que não são comentadas.
Though rarely seen off their island, the stoneborn once were accustomed to crossing the Bay of Seals to trade or, more oft, raid—until King Brandon Stark, Ninth of His Name, broke their power once and for all, destroyed their ships, and forbade them the sea.
The World of Ice and Fire, The North: The Stoneborn of Skagos
Tenho certeza de que há ainda mais Brandon histórico, mas acho que você já teve a ideia.