[EVERYTHING] On Sandor Clegane's nickname

So, we know that while maybe not doing so consistently, GRRM has set a precedent of being clever about his naming of characters from time to time-and I think I might have figured out a thematic reason for Sandor Clegane going by the nickname of 'The Hound'. This is just a bit of speculation, and to the extent that you don't think it's totally loony, I'm only suggesting this as something GRRM might have done for an extra bit of clever characterization; his name obviously also has to do with the dogs in the Clegane banner, as well as indicating the character's strong capacities for loyalty. I might be overreaching. But here goes.

Take a quick look at some of these quotations:

• "Look at me! Stannis is a killer. The Lannisters are killers. Your father was a killer. Your brother is a killer. Your sons will be killers someday. The world is built by killers... so you better get used to looking at them."

• "There's plenty worse than me. I just understand the way things are. How many Starks they got to behead before you figure it out?"

• "The septons preach about the seven hells. What do they know? Only a man who's been burned knows what hell is truly like."

• "I'm honest. It's the world that's awful."

These quotes illustrate some of the core characteristics of our favorite dog: a severe distrust and outright scorn of the frills and illusions of "civilized" society, a merciless "violence-makes-the-world-go-round"-view of the state of nature, and holding absolutely no qualms about living in accordance with his worldview without regard to how people perceive him. We might want to say that Sandor is a staunch cynic.

Now, the classical school of Cynic thought is one of the most characteristic and starkly contoured doctrines of ancient thought that we know of. In substance it is actually closely related to Stoicism, and--like Stoicism--Cynicism is characterized by attending to the rationality (or the logos of nature) which is in you by virtue of you being a part of nature, cultivating virtues conducive to living in accordance with nature, and attaining happiness or bliss by living your life in this unburdened or "clear-headed" manner. Cynics considered themselves citizens of the world/nature, in contrast to citizens of any particular socially structured corner of it. Cynicism was also pretty big on things like severe asceticism, categorically denouncing "non-natural" influences on the character (power; material wealth; social recognition, etc.) and positioning itself as a doctrine in fundamental opposition to the forlorn truths of "civilized life".

The character of "The Cynic" was as such a sort of filthy, ragged and homeless village idiot watch-dog, who took himself to be the true champion of his fellow humans' nature and well-being. So, we might imagine that a modern-day Cynic being a homeless guy taking a shit in the streets whilst looking you dead in the eye and telling you that you were actually the sub-human of you two, insofar as your toilet+smartphone combo is robbing you of your control over your own time, and vastly increasing your hemorrhoid count.

Now, this is a bit hit'n miss in terms of how well it describes the Hound's character, so I don't think that GRRM intended for Sandor to be a literal archetype of the classical Cynic. Sandor seems, in part, to think what he thinks because of trauma, while the Cynic thinks these things because they think it's the truth. Also, Sandor's Hobbesian stance on violence is not in line with Cynical philosophy at all.

However, the point about the Cynic's critique of artificial society and it's effects on human character is pretty poignant here: the Cynic thinks we should denounce all forms of life that are contingent on material and artificial furnishings and live like dogs, not because we're beasts, but because the Cynic has seen that the dog's life is free. We're not debasing ourselves by "living like dogs" (: living in accordance with nature via the strict, Cynic ethic), we're raising ourselves above superficial, ephemeral and self-deceiving life styles by living like dogs.

Diogenes, famous Cynic philosopher and stone-cold badass motherfucker, was literally nicknamed 'Diogenes the Dog', who reasoned that "other dogs bite their enemies, I bite my friends to save them". The point here is that while humans make enemies of each other motivated by wealth, power, status, social concerns and the like, dogs give you the straight, honest truth unmarred by these concerns, and as such without you having to worry about being duped. Quoth Sandor Clegane:

• "I like dogs better than knights... A hound will die for you, but never lie to you. And he'll look you straight in the face."

And, as it turns out, the etymology of the word 'cynic' comes from 'kynikos' ('κυνικός'), which means 'dog-like', which in turns comes from 'kyôn' ('κύων'), translating to 'dog'.

So:

• Sandor is highly critical of the "civilized society" of Westeros, and the fictions about itself that it holds, instead valuing the bare, hard honesty of living life without illusion.

• He doesn't own anything but the armor on his body and the wineskin by his hip, just like Diogenes lived in a barrel and only owned a drinking bowl (until he threw that away, too).

• He travels the world as a sellsword, upheld by his strong ethic (as a 'citizen of the world').

• His frightening demeanor and anti-social attitude is not only of no concern to him, he seems to cherish it and find strength in it.

• He's as such a cynic, which translates to 'dog';

...and he's literally called "The Hound".