Din Djarin has been Grogu’s surrogate dad for so long we forgot he never formally adopted the foundling. That changed during the emotional ending of The Mandalorian‘s third season. That’s when the famed bounty hunter officially added his new apprentice’s name to Mandalore’s song as a member of his family. And yet, as touching as that moment was, it was also surprising. Grogu and his new title completely upended something we’ve always believed—and had no reason to question— about his dad. Djarin is his first name!
But while it’s weird learning Din is actually his surname, that new detail only makes sharing it with Grogu more powerful.
The wonderful feeling of hearing “Din Grogu” for the first time was only matched by the disorienting realization he’s not “Grogu Djarin” now. That’s what we would have assumed he’d be called. Why wouldn’t we? While some real cultures put surnames first, Mandalorians do not. Bo-Katan Kryze is a member of House Kryze, same as her late sister Duchess Satine Kryze was. And Sabine Wren is a member of House Wren, which is led by her mother Ursa Wren. That’s how names work on Mandalore! First name then last name. Anyone who didn’t believe Din was his first name this whole time is lying and a spy for Moff Gideon.
Now that his son is officially Din Grogu, though, we know Djarin is actually the bounty hunter’s first name. That means going forward we’ll have to start referring to him as Djarin rather than Din. We do not like that. At all. Not after writing “Din” roughly seven million times the last few years.
Why the inconsistency in Mandalorian surname placement? Thankfully there’s a logical explanation to calm us down. It’s also one that is beautiful unto itself and the characters who carry the Din name.
Din Djarin is not a native of Mandalore. He himself was a foundling rescued by Death Watch from his home planet of Aq Vetina. We know little of that world. One thing we do know is that it consisted of different immigrant human species, each of whom would have their own name customs.
We don’t know where Djarin’s ancestor’s came from. We also don’t know much about his parents or and his life with them on Aq Vetina. But now we at least know his family name is the one thing he has left of his mother and father.
Djarin’s parents died during a Separatist droid attack. He wasn’t an infant when Death Watch saved him, though. He was an older kid who knew his name and where he came from. Clearly he didn’t have to give up his surname when he became a foundling of Mandalore. He got to keep that part of his past. Now the name (and placement of) Din is a reminder of who he was and where he came from.
It’s also a name that has even more meaning in Star Wars now. Djarin has passed it on to his own child, a fellow foundling who could carry it forward for nine centuries. Knowing the truth about Din Djarin’s own history and name makes hearing Din Grogu even more beautiful, even if it was jarring in the moment.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.
