Was Ned Stark ever king?

Eddard Stark, also called “Ned”, is the head of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and Warden of the North. He is a close friend to King Robert I Baratheon, with whom he was raised. Eddard is one of the major POV characters in A Song of Ice and Fire….Eddard Stark.

Eddard Stark by Amok©
Mother	Lady Lyarra Stark

Could Ned have claimed the throne?

TL;DR: He could have successfully claimed the throne. But, in the long run, it would be impossible for him to hold.

Why is Ned Stark’s name short for Edward?

The books are full of such examples. As Ned is an abbreviation of the name Edward, it is also, in Westeros, an abbreviation of Eddard. As for why Ned is short for Edward, a quick google reveals little (except for a lot of Yahoo Answers noise), but here is, at least, a confirmation of the fact.

What did Eddard Stark do to Joffrey?

Eddard Stark declared in the throne room that Joffrey was not the legitimate child of King Robert I Baratheon, and thus not the legitimate King of Westeros. He pretty much stated his desire to overthrow Joffrey and install the late King’s brother, Stannis on the Iron Throne. He was arrested by the gold cloaks and thrown in jail.

What is the meaning of Eddard?

Diminutive of EDWARD or EDMUND. It has been used since the 14th century, and may have had root in the medieval affectionate phrase mine Ed, which was later reinterpreted as my Ned. Eddard is based on one of these “root” names – Edward – hence the nickname.

What is the origin of the name Ned?

This is the origin of the name Ned, according to Behind the Name: Diminutive of EDWARD or EDMUND. It has been used since the 14th century, and may have had root in the medieval affectionate phrase mine Ed, which was later reinterpreted as my Ned.