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DarkMark.com  »  Name Origins

Note: This list includes only those witches and wizards mentioned directly in the HP Books 1 –5. There are other wizards mentioned on JK Rowling’s site and on the chocolate frog cards, but as this is a list in progress, I felt it was most important to incorporate the characters mentioned in the novels first. It is likely that additions will be made. .

If you can’t get enough of HP name analysis, I highly recommend, “What’s In a Name?,” researched by Priscilla Spencer.

Thank you Jenny for the large amount of time you spent on this list. Thanks also to pumpkin pie for some awesome suggestions to add.

A

Abbot, Hannah: An abbot is a religious figure in the church – the male head of an abbey. Another religious figure in the church is a friar, and the Hufflepuff ghost the Fat Friar. (Hannah is also in Hufflepuff). ‘Abbot’ also has connections with father.

Abercromie, Euan: Euan is a boy in Gryffindor house who believed what the Daily Prophet said about Harry. Euan is an Angliscised version of a Scottish name meaning ‘born from the yew tree’ in Celtic. This may be harmless, but it is worth remembering that Voldemort’s wand was made from yew, and that the yew tree symbolises death. Abercromie is a Scottish name meaning a garment made from a type of woollen cloth manufactured in Aberdeen. From the Scottish connections to both his first and last name, it is fair to assume that he, like McGonagall, is Scottish.

Ackerly, Stuart: His last name is the same name as a place mentioned on Musidora Barkwith’s chocolate frog card (in the HP trading card game, not mentioned in the books) – the roof of the townhall in Ackerly was blown off when some music she composed was played there. Ackerly sounds similar to aconite, a plant which is used regularly in Potions lessons.

Agrippa, Cornelius: Agrippa is a wizard on the chocolate frog cards, and he was a real figure in muggle history - a German soldier who was skilled in magic, alchemy, astrology and medicine. He also shares his first name with Cornelius Fudge.

Aragog: An arachnid means a spider and Gog (short for Gogmagog) was a famous giant, so this could basically translate as Giant Spider. Gog was said to live in London with his wife Magog. Aragog is the leader of the acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest, as has a wife called Mosag which sounds similar to Magog. However, unlike Aragog, Gog was said to be peaceful. This makes sense given that he may have been named by Hagrid, and Hagrid is convinced that he is harmless.

Avery: This name may stem from the Latin meaning ‘bird keeper’. According to http://www.last-names.net/surname.asp it can mean contention or disagreement. Avery is also the brand name of a maker of office supplies, but I doubt our Death Eater will be exposed as a secret hoarder of filing cabinets and permanent markers.

 

B

Baddock, Malcolm: This is a rather ominous name, as bad could mean literally ‘bad’, and mal means bad also in French. This is fitting seeing as he is a Slytherin. One of Dudley’s gang is called Malcolm, and muggle Malcom has striking similarities to the typical Sytherin quidditch player, as they are both described as large and stupid. Perhaps Malcolm, who we meet in GoF’s sorting ceremony, will become a player for the Slytherin team as he moves up the years at Hogwarts.

Bagman, Ludovic (Ludo): Ludo is Latin for ‘play’ and it also a popular boardgame. However, more disturbingly, it can also be Latin to deceive. Could this perhaps mean that Ludo is not the man he seems? Perhaps he really did mean to give the Death Eaters information, something that was never resolved at his trial in Book 4. A Bagman is someone who collects money illegally, or handles the money in a robbery or for casinos or loan sharks. This is in fitting with his gambling problem seen in the Goblet of Fire. The bagman can also be the person that gets caught when the accomplices get away – they are literally left holding the bag. This is definitely a name Jo has put a lot of thought into.

Bagman, Otto: Ludo’s brother, Otto’s name is German or Hungarian, which may be from where the name Ludovic originates. It is fair to assume from these two names that the Bagman family have ties to this part of the world. Perhaps they have ties with Durmstrang, like Bulgarian Viktor Krum?

Bagnold, Millicent: She was the Minister of Magic before Cornelius Fudge, and if her name is switched around it reads nold bag – old bag. This is a spoonerism, named for William Spooner’s tendency to accidentally swap syllables around. Another example could be ‘block of flats’ – ‘flock of bats’! She shares her first name and initials with Millicent Bulstrode.

Bagshott, Bathilda: This is a rather violent name, as Bathilda sounds similar to battle, and bagshot was a type of old ammunition. As she was the author of A History of Magic, her name may relate to the content of the book, like Arsenic Jigger and his Potions textbook. This would suggest that the History of Magic has been bloody, incorporating Giant Wars and Goblin riots (which Harry studies) as well as conflicts between wizards. The inclusion of ‘bat’ in her name suggests witchcraft, as bats have long been symbols of gothic horror and have been linked to witches throughout the ages. (As we can see in Macbeth where the witches toss toe of bat into the cauldron)

Bane (the centaur):  It stems from the Anglo-Saxon ‘bana’, which means murderer. We also see this word also in the books in ‘wolfsbane’. Collin’s dictionary says bane means ruin or woe, or the cause of evil. This is interesting considering that Bane is one of the centaurs most unwilling to help humans, or go against what is told in the sky. He was the centaur who was against Firenze rescuing Harry from the Forbidden Forest in the Philosopher’s Stone. The bane of something is the thing that brings it down.

Barnabus the Barmy: His name directly relates to the information we are told about him, as opposite the room of requirement there is a tapestry of him trying to teach trolls ballet, and barmy means mad in English slang.

Barruffio: We are told about Wizard Baruffio by Flitwick in The Philosopher’s Stone, when he says when reminding his students to pronounce their charms correctly, ‘never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said ‘f’ instead of ‘s’ and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest’. So, his name (if it is his name) directly relates to buffalo - with fatal consequences. Barrufio also appears on what claims to be a potion for greater intelligence – Barrufio’s Brain Elixer, which Ron almost uses in the run up to his O.W.L.s before Hermione explains that it is made of doxy droppings. Considering the way Barrufio died, it appears the potion didn’t work for him either.

Bashir, Ali: His name sounds similar to Ali Baba, a figure in the Arabian Nights fairy tales who almost certainly came across flying carpets on his travels. Bashir argues with Weasley that he should be able to import flying carpets. Bashir is also the surname of a high profile British journalist Martin Bashir who caused controversy with his documentary about Michael Jackson and subsequently appeared as a witness in his trial. The documentary hype may have been where Jo got the idea from, as she said she collected names she heard to use for potential characters.

Basil: Basil is a flustered Ministry wizard wearing a kilt and poncho who we are briefly introduced to at the Quidditch World Cup. His name may be (but is probably not) a reference to Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese in English sitcom Fawlty Towers. Basil is also a herb that in folklore could reputedly cure snakebites – it has the same origin as basilisk.

Bell, Katie: Belle means beautiful in French. A bell is also, obviously, a percussion instrument that makes a ringing sound when struck. It is a fairly common English surname.

Binns, Professor: A bin is what English people call a trash can, so this could be a reference to his teaching skills. Ie: he’s really rubbish.

Black: Although the Blacks are a prominent pureblood family, the name Black is not an aristocratic name at all. It originates from cloth dyers who specialised in black dyes, or from families who had dark hair or dark skin. We know that Sirius and Bellatrix both do indeed have black hair, and Sirius’s animagus form is a black dog, so this does hold true. More pertinently, black can symbolise evil – for instance black magic is dark magic, and we know that the black family were mostly dark wizards. In an online chat, Jo said regarding the fact that so many of the Blacks are named after constellations and stars: It's just one of those family traditions, although Narcissa breaks the trend. I had always thought of her as 'Narcissa' so I decided not to change her to match the others when I came up with their names. There's been a lot of speculation that she is in some way linked to Lily and Petunia, because of the flower theme, but I can put that rumour to rest here: she isn't related to them.

Black, Andromeda (Tonks): See Tonks, (Andromeda Black)

Black, Alphard (Uncle): Alphard is the name of a star, like Sirius, Bellatrix and Andromeda. It is a star in the constellation Hydra. (The hydra was a mythological snake with many heads that Hercules fought). The name Alphard comes from an Arabic phrase which means ‘solitary one in the serpent’ – very true as he was the only member of the family to help Sirius (he left him some gold) when Sirius wanted to distance himself from the family and their sympathies with the dark arts.

Black, Narcissa: see Narcissa Malfoy

Black, Sirius: Sirius is, fittingly, the dog star in the constellation of Orion. This is the brightest star that can be seen from Earth, also known as the North Star. Some say it can provide guidance on journeys, for instance helping with compass bearings. Bellatrix is also a star in this constellation, and Bellatrix Lestrange is Sirius’s cousin. The name ‘black’ may also be a reference to the Dark Arts that the family has specialised in, in contrast to Dumbledore’s first name Albus, which means white. His name is used in a pun in a Quibbler headline – Sirius, black as he’s painted? This is interesting as Black’s name does indeed suggest evil and the Dark Arts, a reminder of his ancestry, even though it does not reflect him as he fought for the Order of the Phoenix. Part of the Marauders, his nickname is Padfoot. This refers to his Animagus form, a black dog, presumably because as a dog he has pads on his feet. It is likely that Jo took this name from a Padfoot of Yorkshire folklore, which was a black dog the size of a calf that haunted lonely roads. Another nickname used to refer to his dog form is Snuffles, which he tells Harry to use as a code name in letters that may be intercepted. To snuffle means to breathe hard through the nose, something that dogs do.

Black, Regulus: His name is the name of another star, in the constellation Leo. This seems to be a trend in the naming of the children in the Black family. His name means ‘prince’, ‘little king’ or ‘Heart of the Lion’. We could speculate whether Regulus could be the half blood prince from this, but as JK has said there is no more to him than meets the eye and he is also dead, this is pretty probably not the case. The meaning prince or little king could, however, be a reference to how, according to Sirius, many members of the Black family saw themselves as ‘practically royal’.

Bletchley, Miles: In Latin, Miles Gloriosus meant a boastful solider, and there was a famous Roman comedy by this name. A blet is internal decay in a fruit that is not visible from the outside. Could this be a reference to Slytherin Miles being corrupted?

Bode, Broderic: ‘bode’ it can be used to refer to an omen, for instance the phrase that something does not bode well. It is often used with a negative connection. Broderic was murdered in St Mungo’s, when somebody purposefully gave him a devil’s snare pot plant. This pre-empted the Death Eater attack on the Ministry to recover the prediction... so obviously this sign did not ‘bode’ well.

Bole, Derrick (Slytherin beater): According to the Chambers English Dictionary, bole means the trunk of a tree – appropriate given what we are told of the Slytherin players’ physiques – that they are picked for size rather than for skill.

Bonaccord, Pierre: He was the first Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. (Dumbledore is the current one) Literally translated, his name means ‘good agreement’ in French, so maybe he was a talented negotiator?

Bones, Amelia Susan: Bones suggests a blunt, honest approach to things – the bare bones of the matter. This is apt as Amelia seems perceptive in what we see of her (she presides over the trial in OotP), concerned with getting the facts straight.

Bones, Edgar: He was a member of the Order of the Phoenix killed by Voldemort, and given his name, clearly related to Amelia and Susan Bones. If Amelia knew this, maybe this is why she believed Harry in his trial, and why Susan Bones joined the DA. Editorial edit after Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince: It was cleared in this book that Susan's aunt, uncle, and cousins were killed by Voldemort, which clears up the hazy 'relation' between the Bones.

Bones, Susan: Susan is named after her Grandmother, Amelia Susan Bones. The same thing can be said of Hufflepuff Susan, as Hufflepuffs are known for being just.

Bozo: In GoF he is Rita Skeeter’s beer-bellied photographer. In English slang, a bozo is a muscle bound but particularly stupid male. Bozo was the name of a famous clown created by Capitol Records to read stories for children. There are many people who have a pronounced fear of clowns, often Bozo in particular – in fact there is a conspiracy theory that Bozo the clown is a killer.

Brown, Lavender: Her first and last names are both the names of colours.Her first name is definitely less drab than the second, so maybe her parent’s felt they needed to compensate for this surname? She does have something in common with the Black family, whose last name is also a colour. Purple, of which lavender is a shade, is the colour of royalty. Isn’t it a shame Lavender isn’t male, otherwise she could have been a contender for the Half Blood Prince! Lavender is also a flower that smells very nice. Jo often uses flowers for names, so Lavender is in the company of Lily, Narcissa, Poppy and Petunia.

Brutus, St: THe name after which Brutus’s Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys is named. The name comes from Roman history, where Julius Caeser’s best friend Brutus famously killed him by stabbing him in the back. This is where the expression stabbing somebody in the back comes from. The word brutal means extremely cruel or ruthless, or crude and unfeeling.

Bryce, Frank: To be frank about something means to state it bluntly and honestly, going to the point. This is true of war veteran Bryce, who says to Voldemort ‘I don’t know what you mean by wizard… All I know is I’ve heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. You’ve done murder and you’re planning more!’ Muggle Frank Bryce shares his first name with wizard Frank Longbottom, tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. We are given the impression that both are inherently good characters, and they are also both victims of Lord Voldemort.

Buckbeak: The name of Hagrid’s favourite hippogyff is very appropriate given that a hippogryff is half horse and half bird. Horses buck (when they rear up on their back legs) and birds have beaks, so half Buckbeak’s name relates to horses and half to birds, just like his body.

Bulstrode, Millicent: This Slytherin student has rather a formidable name. Bulstrode conjures images of bullfrogs and toads, and Millicent sounds rather like militant. She beats up Hermione at duelling club in the Chamber of Secrets, supporting this idea.

Bungy the Budgie: We hear about this water –skiing Budgie on the news in OotP. Maybe the budgie will now try the other extreme sport of bunji-jumping.

Burke: One of the founders of dark arts shop Borgin and Burkes. His name is likely a reference to the famous criminal and murderer William Burke, who strangled people to death so that he could sell their bodies for dissection. Nice.

 

C

Cadogan, Sir: A cad is old fashioned slang (the sort of insult Sir Cadogan himself would use) for somebody who is vulgar; without gentlemanly instincts. It can also mean an inferior assistant. This is interesting, as Cadogan has a knighthood – the opposite of an inferior assistant in fact. In Greek legend, Cadmean invented the Greek alphabet. Also in Greek legend, Cadmus planted a dragon’s tooth from which sprung up many soldiers who fought until there were only five left. From this comes the expression a ‘Cadmean Victory’ which means one that was a victory, but at a cost. This fighting idea is very true of Sir Cadogan, who repeatedly asks Harry to fight him (you scurvy cur!). Will the Order of the Phoenix have a Cadmean Victory against Voldemort in the end? It is likely Jo knows of this link, as she was a scholar of Classics and has used references to Greek myths in past books. According to a surname meaning site, Cadogan means terrible and fierce in battle. This is debateable, seeing as XXXXX , but he is certainly very brave. In the 17th and 18th century Earl Willian Cadogan lived. He fought under William III on a horse. The Sir Cadogan of Harry Potter fights on horseback too. Or, at least, pony back. Earl Cadogan’s family is said to have descended from Welsh prince Cadogan. A Cadogan is also a lidless teapot that pours from the bottom. It is said to have been named after the same Earl William who was reputedly the first Englishman to own one.

Cauldwell, Owen: Wizard Owen’s last name sounds similar to cauldron – appropriate seeing as he is studying wizardry. Maybe he is good at Potions? Owen is a Welsh name, which may give some clue as to his nationality.

Chang, Cho: Chang in Japanese can also mean quick thinker, which is appropriate given that she is a Ravenclaw and they are known for their intelligence and wit.

Circe: Circe is a witch who features on the Chocolate Frogs Famous Witches and Wizards cards. We are told about her in the Philosopher’s Stone. She is an example of Jo’s impressive knowledge of Classical Mythology, as she is a character from Greek mythology The Odyssey. She was an enchantress who lives on an island called Aeaea and was infamous because whenever a sailor found themselves on her shore she would turn him into a pig. Odysseus escaped this however, because he impressed her (aided by Hermes, the Greek messenger – also the name of Percy’s owl and a name which sounds similar to Hermione) she fell in love with him. However, Odysseus declined to stay, and went back to his wife Penelope who was waiting at home. Incidentally, Penelope was the name of Percy’s girlfriend, a prefect who was petrified in Chamber of Secrets.

Clagg, Elfrida: Frida sounds like a Danish name, sounding somewhat similar to Fridwulfa, the name of Hagrid’s giantess mother.

Clearwater, Penelope: In Greek myth, Penelope was the wife of legendary trickster Odysseus, something that Jo will know given her background in Classics. Penelope was a very clever woman, who avoided having to marry again in her husband’s absence by saying she would choose a husband when she had finished an embroidery she was doing. Penelope is in Ravenclaw, and therefore may be every bit as clever, Every night she would unpick the tapestry so that she wouldn’t finish it. The name Clearwater suggests that she is pure and clear thinking; considering that she is a prefect this may well be the case.

Cliodna: Cliodna is a witch that features on the chocolate frog cards. We are told about her in the Philosopher’s Stone. She is not a character of Jo’s creation – she is in Celtic folklore the Irish goddess of the sea, beauty and the afterlife. The waves in the ocean were supposed to have a special connection to her – every ninth wave was supposed to be particularly strong and large, embodying her. According to lore, she often walks the earth in the shape of a beautiful woman. She is said to be followed by three magic birds, who can heal the sick with their song, rather like the way phoenix tears have healing powers.

Corner, Michael: To corner somebody means to put them in a difficult position – often when the only option they have is to fight. As Corner is a member of the DA he may very likely find himself in this sort of situation.

Crabbe, Vincent: Crabby is slang to be bad tempered, something that is obviously appropriate for Malfoy’s accomplice/bodyguard Vincent Crabbe. Vincent sounds quite a bit like pincer, which is a name for the claws that crab(be)s have.

Creevy, Colin and Dennis: Dennis the Menace is a popular character in muggle comics who likes to cause trouble.

Croaker: The name of an Unspeakable working at the Ministry’s Department of Mysteries, croaker immediately calls to mind images of a toad, frog or raven. More ominously, to croak is American slang for dying, and to croak also means to predict evil. 

Crockford, Doris: Crock is pottery used in the home, like plates. This gives the impression of Doris being domestic, but another meaning of crock is something that is smutty, or also untruthful, as in the phrase ‘what a crock’ which you would say when implying that something is a complete lie.

Crouch, Bartemius: Crouching means making yourself into a small shape, close to the ground and hunched up. It suggests lying low. To barter means to haggle; to try and persuade somebody to sell for a lower price, but it is hard to imagine strait laced Mr Crouch doing this.

Crouch, Barty (Jr): Named after his father, the dictionary definition of crouch is ‘to squat or lie close to the ground, as an animal preparing to spring’. This is ominous, and true to the novels if we look at it regarding Barty Crouch Jr’s behaviour in the Goblet of Fire. He patiently bides his time until the moment is right to spring, and the plans to deliver Harry Potter to Voldemort fall into place.

 

D

Dearborn, Caradoc: Original member of the Order of the Phoenix. A caract is a mark or sign. Dear means something precious or highly valued. Caradoc Evans (there’s that Evans name again) was a novelist and playwright born in 1878. Caradoc is a derivative of caradius, which means beloved, fitting with the dear of his last name. It was also the name of a British chieftain who rebelled against Roman rule (Lucius was the name of an emperor)

Delacour, Fleur: Jo has said that separated out, this part-Veela student of Beauxbatons name gives Fleur de la Cour, or Flower of the Court (noblewoman) in English. This could be a reference to her family, if she has connections to the aristocracy. The ‘cour’ in Delacour could also be a reference to coeur, which means heart in French. This would certainly be fitting, given the effect she had on the Hogwarts boys. Jo may have got the idea for the name Fleur from Fleur Howle, who along with Bryony Evens recommended the Philosopher’s Stone for publication.

Delacour, Gabrielle: Fleur’s younger sister is described in the Goblet of Fire as ‘a girl who looked no older than eight, whose clouds of silvery hair made Harry feel sure she was Fleur Delacour’s sister.’ Like Fleur, her first name is French, and Gabrielle suggests that the character is angel like – an appropriate observation given what we are told of her appearance. In the Bible, Gabriel is one of three Archangels. Within the Christian faith he is known as the angel of mercy. As he is sometimes known as the lord of the water, it is interesting that the task Gabrielle was in involved being submerged underwater although it is highly unlikely that Jo did this intentionally.

Delaney-Podmore, Sir Patrick: The title of ‘sir’ tells us that Patrick was part of the nobility – a privileged class of people in Britain, the aristocracy, like Nearly Headless Nick who is also a Sir. In fact, these two characters may even have known each other before they died. Hunting was a pastime favoured by the upper class of Britain, and Patrick undoubtedly enjoyed it while still alive; so much so that he leads the gruesome Headless Hunt in death. Nearly Headless Nick, in his bitterness at not filling the hunt’s criteria to join, refers to Patrick as ‘Sir Properly Decapitated Podmore’ – a clever play on the name as it uses the exact same initials. Harry Potter fans should question whether Delaney-Podmore is any relation to Sturgis Podmore, of the Order of the Phoenix.

Diggle, Dedalus: Dedalus’s name is taken from the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus, in which Daedalus and his son Icarus escape from death by making wings from wax and feathers and flying away. However, Icarus flies too close to the sun and the wax on his wings melts, causing him to fall to his death. Jo studied Classics at university, so will undoubtedly know this famous story.

Diggory, Amos: Cedric Diggory’s father. His last name may have the same connection to the Chronicles of Narnia as described below.

Diggory, Cedric: There is a theory that Cedric is connected to the meaning ‘lord of wars’ in Old English but there is not much evidence to support this. Diggory is a main character in the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series (to which there have been many parallels drawn with Harry Potter) - The Magician’s Nephew. His character in that book is one with a strong sense of right and wrong – he has to save his friend Polly who he sends into another world. Aside from the other world bit, the morality would also be true of Cedric, which we can see when he feels he must help Harry with his Triwizard clue after Harry had helped him with the dragons. Jo has said of the Chronicles of Narnia, “Even now, if I was in a room with one of the Narnia books, I would pick it up like a shot and reread it”

Dippet, Armando: Armando is the Portugese form of Herman, so it’s possible that this ex-headmaster was Portugese, like Jo’s ex husband Jorge Arantes. Arantes also sounds similar to Armando, so this could be a very subtle reference to him. The impression we get of Dippet is that he is rather weak willed and easily led. This theory rather falls apart, however, because Arantes appears to have been strong willed and fiery tempered – so much so that Jo had to secure a restraining order. She has also made it clear that aside from Hermione, Ron and one other undisclosed character, her characters are emphatically NOT based on anyone in real life.

Dobbs, Emma: Emma’s last name sounds similar to the house elf Dobby’s. Could this be a reference to Hufflepuff Emma being a hard worker? This would fit the house ideal, and house elves are known for their exceptionally hard work. A less favourable explanation is that to dob somebody in means to tell tales on them.

Dobby: Dobby is not given a second name, which could emphasise the insignificance of house elves in wizarding opinion. A dobby is another name for a brownie in some parts of Britain, which is a type of creature that helps out humans by doing things like tidying up for them when the family is asleep. This is very similar to the job of a house elf. There is a popular club for girls about 8 to 11 called the Brownie Guides, and they are told the story of Brownies and told to do a good turn every day (Jo was a member). Brownies are found in Yorkshire – the same place as spectral dog Padfoot, which may have been Jo’s inspiration for Sirius’s nickname. (See Black, Sirius)

Doge, Elphias: Jo had some fun with this name when she described ex-Order of the Phoenix member Elphias. In history, the Doge was the title of the ruler of Venice. As a mark of his authority the Doge wore a cap shaped like a horn. Jo alludes to this when Moody says to Harry when showing him the photo in OotP, “Elphias Doge, you’ve met him. I forgot he used to wear that stupid hat.” Could Doge be one of the Order members we will hear more of?

Dot: We are introduced to Dot in the pub at Little Hangleton, as she gossips about the murder of the Riddle family. She bears a resemblance to a leading character of the same name in a British soap opera – Dot Cotton in Eastenders, who also loves to gossip. In fact, the character even speaks in a similar way to working class Dot Cotton – ‘if he had any decency, he’d leave here, knowing as how we knows he did it’. Dotty can mean slightly mad or off the wall. Given the tendency of Jo’s characters to be eccentric, this would come as no surprise!

Drooble (as in Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum): This witch or wizard’s name sounds similar to ‘drool’ – could this be because the gum is so good it makes people dribble? Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum is an anagram of Gold Bribe Beneath St Mungo’s, which has been the basis for a number of theories.

Dumbledore, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian: Jo has told us that Dumbledore was a word for bumblebee in old English, and that she chose this name because it "seemed to suit the headmaster, because one of his passions is music and I imagined him walking around humming to himself." Maybe he hums chamber music, which we know he enjoys listening to as we are told in the information on his chocolate frog card). In Latin, Albus means white, which could relate to his place as leader of the good side in the war and possibly to his long white beard too. Percival was a knight of the round table in the story of King Arthur, which may have connections with the idea that Dumbledore is a similar character to the wizard Merlin, who acted as the young king’s mentor (Auther to Merlin would equate to Harry to Dumbledore). Jo’s also said (in her interview at the Royal Albert Hall) that Albion was an old name for Britain. Percival glimpsed the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. Could this be a reference to something Dumbledore has seen, for instance the Philosopher’s Stone or something we have yet to read about? Also, could there be a connection to Percy Weasley? There has been speculation that Percival could mean ‘pierce the veil’, in reference to the veil in the Department of Mysteries. Wilfred, a name with similar roots to Wulfric, means ‘desiring peace’. This would be very, very true of Dumbledore. The name Brian is a Celtic name possibly deriving from ‘bre’ – a hill, meaning perhaps high or noble.

Dursley, Dudley: Dursley and Dudley are both the names of towns in Britain. Dudley is a largish town in the Midlands, and Dursley is a town near to where Jo was born. A dud can mean something that doesn’t work, or it can apply to somebody who is boring. According to Collins English Dictionary, a dud is ’a thing that is useless, not working, etc’ Petunia Dursley gives her son the inappropriate pet names of Diddy, Dinky Diddydums, Ickle Diddykinds etc. These are highly ironic because dinky, ickle and diddy, which refer to things being small and compact, are about the things furthest from what massive Dudley is. He’s known as ‘Big D’ to his friends – a name that suits his physique far better.

Dursley, Petunia - Named after a flower like her sister Lily. According to the same site as that referred to above, the petunia symbolises anger and resentment. This could easily be telling of her feelings towards her sister Lily, who was given a place at Hogwarts when Petunia had to stay a muggle.

Dursley, Vernon: The beginning of Dursley is ‘durr’, a sound people make when somebody around them is being particularly stupid. This is true of the Dursleys, who are ‘the biggest bunch of muggles I’ve ever seen’. Rearranged, the name Dursley spells rude, sly which is very appropriate. We know that they are exceptionally rude, and they (especially Petunia) seem to hold secrets that are yet to be revealed. In French, Vernon is a surname meaning alder tree, a tree which is supposedly a protection against powers involved with eyes. Could this be a reference to powers regarding eyes that Harry inherited from his mother? (Lily’s eyes)

 

E

Evans, Lily – see Potter, Lily

Evans, Mark – Evans is a typically muggle surname; it has no complicated meaning but means basically ‘son of Evan’. It is very interesting that Evans is Lily Potter’s maiden name, although Jo tells us that Mark Evans will not play a role in future plots which shot down a number of theories. The name Mark could be just as interesting – it forms one half of the DarkMark, and could perhaps indicate that he is ‘marked’ for something. although it almost certainly doesn’t. As Jo did not correspond Lily and Mark’s surnames intentionally, which she has said on her website, an explanation could be that the name Evans is a name close to Jo, as Bryony Evens was, along with Fleur Howle, one of the first people to read Harry Potter. Employed by Jo’s Literary Agent, Evens recommended the book be published. On her official website, Jo told us (now removed from the website, unfortunately): "I've got nobody to blame but myself. Sirius Black, Mrs. Figg and Mundungus Fletcher were all mentioned in passing well before they burst onto the stage as fully-fledged characters, so now you've all become too clever, not for your own good, but for mine. The fact is that once you drew my attention to it, I realised that Mark Evans did indeed look like one of those 'here he is, just a casual passer-by, nothing to worry about, bet you barely noticed him' characters who would suddenly become, half way through book seven, 'Ha ha! Yes, Mark Evans is back, suckers, and he's the key to everything! He's the Half-Blood Prince, he's Harry's Great-Aunt, he's the Heir of Gryffindor, he lives up the Pillar of Storgé and he owns the Mystic Kettle of Nackledirk!' (Possible title of book seven there, must make a note of it)."

Everard: This ex Hogwarts Headmaster’s name sounds like Ever Hard. Could this be a reference to a strict teaching style? The name Everard could also refer to a chain of pubs in Britain called Everard's. (The pubs each have their own name, but would be called, e.g., Everard's Red Lion, Everard's Three Crowns, etc.)

 

F

Fat Lady, The: The painted guardian of Gyffindor Tower, we are only told her nickname. That is her nickname because she is very fat! Her nickname is similar to the Hufflepuff ghost, the Fat Friar.

Fang: This is the threatening name of Hagrid’s boarhound. It doesn’t reflect Fang’s true nature at all – he is actually very friendly, and more than a little cowardly.

Fawkes: Dumbledore’s phoenix was named after Guy Fawkes, a well known figure in British figure who is famous for his attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605

Fenwick, Benji: It should be noted that Benji’s surname includes fen. We are told that Salazar Slytherin was ‘from fen’ (fen is low, marshy land)

Figg, Mrs Arabella Doreen: Mrs Figg is a batty old woman who loves her cats (or, more accurately, her kneazles) and her name reflects this eccentricity. Fig leaves are famous for their use in Genesis, which was to cover up Adam and Eve’s nudity, and a fig can also mean something that is not literal – again referring to covering things up. We have seen this to be true when Mrs Figg was not only revealed to know about the wizarding world, but was actually a squib and a member of the Order! In Britain, there is also a saying ‘I don’t give a fig!’ which you would say referring to how much you cared about something if to you it was of low value. This comes from the idea that a fig (a fruit from the fig tree) is something of little to no importance.

Something very interesting to note is that Arabella Figg and Argus Filch have the same initials. The similarities don’t end there, as they both own kneazles called Mrs something. Something to wonder about is, Who is Mr Figg? If Mrs Figg is Mrs, he must have been around at some point, but we are told that at the time of the books she lives alone with her cats.

Filch, Argus: To filch also means to steal in English slang. In Greek mythology, the many eyed giant Argus was killed after he had been lulled to sleep. (Argus was also known as Panoptes which means all seeing – very apt given Filch’s uncanny ability to detect wrongdoings in Hogwarts) The fact that the giant was killed after it was asleep could be a reference to Fluffy, who is lulled to sleep while he is guarding the trap door leading to the Philosopher’s Stone in Book 1. See reference to similarities to Mrs Figg above.

Finch-Fletchley, Justin: Muggle born Justin’s name was down for Eton before he got his Hogwarts letter, suggesting that he is rather posh. His double barrelled surname suggests this too, as we can see from Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington and Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore, who are the only other characters to have that type of surname and are, or were, both members of the aristocracy. The ‘just’ in Justin could be a reference to him being fair. He is a Hufflepuff, and the students of Huffle are known for being ‘just and loyal’. There was a saint called Justin who was beheaded in Roman times – hope this isn’t a clue.

Finnigan, Seamus: This is an Irish name, and we know that Seamus is Irish. Seamus is pronounced ‘shame-us’ which may be a reference to something he has to be ashamed of, for instance his behaviour towards Harry in the Order of the Phoenix.

Firenze: This centaur is a talented astronomer, and Firenze is the Italian name for the city of Florence. Galileo, perhaps the most famed and respected astronomer ever, is buried in Florence.

Flamel, Nicholas: Flamel was a real historical figure, famous for his work in Alchemy. Jo’s old Chemistry teacher claims that he taught her about Flamel and the Philosopher’s Stone in his lessons.

Fleet, Angus: Angus is a muggle who spots the flying Ford Anglia before Ron can press the Invisibility Booster. His name probably refers to the fact that he caught a ‘fleet’ing glimpse of it.

Fletcher (Mundungus): Mungdungus is the name a very smelly type of tobacco, appropriate given that we are told his pipe smells very strongly – ‘an acrid smell of burning socks’, in fact. He is known as ‘Dung’ to Fred and George Weasley, a name that reflects rather unflatteringly on him and again suggests that he smells. A fletcher is a person who makes arrows.

Flint, Marcus: Flint is a very hard stone. People in the stoneage used it to make weapons like arrow heads, and they also used it to make fire, by rubbing the stones together until they made sparks. Also, Captain Flint was the evil captain in Treasure Island whose treasure is being sought, and Long John Silver’s parrot is named after him. It’s interesting to note that in Quidditch, Flint is Wood’s rival. Marcus is probably derived from Mars, which is the red planet (growing brighter, according to the centaurs) and the god of war.

Flitwick, Professor Filius: To flit means to move butterfly like from one thing to another; possibly to have flights of fancy. This could well be true of tiny Professor Flitwick, who, we hear, is over excitable. Flitwick is the name of an English town. His first name rhymes with Ron’s middle name, Bilius, and means unnoticeable in Latin.

Fluffy: Fluffy is the three legged dog that Hagrid purchased from a ‘Greek chappie’ that he met in a pub. The opposite of Fang, Fluffy’s name is unsuitable because the dog is highly dangerous and could easily kill. This adds a touch of irony. The dog itself is a reference to Cerberus, the three headed dog who in Greek mythology guarded the underworld.

Fortescue, Florean: Florean shares his surname with a former headmaster of Hogwarts, a fact we learn when Dumbledore is talking to the portraits in his office. Jo hasn’t confirmed that the two are related, but it’s something to think about. There was a polish saint called Florian, who lived in the 3rd Century. The name means flower. Spotting a pattern with names about flowers? Arian Fortescue was also a saint arrested in England several times and beheaded for refusing to recognize royal supremacy to ecclesiastical matters of the Pope. Rebellious when sticking to his beliefs? This might refer to Florean being taken by deatheaters in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Fudge (Cornelius Oswald, Minister for Magic): Very suspicious name, as to fudge something is English slang to evade something (like the return of Voldemort), or mess something up – also to cheat or behave dishonestly, to fail to fulfil a promise or obligation. Worryingly, In history there was a Pope called Cornelius who was succeeded by a bishop called Lucius, which may be very pertinent to the series and the question of who will take over as Minister for Magic. Oswald may well be a reference to Sir Oswald Mosley, who was the leader of British fascists during the second world war, and a friend of high up Nazi officials (could Fudge knowingly be friends with Death Eaters?). Mosley was married to Diana Mitford – sister of Jessica Mitford who is Jo’s favourite author, and who she named her daughter after. Jessica was strongly against Mosley and Diana’s cause. In the 17th century there was a famous captain known as ‘Lying Fudge’.On a lighter note, however, fudge is a delicious soft toffee-like sweet. Fudge Flies are a type of wizard sweet sold in Honeydukes. Fred and George are developing Fever Fudge for their skiving snackboxes, but they haven’t been perfected yet and make whoever consumes them break out in large boils on their behind.

 

G

Golgomath: Golgomath is the giant that killed Karkus to succeed him as Gurg (leader) of the giants. His name sounds similar to Gog, a famous giant even in muggle folk lore.

Goshawk, Miranda: She wrote the Standard Book of Spells series, used in Transfiguration, Her name sounds phonetically similar to Minerva McGonagall (the Transfiguration teacher); they have the same initials and the same beginnings. McGonagall is described as hawk like often in the books, and a goshawk is the name of a short-winged hawk that used to be used to hunt wild geese and other birds. Could there be a connection? Like Hermione, Miranda is a character in a Shakespeare play. She appears in The Tempest.

Goyle (Malfoy’s friend Gregory): Short for ‘gargoyle’ an ugly stone creature seen on gothic style buildings as the end of a drainpipe, supposed to ward off evil – in legend they can come to life and be very nasty to intruders. Gregory is certainly ugly and nasty, but a protector against evil? There is a gargoyle guarding Dumbledore’s office.

Granger, Hermione Jane: Hermione is named from the character of Hermione in Shakespeare’s “A Winter’s Tale”. Jane may be in tribute to one of Jo’s favourite authors, Jane Austen. Then again, Umbridge’s middle name is Jane also, which wouldn’t have been a flattering reference to somebody Jo admired so much. Her last name is Granger, although it was originally planned to be Puckle. Puckle is a character in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, interesting because Hermione is also a Shakespearian name. However, Jo changed the surname to Granger because she wanted something ‘less frivolous’. Regarding Hermione’s name, Jo also told us (in 1999) “I wanted quite an unusual name for her because I think there are quite a lot of girls like Hermione… and it crossed my mind as I was writing that if I ever was published, I didn’t want to give her a common name. You know, just in case somewhere out there, there was a Hane with big front teeth who was really swotty and annoying!” In Greek mythology (something Jo studied at university) Hermione was the daughter of Helen of Troy (Menaleus’s wife, said to be the most beautiful woman in the world, who was abducted by Prince Paris of Troy). Hermione is the female version of Hermes, who was messenger to the Greek gods. And on the subject of Hermes and Harry Potter, Percy Weasley has an owl named Hermes.

Gregory the Smarmy: To be smarmy means to act smug, and perhaps to suck up.

Grindelwald: Apart from being the name of the most powerful dark wizard of the twentieth century except Voldemort, Grindelwald is also the name of a town in Switzerland. I know this because it was on a European weather report yesterday. His name sounds similar to the grindylow, a water demon.

Griphook: Griphook is a goblin who works in the Wizarding bank of Gringotts. His name is threatening because to grip something means to hold it very tightly, and a hook is a twisted shape (often made of metal) used to catch hold of things. All in all, Griphook’s name sounds as if he is a hunter who hooks things and then doesn’t let them go. This could refer to how tightly the Goblins run Gringotts.

Grubbly-Plank, Wilhelmina (Professor): This isn’t a very flattering name as grubbly calls to mind the word grubby, which means dirty but the sort of dirty that’s more of a covering, that has been building up for a while. Given her post of substitute Care of Magical Creatures teacher however, she may well get grubby from time to time. Plank makes me think of the expression ‘as thick as two short planks’ – a statement which referring to the Professor would obviously be untrue as her lessons are, in Harry’s words, ‘exemplary’.

Grunion, Alberic: Grunnion sounds like bunion. The name Alberic is German for “elf power” – alb (elf) and ric (power). Could this be a reference to house elves who we know are very powerful?

Gudgeon, Davey: This student nearly lost an eye by playing a game of who could get close enough to touch the trunk of the Whomping Willow. Gudgeon rhymes with bludgeon, and it is safe to say that the tree could have bludgeoned Davey. Davey shares his surname with Gladys Gudgeon, who is one of Lockhart’s biggest fans. She is likely to be a relative of him, although this has not been confirmed.

Gudgeon, Gladys: She has the same surname as Davey Gudgeon – a relative? Gudgeon can mean a foolish or easily cheated person – this could refer to how easily she falls for Lockhart. A gudgeon also means the ‘bearing of a shaft’ – the thing that holds something together.

 

H

Hagrid, Rubeus (Gamekeeper, Keeper of the Keys): Rubeus is described as having a ruddy complexion (red cheeks), and this is in fitting with his last name which sounds similar to ruby – a red stone. Jo has told us that in old English, someone who is Hagrid was having a bad night. This could apply to the slight drinking problem Hagrid seems to have ;) His title at Hogwarts aside from gamekeeper is the Keeper of the Keys. This could be literal or it could perhaps suggest that Hagrid is the keeper of the keys to the plot.

Hedwig: Jo has said in interviews that Hedwig was named after a medieval saint who was known for her charity work. She is now the patron saint of a charity helping abandoned and orphaned children – and Harry is an orphan himself.

Hermes: Percy Weasley named his owl Hermes – highly appropriate because in mythology Hermes was the Greek messenger, and owls carry messages.

Hooch, Madam: See discussion of Madam

 

I

 

J

Jigger, Arsenic: He wrote the Potions textbook ‘Magical Drafts and Potions’, and Jo definitely had some fun with his name because a jigger is a small measure of liquid (useful when measuring Potions ingredients, and specifically a 1.5 ounce shot glass) and Arsenic is a poison. Does his name mean a jigger of arsenic, which could easily be a lethal dose?

Jones, Hestia: Hestia was the Greek goddess of hearth fires, concerned with life at home. When Hestia was not respected, the home would be more vulnerable to attack.

 

K

Karkaroff, Igor: Igor’s name may well be taken from Frankenstein, the novel by Mary Shelley and popular old film. In the story, Igor is Dr Frankenstein’s assistant, and helps to create the monster. As a Death Eater, Karkaroff helped Voldemort rise to power, which could be a parallel. In the film, the monster is played by Boris Karloff, a name which sounds similar to Karkaroff. Karkaroff sounds similar to carcase. Along these carcase lines, being from such a chilly climate Karkaroff wears a lot of fur.

Kettleburn, Professor: He retired early at the end of Harry’s second year, leaving the position of Care of Magical Creatures teacher for Hagrid. Is there a clue in his name about why he retired, for instance he suffered a scalding from hot water?

Kirke, Andrew: He has the exact same name as the magician in “The Magician’s Nephew” (Andrew Kirke), part of the Chronicles of Narnia that Jo is a fan of. The magician isn’t very nice or brave however, so if his name relates at all to the HP character, we have to wonder what he’s doing in Gryffindor!

Krum, Viktor: His last name sounds the same as victor, which means winner (same stem as victory). This is a little ironic, given that he lost the Triwizard tournament, and the Quidditch World Cup. In German, krumm is an adjective meaning crooked or bent - appropriate as we are given the description of Krum as being ‘slightly duck-footed and distinctly round shouldered’.

 

L

Lestrange, Bellatrix: Bellatrix is Latin for female warrior and also the name of a prominent star in the constellation of Orion (the dog star, Sirius – her cousin - also appears in this constellation)  She is named after a star, just like the other Blacks Sirius, Andromeda (Tonks) and Regulus. Female warrior is fitting, because Bellatrix is an important Death Eater, and this idea is reinforced in the fact that Orion was a hunter. Sirius was in the constellation of Orion too, and he died fighting Bellatrix. Bellatrix sounds similar to belladonna, which is a strong poison traditionally used in witchcraft. Sounds appropriate, somehow.

Lockhart, Gilderoy: This name suggests Lockhart’s shallow nature. Something that is gilded is something that is made to look like gold, because it is covered with it, but underneath it is not a precious metal at all and is something like lead. This relates to Lockhart because he places so much value on his appearance, and also because he claims to be a skilled and accomplished wizard, but underneath this he is a liar who takes the credit for what other people have achieved. Lockhart is also a town in Australia, near Wagga Wagga. Wagga Wagga is where Lockhart claimed to have rescued the town from the Wagga Wagga Werewolf. The ‘hart’ in his name could be in reference to his ability to capture witches’ hearts like Mrs Weasley and Hermione. Gilderoy Lockhart is a very extravagant name, and it may even be a pen name he took to write his books with! Jo probably thought of the name from Craiglockhart Primary School (an elementary school) where her daughter Jessica studied.

Longbottom, Algie (Uncle): Algae (pronounced algie) is a mossy sort of plant that grows in ponds and fishtanks. It makes sense, then, that the pet Uncle Algie buys Neville is a toad. It could be short for Algernon, which is the first name given for Augustus Rookwood in early editions of the books.

Lovegood, Luna: Nicknamed Loony because it sounds similar to Luna. Loony is English slang for crazy. Luna is Latin for moon, and in history mental health was often linked to the lunar cycle. We see this idea elsewhere with Remus Lupin who becomes a wolf at the full moon. Perhaps there is a connection. This idea of a possible connection is supported by the fact that Lupin is called ‘Loony’ as a nickname as well, by Peeves. We know that in Lupin’s case this is far from the truth, so perhaps Luna is not as mad as is to be believed. Her last name, Lovegood, could indicate that she will have a romantic plotline later in the books.

Lupin, Remus J: Romulus and Remus were the two twins who founded the city of Rome. Legend says they were raised by a she-wolf, and this has also sparked the theory that Remus could have a twin. JK has since shot this theory down. Canis Lupus is the full Latin for wolf. Like Sirius (the dog star) Lupin also has a constellation named after him. Lupus (the wolf) is a constellation. The lupin is also a plant with flowers on long spikes, but this probably does not relate to the HP character. However, these plants were believed to be harmful to soil, and they are definitely associated with the wolf. Perhaps the lupin flower is an ingredient in the potion Lupin must take every month. Peeves had a nickname for Lupin while he was teaching at Hogwarts – ‘Loony Lupin’, which is the same nickname Luna is given.

Lynch, Aiden: His name sounds similar to ‘splinch’, which is what can happen is somebody apparates badly; they leave half their body in one place and half in another. Perhaps his name implies in future books he will literally be ‘lynched’ or lynch people. To lynch means to judge and put to death without the usual forms of law like a trial - Fudge and Crouch Sr seem to be fond of doing this.

 

M

MacMillan, Ernie: In English, to be earnest is to be serious and enthusiastic. Ernie is pompous but means well, so this could be said to relate to him. People who read a lot might have spotted the name MacMillan before, as it’s the name of a rather big publisher. Perhaps one of the publishers that turned Harry Potter down?

Macnair, Walden: A waldhorn is a hunting horn, which could apply to MacNair as he acted as a hunter in the role of Ministry Executioner and also, more importantly, as a Death Eater. Part of his name appears in the name of the dark wizard Grindelwald’s name.

Madam: Madam is a title many characters in the Wizarding World choose to go by. Madam Pince, Madam Puddifoot Madam Malkin, Madam Marsh, Madam Hooch and Madam Maxime. While Madame is the French word for Mrs, in English, Madam is an old fashioned way of addressing a lady politely, especially if the lady was married or elderly. Madam can also be used to address somebody of importance, or somebody who thinks they are important may refer to herself as madam. Often fortune tellers and musicians choose to title themselves madam. A famous magical madam is Mad Madam Mim who appears in Disneys’ film of the Sword in the Stone.

Magorian: There is a centaur called Magorian in the Forbidden Forest. Magorian is the surname of a popular children’s author, Michelle Magorian, who wrote Goodnight Mister Tom and Tom’s Midnight Garden.

Malcom (not surname given): One of Dudley’s large and stupid muggle friends. I’ve included the name because we encounter it elsewhere, with Malcolm Baddock, who is sorted into Slythein in the Goblet of Fire. Does Jo have something against the Malcoms of the world, as both her Malcolms are portrayed in a negative light? (For an interpretation of the name Malcolm, see Baddock’s entry)

Malfoy, Draco: As well as meaning snake and serpent, Draco was the name of a cruel ruler in Ancient Athens and this is where we get the phrase ‘Draconian’ from, meaning unnecessarily harsh. Also, “mal foi” means bad faith in French. The first password used to enter Gryffindor Tower that we are told is ‘Caput Draconis’, which means XXX. Draco’s name also appears in the Hogwarts motto: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus, which means ‘Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon’.

Malfoy, Lucius: A worrying ‘coincidence’ is that in history pope Saint Cornelius was succeeded by Saint Lucius. Cornelius Fudge was Minister for Magic up until the Order of the Phoenix – could this mean that Lucius Malfoy will succeed Cornelius Fudge as Minister for Magic even though he is in Azkaban, by claiming that he was under the Imperius Curse or similar? Lucius is similar in sound to Lucifer, which is another name for the devil. (And, incidentally, the name of a rather nasty cat in Disney’s Cinderella). Lucius was another harsh Roman lawmaker, as mentioned in the exploration of Draco above. Both these point to Death Eater Lucius being a nasty piece of work, which we know is true.

Malfoy, Narcissa: In ancient Greek mythology, Narcissus was a self absorbed character who fell so deeply in love with his own reflection that he couldn’t tear his eyes away and eventually died. The narcissus flower is named from this story. This is relevant to Narcissa because she is very self absorbed. An interesting fact is that sisters Lily Evans and Petunia Dursley were also named after flowers, although it is unlikely that Narcissa is any relation.

Malkin, Madame: According to Chambers English Dictionary, a malkin is a ‘dirty or lewd woman’. It sounds similar to malice, which means spite or a disposition or intention to harm others. Perhaps we will see more of Madam Malkin in future books that will show she lives up to her name. Malkin sounds similar to Malcolm, a name Jo appears to dislike as she has used it on two occasions for characters who aren’t very nice. See discussion of Madam. In folklore, malkin has been used to refer to a witch’s cat – in the Shakespeare play Macbeth there is a cat called Grimalkin.

Marchbanks, Giselda: She runs the wizarding exams, and resigned in protest when Educational Degree 23 came into effect. She is very old, so old that she remembers giving Dumbledore his O.W.L. exams. This shows in her name, Griselda. Becoming grizzled is something associated with being growing old, and the last part of her name sounds like ‘elder’, or it could also be ‘hild’ which means battle. Will she join the fight against Voldemort? Gris means grey which could apply to the colour of her hair. The march in her name suggests a grave and even walk, or a military walk. The banks could suggest she has a good grasp of her finances, or it could perhaps refer to the Wizarding bank Gringotts. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that her name could refer to a kind of military storming of Gringotts – a theory Luna Lovegood would surely be interested in given her views on Fudge and his supposed vendetta against goblins.

Marsh, Madam:A marsh is a type of swamp, which brings to mine images of Fred and George’s joke swamp that they use to disrupt things under Umbridge’s Hogwarts. There is a poisonous flower called the Marsh Marigold (looks like a large buttercup), so it would be interesting should Madame Marsh’s first name turn out to be Marigold. See discussion of Madam. Salazar Slytherin came from low, marshy land (fen) so perhaps there is a connection here?

Mason (Mr): Mr Mason was a client of Vernon Dursley’s in the first book, who Vernon wanted to sell a lot of drills too. We are told he is a rich builder, which is very fitting with his name. Masons were builders who traditionally build with stone, and there is a society that remains today called the Free Masons which has strong links to this building idea.

Maxime, Madam Olympe: Half giant Olympe Maxime’s name has lots of references to size. Something ‘Olympian’ is something of huge, God-like proportions (stemming from the name of Mount Olympus, where the Greek Gods were said to live). Maxime is also Latin for greatest, as well as being French for principle. This is appropriate as she is the head of French wizarding school Beauxbatons.

McDonald, Natalie: Natalie was a nine year old girl from Toronto who is the only real person named in the HP books. She was named in the sorting ceremony (Gryffindor) because she was very ill from cancer and her mother contacted Jo. They later became friends. Jo wrote Natalie an email that sadly was received on the day after Natalie died, and so Jo immortalised the girl in print.

McGonagall, Minerva: also shares her name with William Topaz McGonagall, who is often considered the worst poet in the English language. An example of his work is:

“Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.”

Her first name, Minerva, is the name of the Roman goddess of wisdom. Is this relevant to her character in HP, who we know is very intelligent? The goddess was also known for being able to transform into other animals to disguise herself – something we know animagus McGonagall is able to do. She demonstrates using her cat form as a disguise in the first book, although Dumbledore isn’t fooled. Minerva is not only the goddess of wisdom, but also of war, coinciding with McGonagall's fierce teaching methods and resolute determination to defy Dolores Umbridge with every possible means.

Meadowes, Dorcas: A woman named Dorcas is mentioned in the Bible because she is so righteous and good. Stemming from this is the Dorcas society, which is a lady’s society that makes clothes for the poor. Perhaps Dorcas would have assisted Hermione with making clothes for house elves, had Voldemort not personally killed her. Another interesting connection to HP and Hermione in particular is that there was a character called Dorcas in Shakespeare’s ‘A Winter’s Tale’. Jo has told us that she took the name Hermione from this play. A meadow is an area of land like a field that is grassy and level. There is a prevailing image of lush meadows which is an idealistic place full of wild flowers.

Meliflua, Araminta: The name of this Black family member who started the tradition of beheading householves sounds similar to malevolent, meaning wishing evil. Melampode is the black hellebore (essence of hellebore is used in Potions class). Melancholy means feeling sad. Melifluous means flowing with honey or sweetness, something that sounds the opposite to Araminta’s personality. Mint is a Scottish word (Jo wrote Harry Potter while leaving in Edinburgh) which means a threatening gesture. Minted can also mean very rich, which we know to be true of the Black family. Aminta is also a Latin name that means 'protectress'. 'Ar-' is an Indian prefix meaning tool, a Sindarin prefix meaning high, noble, or royal,and a Latin prefix meaing to, toward, or at. Unluckily for the house-elves, she was quite the opposite of their protectress, but it is possible that she felt by crusading for the rights of wizarding families to do whatever they pleased with their servants, she was protecting pureblood interests.

Merlin: Merlin is found on a Chocolate Frog card, and is probably the most famous wizard ever. He was the mentor to King Arthur as Dumbledore is the mentor to Harry. He shares his name with a type of small falcon, most likely named after him. Mer means sea in French. He lends his name to wizarding expressions, for instance ‘Merlin’s beard!’ which is an expression of surprise in the Harry Potter books.

Miggs, Martin: Martin the Mad Muggle has a name which stresses the same syllable lots (alliteration). This is similar to other comic book and cartoon characters like Wonder Woman, Desperate Dan, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck.. the list goes on. Miggs also rhymes with Figg – the name of Mrs Figg who is a batty squib (non magical person born to magical parents). Maybe ‘igg’ is a sound Jo associates with non magic and eccentricity?

Mimsy-Porpington, Sir Nicholas: See Nearly Headless Nick

Mockridge, Cuthbert: Mockridge is head of the Goblin Liason Office in the Ministry of Magic. His surname suggests that he likes to poke fun at things – probably not a good idea if he also likes to mock goblins, especially given the recent claims that the Ministry is persecuting goblins.

Moaning Myrtle: Myrtle is generally a flower symbolising love. This doesn’t relate much to Myrtle, but further research shows that there is a flower called Creeping Myrtle, which is also known as Flower-of-Death or more commonly periwinkle, which is poisonous. Her name could also be a play on ‘Weeping Willow’, which is a tree that grows near water, with branches that hang down so it looks miserable. This is similar to Myrtle, who lives very near water as she lives in a toilet. 

Moody, Alastor (‘Mad-Eye’): In Greek mythology, Alastor was an avenging demon associated with blood feuds. This could relate to the conflict between different wizarding families, and the ongoing idea that ‘purebloods’ are superior to muggleborns and halfbloods. Moody means prone to mood swings, temperamental. This fits in with ‘mad-eye’ too, as we are given the impression that Moody has lost it a little in his old age and ‘sees intruders everywhere’. Alastor sounds similar to alabaster, which is a type of smooth stone used to make statues. The Mad-Eye is of course a nickname referring to his magical eye which looks everywhere except where his other eye is looking.

Mortlake: Mortlake is first mentioned the first time we hear about Mundungus Fletcher, and so it is reasonable to assume he may be given a role to play yet, as Dung turned out to be rather important. His name is rather ominous – mort means death (also used in Voldemort’s name) and put together it makes the phrase ‘death lake’. Eep. His name also sounds like Mordred, who was an evil character in the King Arthur legend. (See the Weasleys for more on King Arthur references)

Mrs Norris: Nosy cat Mrs Norris, who helps Filch find rule breaking students, may be named after an equally nosy character in Jane Austen’s ‘Mansfield Park’. We know that Austen is an author Jo likes, so she may well have given a nod to the character and writer in her own series. Perhaps Mrs suggests that Filch is so attached to Mrs Norris they are almost married? In the French translation of Harry Potter the name for Mrs Norris is Miss Teigne, which means Miss Ringworm.

Mulciber: Mulciber means Vulcan. Vulcan was, in Roman myth, the god of fire and metal work (blacksmith).Perhaps as a Death Eater he specialises in fiery curses. Given Jo’s background in the Classics, it is likely that she is aware of this connection.

Murcus: Chief of the merpeople in the Hogwarts lake, his name calls to mind the phrase ‘murky depths’ which could easily refer to where he lives. Murky means dark and gloomy. The merpeople don’t appear to be the friendliest of creatures, as we can see in chapter 26 of the Goblet of Fire.

 

N

Nagini: Nagini is the name of Voldemort’s snake, and sounds somewhat similar to Zabini, the surname of Blaise who we know will become more important in later books. Naga means a divine snake in Hindi myth. It means a snake, especially the cobra. Nagina rears up like a cobra before striking Mr Weasley.

ind_fam@yahoo.com also tells us:
The name also means "Female Snake" in Sanskrit(Ancient Hindu language). The snake milk is said to be very powerful and only pure evil can digest the milk.

Nearly Headless Nick, or Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington: Mimsy is used as a nonsense word Lewis Carrol’s poem Jabberwocky and sounds like a mixture of flimsy and miserable. A nick is a shallow cut, which may be a reference to his botched execution. There was a Saint Nicholas around 326 AD who was the Patron Saint of scholars and especially school boys. The mimsy in his name may refer to Neville’s plant Mimbulus Mimbletonia, which will almost certainly become important in future books.

Nigellus, Phineus: Nigella is a type of plant of the buttercup family. Some of these plants are poisonous, like the Marsh Marigold. Phinneus sounds like the previous Hogwarts headmaster and relative of the Black family could have been fish likes (fins). Some believe that the name Phinehas means ‘serpent’s mouth’ in Hebrew, something which would have definite Slytherin connections if true. Nigellus means black in Latin.

Nott, Theodore (also Death Eater with no name supplied): Not has definite negative connotations, because it sounds just like not which is a word used for denial or refusal. Nott is a word for having very short hair, so perhaps this could be a comment on appearance? In Norse (Norwegian, Ancient Scandivavian – Viking) myth, Nott was the personification of night.  Night is associated with darkness, so this could be highly fitting for Death Eater Nott and his Slytherin son.

 

O

Oblansk or Obalonsk, Mr: He is the Bulgarian Minister for Magic, whose name bungling Fudge fails to be able to pronounce, so we can’t even be sure it’s his real name. His name has the same stem as words like oblivious, obliterate, oblige, oblong and obey.

Ogden, Tiberius: Ogden is the name that appears on Ogden’s Old Firewhisky, so perhaps Tiberius was involved, or related to somebody who was involved, in its creation. His name sounds like Tybalt, a character in Romeo and Juliet who was murdered. It’s possible that this could give a clue to deaths in future books.

Ogg: The name of the gamekeeper when Mrs Weasley was at Hogwarts, the name suggests simplicity with its one syllable. Nanny Ogg is a character in Terry Practchett’s popular fantasy series Discworld.

 

P

Padfoot: See Black, Sirius

Paracelsus: He is found on the Chocolate Frog trading cards, and there is also a bust of Paracelsus in Hogwarts that Peeves plans to drop on an unsuspecting student’s head. Paracelsus is a character that Jo has drawn on her mythological and historical knowledge for – Paracelsus was an Alchemical Genius of the Middle Ages. His name was Theophrastus Paracelsus, also known as Theostratus Phillipus Auroleus Bombastus von Hohenheim, and as well as being an alchemist he was fantastically clever in the fields of medicine and was able to cure many. Maybe his bust is near the hospital wing?

Parkinson, Pansy: Her name is that of a flower, like Lily, Petunia and Narcissa. The flower symbolises thoughtfulness. Does Pansy have hidden depths?

Patil, Padma: In Hindu scripture there is a book called Padma Purana which talks about a particular time span (called the golden lotus) Padma supposedly sprung from a lotus, and in sanskrit her name means lotus. Chillingly, lotus can have associations with the dark side. Just like in the Harry Potter books, the name Padma appears a lot less and is a lot less important in Hindu mythology than Parvarti.

Patil, Parvati : Parvati is the name of a beautiful Hindu goddess, married to Lord Shiva (a prominent God in the Hindu religion). She was born human but became a goddess through penance and meditation. Another HP connection to Hindi myth is Voldemort’s snake Nagini – naga means divine snake. Apart from the mythological symolism of this name, there could be a reference to Salman Rushdie's novel "Midnight's Children." In the novel, the protagonist Saleem befriends a girl with magical powers called Parvati the Witch, whom he later marries. Long after Parvati's death, he finally remarries; interestingly, his second wife is called Padma.

Payne, Mr: Pain means suffering. This wizard was trying to organise the Quidditch World Cup, so he would certainly have been flustered. There is a popular saying that if something is getting on your nerves it’s a ‘pain in the neck’ and various other bodily parts.

Peasegood, Arnold: His surname indicates that this may be a peaceful wizard. Either that, or won who has a particular fondness for peas. His name also sounds similar to Lovegood.

Peeves: This name has a clear connection. A peeve is something that is particularly annoying or irritating – hence the phrase ‘pet peeves’. This is certainly true of Peeves the poltergeist, who spends his life playing pranks, ignoring rules and trying to disrupt life at Hogwarts.

Perkins, Mr: Works in Auther Weasley’s office at the Ministry of Magic. He is one of the few characters described as a warlock as opposed to a wizard – is this to do with the age of the wizard? Because if so, why isn’t Dumbledore a warlock? Perkin was the first name of a British imposter, Perkin Warbeck. Could Perkins be an imposter like this man, meant to investigate Arthur or the Ministry by Fudge or Dumbledore? (We know that Fudge has already used Percy to spy on the Weasleys, and by default, Dumbledore.) This is given further evidence by the fact that in the same chapter (Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 3) we are told that Mrs Weasley is listening to Celestina Warbeck of the Weird Sisters. Remember that Warbeck was Perkin’s last name? The use of both of these so close together indicates that Jo knew what she was doing – and also the fact that warbeck sounds so much like warlock is suspicious too.

Pettigrew, Peter: In French, petit means small. This could mean that Peter was small and he grew – something that corresponds to the way Sirius says he tags along with bigger friends to make himself more important. Petti could mean that Peter is petty Peter’s surname sounds similar to babygro, an item of clothing that babies wear. Peter is described as being babyish at Hogwarts, compared to his brave friends. His Marauders nickname is Wormtail, because his animagus form is a rat, whose tail looks like a worm. Worms and rats are creatures that are generally considered low down and disgusting. While still Ron’s pet, he was called Scabbers, a name that also has negative connotations suggesting that he was Scabby and perhaps unhealthy. Peter was supposedly the most trustworthy of the disciples, but when tested he denied knowing Peter three times. This reflects clearly on Peter, who was made the Potter’s secret keeper and then betrayed them to Voldemort.

pigwidgeon: The dictionary definition of pigwidgeon is something that is ‘petty or small’. We are told that Ron’s excitable owl is very tiny. A poet called Michael Drayton wrote about a fairy named Pigwidgeon. Ron shortens his name to Pig, a name which Ginny (who named him) feels isn’t very friendly. The name sounds also rather like

Pince, Madam: Her surname may refer to pince-nez (French for pinch nose) which are a type of glasses held to the nose by a spring. It could also refer to pincers, which are grasping, claw like tools while can squeeze. Pincer is also the name of a military manoeuvre where forces advance on both sides of an enemy. See Madam for discussion of her prefix.

Podmore, Sturgis: Sturgis suggests that this Order of the Phoenix member is sturdy, which means tough, determined and resolute – qualities that would be very helpful in the fight against Voldemort. However, it can also mean reckless, so perhaps he should take what happened to Sirius as a warning. Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore shares his surname, and it is interesting to speculate on whether or not these two characters are related.

Polkiss, Piers: Dudley’s friend is described as scrawny, with a face like a rat. To pierce something means to make a hole through it, perhaps by a prick or a stab. To have piercing eyes is to have a very keen gaze, perhaps being very perceptive. Dumbledore and Snape are said to have piercing eyes.

Pomfrey, Madam Poppy: Her name is the name of a flower, like Petunia, Lily, Narcissa and Pansy. A poppy is a scarlet red flower – in the Wizard of Oz Dorothy there is a magical field of poppies that make anyone near them very sleepy. In the UK, poppies are worn to commemorate the soldiers who died in WWII. For information on Madame, see Madam.

Pontner, Roddy: (He bet Ludo Bagman Bulgaria would score first) In England Rodney, which sounds similar to Roddy, is a character on popular comedy Only Fools and Horses who is famous for being a ‘plonker’ (idiot)

Potter, Harry James: Jo has told us that Harry is her favourite boys’ name – “If I had a son, he would be called Harry”. This was said before the Potter phenomena, and she has since had a sons, though understandably is not called Harry. Potter is a common muggle name to emphasise Harry’s thoroughly ordinary heritage – suggesting that anybody with an ordinary background can turn out extraordinary. The fact that Harry Potter is such a common name means that there are indeed people named Harry who are fans of the books! Jo has heard of a few of them, for instance a grandfather who is pleased because his name makes him seem cool to his grandchildren. Harry’s middle name is James after his father. Draco taunts Harry by turning his name into Potty, which suggests that Harry is either mad or a toilet, or both. Peeves does this too when he calls Harry ‘Potty Wee Potter’. Even though Jo says she took the name Potter from a family who were childhood friends, Potter could refer to a ‘potters field’ which is a burial ground for people of unknown identity, or people who have very little money. This could have applied to Harry before he realised that we was a wizard.

Potter, Lily (maiden name Evans): Lily is a name of a flower symbolising purity and resurrection, in contrast to her sister’s name, which means resentment. Ginny Weasley’s name also means purity, and it most likely refers to their goodness of heart. The resurrection is a very interesting connection – we have been told that people cannot return from the dead (to the dismay of many Sirius fans) but perhaps Lily will return to help Harry in way not previously thought of, rather like she did at the end of the Goblet of Fire. It is also a reference to a phoenix, which is born again every time it dies, and which has a pivotal role in the series. The lily can be a symbol of motherhood (Lily is Harry’s mother) and it is a Western tradition to have white lilies at funerals. Lily’s maiden name was Evans, the same name as Mark Evans (a muggle in Harry’s neighbourhood) although Jo has said that Mark will not play a major part. He could still be a relative, however.

Potter, James: James is a pureblood even though his name suggests a muggle ancestry, especially as it does not appear on the Black family tapestry. Harry’s middle name is James, after his father. James’s nickname was Prongs, which comes from his aniamgus form which was a stag. The nickname refers to his antlers.

Prang, Ernie: He has the same first name as Ernie MacMillan. Ernie is a shortened form of Ernest. In British slang, a prang is a crash into something, for example a car. While driving the Knight Bus, crashes would be certain if things didn’t jump out of the way.

Prewett, Fabian and Gideon: Jo had a good friend called Jill Prewett, who there is a dedication to in the Prisoner of Azkaban. The Prewetts are brothers of Molly Weasley.

Pringle, Apollyon: In early Christian literature, Apollyon was the name of the devil, identified as an angel of death. He is known as the ‘Destroyer’. As a former Hogwarts caretaker, he almost certainly used the same and worse punishments as Filch, perhaps using the chains and manacles that Filch is now forbidden to use when punishing students. Arthur Weasley suffered at his hands, as Mrs Weasley tells us in Goblet of Fire – ‘He got caught by Apollyon Pringle – he was the caretaker in those days – he’s still got the marks.’ This quote and his name suggest that he was an even nastier figure than Filch.

Pucey, Adrian: Puce is a brownish purple colour that is generally disliked. Perhaps this is the colour of Slytherin Adrian’s complexion.

Purkiss, Doris: This witch is one of quite a few characters called Doris, eg Doris Crocker. Her surname sounds similar to that of Piers Polkiss.

 

Q

Quirke, Orla: A quirk is an unusual mannerism, for instance the way somebody speaks or moves.

Quirrel, Professor: The word "quirrel" suggests that this teacher is quarrelsome.  This isn’t really true to his character, as we are led to believe he is cowardly and avoids conflict. Quirrel also sounds like quail and quake, which are things people do when they are very scared. "Quirrel" also sounds a lot like "squirrel," and the professor's stutter and gestures seem very squirrel-like.

 

R

Rackharrow, Urquhart: The rack was a medieval instrument of torture, upon which victims were literally stretched.  Something harrowing means something that is deeply upsetting or traumatic, which being tortured on a rack would understandable be. There is a castle in Scotland called Urquhart Castle situated by Loch Ness. Jo, who lives mainly in Scotland, may well have heard this name or visited the castle, and recorded the name to use in the books, as we know she collects interesting names for characters.

Riddle, Tom Marvolo: This is the name that Lord Voldemort was born with, which he hates because it was given to him by his muggle father. “You think I was going to use my filthy muggle father’s name forever?” Tom Marvolo Riddle is an anagram (literally, a riddle) of I Am Lord Voldemort, as Tom shows Harry in the Chamber of Secrets. Marvolo sounds like it could have been the name of a muggle conjuror – his middle name was his grandfather’s, although we are not told on which side of the family. Like Harry Potter, Tom Riddle is a common name, although unlike Harry Tom Riddle had a serious problem with it. A riddle is a game in which something is described very obscurely, often in rhyme, where the thing described has to be guessed. His full name is definitely a riddle, and his name may suggest that Tom himself is a riddle; that there is a lot more to him we have yet to discover. See also Voldemort, Lord

Ripper: In contrast to the names of Fluffy and Fang, this dog’s name is very apt. The dog in question is Aunt Marge’s favourite bulldog, who chased Harry up a tree where he couldn’t get down until midnight. There was a famous murderer in Victorian London called Jack the Ripper, which gives some indication to Ripper’s temperament.

Ronan: Ronan was an Irish saint. Interestingly, Ronan the centaur has red hair, something that the Irish are famous for having!

Rookwood, Augustus: His name was wrongly printed as Algernon in early editions of OotP, which was changed in later editions. (Neville’s uncle is called Algie, possible connection there?) This suggests that Rookwood’s name was important enough to need changing, but there are no immediate clues as to why this could be. Augustus was the name of a famous Roman emperor – he named the month August after himself. A rook is a type of crow. It is also a chess piece in the shape of a tower which can move in a horizontal or vertical line. This is interesting because chess has been important in the series, especially when Ron played the trio over a giant chessboard in the Philosopher’s Stone. A famous bestselling book about highwayman Dick Turpin was written in 1834 by Harrison Ainsworth, called “Rookwood”. (See Turpin, Lisa)

Rosmerta, Madam: She joins the list of madams, which includes Madam Marsh, Madam Puddifoot, Madam Bones, Madam Malkin, Madam Pince and Madame Maxime. See Madam for discussion of the prefix. Rosmerta was a Celtic goddess of fertility and wealth, and she is often pictured with a stick about which are entwined two snakes. The beginning of her name is the beginning of Rose, which symbolises beauty.

 

S

Scabbers: See Pettigrew, Peter

Scamander, Newton Artemis Fido: This is a play on words. Scamander sounds like salamander, and a newt is a type of small salamander. This is appropriate given that he wrote “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. Fido is a traditional name for a dog – not very magical, but in fitting with the animals theme I suppose. Artemis was the Greek god of hunting and wild animals.

Shacklebolt, Kingsley: A shacklebolt is the pin that holds shackles together, while a shackle is the ring around a prisoner’s ankle. It serves to hinder and prevent people from escaping. This could refer to the fact that as an auror he imprisons people in Azkaban, but may refer to something in future books. The king in his name makes him sound regal, kingly in fact. This could (wait for it) suggest he could have something to do with the Half Blood Prince.

Sinistra, Professor: This professor is head of the Astronomy Department. Their name sounds very much like sinister, which means underhand or threatening evil. As it is likely that Voldemort will have a spy at Hogwarts, perhaps Sinistra could be a contender for who this person is. In Latin, sinistra means left, the direction which is traditionally unlucky and associated with evil. Fittingly given that Sinistra teaches Astronomy, they share their name with a star. The star Sinistra is in the constellation the Serpent Bearer and is said to have an immoral and mean influence. It’s moon is supposedly ‘addicted to sorcery and poisoning’.

Skeeter, Rita: A skeeter is a mosquito, a blood sucking creature. The female of the species has a long mouth part which can puncture the skin and suck blood. Mosquitos are parasites, which means that they feed off something else to live. This is very appropriate for journalist Rita, who cares only about getting a story and not about the people she may be hurting. Perhap’s Rita’s animagus form should have been a skeeter instead of a beetle.

Sleekeasy: S/he lends their name to Sleekeasy’s Hair Serum, which Hermione uses to tame her hair in preparation for the Yule Ball. This is most likely a name the manufacturer made up, because it fits the product perfectly as it is designed to make frizzy hair smooth and sleek easily. It can’t be that easy, though, as Hermione says it’s far too much trouble to bother doing every day.

Sloper, Jack: To slope off means to leave furtively, as if there was something you were hiding.

Slytherin, Salazar: Salazar was the name of a Portugese dictator. Jo used to live in Portugal. Salazar was a supporter of ethnic cleansing, just as Slytherin was keen to bar entry to Hogwarts to muggleborn witches and wizards. Slytherin sounds like ‘slithering’ which it what snakes, the emblems of Slytherin, do. Slytherin was famous for being able to speak Parselmouth (snake language).

Smethwyck, Hippocrates: Modern day muggle doctors (and perhaps wizarding healers too) have to take the Hippocratic Oath to swear they will deliver the best treatment they can, etc. Hippocrates is know as the Father of Medicine. This is very appropriate as Smethwyck is in charge of a ward at St Mungo’s (the wizarding hospital)

Snape, Professor Severus: Jo has told us that Snape is the name of an English village that she used to visit often. The people who live there are probably not very pleased at the use the name has been put to! The last name sounds like ‘snipe’ which means XXX which is true of Snape’s personality. Snape is also only one letter way from being ‘snake’, which is appropriate given he is head of Slytherin, whose house mascot is the serpent. Severus comes from severe, which means very strict and unsparing. This is definitely the way Snape teaches. It has been the name of some unpopular Roman emperors – other Roman emperors have been Lucius and Arthur – as well as the name of a Saint who XXX.

Snuffles: See Black, Sirius

Spore, Phyllida: A spore is something plants make so they can reproduce. Spores are undoubtedly talked about in ‘One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi’, which is the Herbology textbook Phyllida is the author of.

Sprout, Professor Pomona: A humorous connection is made between Professor Sprout's name and her position at Hogwarts. She is the Herbology teacher (the study of plants), and a sprout is a new growth, for instance a new bud on a plant. It is also the name of an unpopular vegetable. Pomona, Professor Sprout's first name, is fittingly a goddess of the garden and fruit. (Thanks Carolee!)

Stout, Miriam: Stout means fierce, proud, stubborn and unyielding. From this comes the expression ‘be of stout heart’. It also calls to mind the phrase ‘short and stout’, which may allude to the St Mungo Healer’s physique.

Switch, Emeric: To switch means to switch something for another, something which the study of Transfiguration is all about, as it means to turn something into something else. There was a saint called Emeric. He was the son of Hungary’s first Christian king, and many miracles were reported to have happened at the site of his grave. Emeric Switch shares his name with Emeric the Evil, who is mentioned in passing in History of Magic class. Emeric may have lent his name to switching spells, or be named after them. We have not been told anything specific about switching spells, although they have been mentioned more than once.

 

T

Ted the newsreader: Could the newsreader in the Philosopher’s Stone be Tonks’s father? He seems to have an idea what is going on, as he reports the showers of shooting stars and owls in daylight as if he finds the whole thing very funny.

Tofty, Professor: He is a very old wizard, who is one of the examiners in Harry’s O.W.L.s. Tofty sounds like tufty, which could refer to him having tufts of hair – easy to imagine on an elderly male wizard.

Tonks, Andromeda: Andromeda is the name of a constellation. She is named for something to do with space, like her relatives Sirius, Bellatrix and Regulus. In Ethiopian legend Andromeda was punished because her mother claimed to be more beautiful than the daughters of a sea god. Andromeda was chained to a rock as a sacrifice for a sea monster, but she was saved from this fate.

Tonks, Nymphadora: Tonks is never referred to as Nymphadora, as she chooses to go by the name of her muggle father – the opposite to Voldemort. According to Chambers English Dictionary, a tonk is slang for a penis, something which Jo may or may not know. If she does and this was intentional, it shows a fair bit about Tonks’s extroverted nature. A nymph was a magical being who lived in mountains, trees, rivers etc. In mythology they are often young and beautiful maidens, something Tonks clearly has no patience for.

Tonks, Ted: The name of Tonk’s dad. In the Philosopher’s Stone the newsreader on television is called Ted – this may be a coincidence or could he actually be Tonks’s muggle father?

Trelawny, Cassandra: In ancient Troy, King Priam’s daughter Cassandra was a famous seer who was cursed by Apollo to be able to see the future, but nobody would take any notice of her.

Trelawny, Sibyll: Professor Trelawny's first name was the name of an ancient prophetess. As a word it means ‘oracle’, ‘fortune teller’ or ‘witch’. This is a thought out name, given Trelawny’s position as Divination teacher. Trelawny is an area of England, in Cornwall.  In ancient Greek mythology, fortune teller and witch Sibyl got past Cerberus, the three headed dog guarding the underworld (sound like Fluffy at all?) by giving it a drugged cake.

Tremble, Quentin: He wrote “The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection”. The promise that his book can protect isn’t altogether reassuring, given that his name means to shake with fear.

Turpin, Lisa: Dick Turpin was a famous highwayman who allegedly made a dashing ride from London to York to escape capture on his horse Black Bess. Harrison Ainsworth wrote a novel about Turpin, titled “Rookwood” which became a bestseller. Perhaps Death Eater Rookwood has a tie to Lisa Turpin.

 

U

Umbridge, Dolores Jane: According to Chambers English Dictionary,  umbrage (which sounds like Umbridge) means shade or shadow, or something that casts shade. Umbridge certianly casts a shadow over Hogwarts. She shares her middle name, Jane, with Hermione. I suggested in Hermione’s case that Jane could be a nod to Jane Austen, one of Jo’s favourite writers, however if this was the case here it wouldn’t be a very flattering tribute. Jane is often associated with the phrase ‘Plain Jane’ describing somebody who is boring looking and not particularly attractive. Umbridge goes a step beyond that and is described as looking like a toad, but the link is still worth thinking about. Dolor in Spanish means a pain or ache; sadness. As Jo lived in Portugal for a long time she will certainly know this.

 

V

Vector: This is a mathematical term, appropriate for professor of Arithmancy. The term means a ‘directed quantity’ – that is, an amount of something with a given direction, like 3 squares to the right for example.

Viridian, Professor Vindictus : To be vindictive means to seek revenge. This professor wrote “Curses and Counter Curses – Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies” – fitting.

Violet: This witch who hangs in a Hogwarts portrait is the Fat Lady’s friend, who loves to gossip. A shrinking violet is somebody who is very shy; something which this Violet clearly isn’t. Violet is the name of a flower (like others in the HP books, see Flower Names) and violet is also the shade of purple that the violet flower is.

Voldemort, Lord: "Voldemort" is French for "flight of death." This is true of Voldemort, who has employed numerous ways of eluding death, for instance drinking unicorn blood. Other ideas are the root "mort" which is included in such words as "mort" (death), "mortify" (to punish), and "mortuary" (a place of burial). Apparently, about twelve to thirteen years before the time of Arthur, in the legend of King Arthur there was an evil wizard called Voldemortist who tried to kill Merlin.

 

W

Waffle, Adalbert: To waffle means to talk on and on and on about nothing, boring everybody to tears. Could this be a comment on the way Adalbert wrote Magical Theory? To be addled is to be confused and muddlehead (incidently, muggle is a play on the word muddle). There is a ward in St Mungo’s for people whose ‘brains have been addled by magic’”.

Warbeck, Celestina: Wabeck sounds similar to warble, which means to sing quaveringly. As this witch is lead singer of popular band the Weird Sisters, this is very true to her character. It also sounds a but like warlock, which means a wizard. Celestial means of the sky, or heavenly.

Weasley: The surname "Weasley" does not seem to have any reference to the word "weasel" besides its spelling and similar sound. It does not necessarily imply that the Weasley family members look or act like weasels, although the weasel is famous for getting out of tricky situations – hence the phrase to ‘weasel out’ of something. The Weasleys live near Ottery St Catchpole, and it is interesting that a family that sounds like weasel lives near a town that sounds like otter.

Weasley, Arthur: Arthur’s name may relate to the name of famous King Arthur Pendragon, leader of the Knights of the Round Table, known for his wisdom and fairness. In some accounts of his tale, Arthur fought in a war against the Romans. He defeated Emperor Lucius and became emperor himself. This is VERY interesting, because Lucius Malfoy is one of the key Death Eaters, and somebody who Arthur violently hates, as much as Harry hates Malfoy. Does this suggest that a future plotline will involve a fight which Arthur will win? In history there was also a pope called Cornelius who was succeeded by pope Lucius, which could give a clue to what Arthur will beat him at. Perhaps, somehow, Lucius manages to be made Minister for Magic (it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if he managed to clear himself of the charges against him – he will undoubtedly leave Azkaban very soon) and Arthur becomes Ministry of Magic after him. In both these historical accounts, Lucius holds a position of power which Arthur than has – Emperor of Rome and Pope.

Weasley, Bill: A bill is an account of money. Muggles, and presumably wizards too, receive them to tell them how much they are owing. This is rather appropriate given that Bill works with the Wizarding bank, Gringotts. Bill is a shortened form of William. It’s interesting to note that William has been the name of four English kings, for instance William the Conqueror. This corresponds with the names of Charlie, Fred, George and Arthur, who were all kings (and Ginny was a queen), while Percival (Percy) was a knight of the round table. And of course, in Ron’s case, Weasley is our King!

Weasley, Charlie: There have been two English kings called Charles, and Charles is currently the Prince of Wales in Britain, set to become king.

Weasley, Fred and George: There were six English kings called George, and Frederic has also been the name of kings in the past, for example King Frederic of Spain.

Weasley, Ginevra Molly (Ginny): Ginny's first name is a short form of Ginevra (not Virginia as pointed out by Jo) which is an Italian form of Guinevere. It means “fair one”, or "white and smooth." White and smooth could suggest Ginny's purity, although she has been dating a lot of boys. If this is the case, it is more likely to refer to her purity of goodness – ie, there is no evil in her. Fair means beautiful, which seems to be true in Ginny’s case. Guinevere was King Arthur’s queen, which is interesting given that so many others in the Weasley family have been connected to kings, especially King Arthur. It would have been interesting if Molly and Ginny’s names had been switched, because then Guinevere would have been married to Arthur in both stories. Still, the fact that Ginevra is a form of Guinevere and so many others in the Weasley family have connections to King Arthur is a very strong coincidence. In all the stories talking about Guinevere, she is surprisingly beautiful and desired by many. This seems also true of Ginny Weasley, who from what we gather seems to have boys falling at her feet. However, in legend Guinevere was abducted by Mordred, Arthur’s nemesis, although it is still debated whether or not she went willingly. This could comply with Ginny’s role in the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. The idea that Ginny’s name connects with Guinevere is made stronger by the fact that Jo emphatically confirmed that her name was NOT Virginia, it was Ginevra. Her middle name is Molly “Ginny is Molly, of course” (Jo, online chat) which is her mother’s first name and suggests she was probably named after her – like Harry’s middle name is his father’s.

Weasley, Molly (maiden name Prewett): It was harder to find a quick connection to monarchs with this name, but a search on a names database told us all we need. Molly is a nickname for Mary – a name which has been the name of two English queens and also Mary Queen of Scots. This means that all of the Weasleys have a connection with royalty (and all of their names have been the names of kings of queens, except Ron, although we are told Weasley is our King, and Harry has a dream about Ron and Hermione wearing crowns.

Weasley, Percy Ignatius: Percy’s name is probably a shortened form of Percival. If this is the case, there are a number of interesting ties. First, Percival was one of King Arthur’s knight’s of the round table. His father is called Arthur. If Percy joins the Order, this could allude to them being Knights in a similar way to those of King Arthur’s. The knight was said to be chivalrous, and it’s not too late for Percy to prove this to be true of him also, but if he doesn’t change his. The Death Eaters were originally known as the Knights of Walpurgis, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the Order could be seen as counter Knights fighting them. In his adventures as a round table knight, Percival caught a glimpse of the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail is, literally, believed to be the cup Christ drank from at the last supper (depending on your views of the Da Vinci code, of course) but the Holy Grail can also more loosely refer to something of staggering importance and value that is near impossible to find, rather like the Philosopher’s Stone in fact. Sir Percival was born poor (like Percy Weasley) and in folklore he has gone down as a fool.  Folks who have been trying to find a meaning for Percival have suggested that the French form Perceval could mean ‘piece the valley’ (take a middle road), or ‘pierce the veil’. HP fans have latched on to the Pierce the Veil theory, suggesting that it could refer to the veil in the Department of Mysteries. However, Jo has debunked this theory. His middle name, Ignatius, could refer to ignorance. This could easily apply to the new side of Percy we see in Book 5, where he disowns his family in favour of the Ministry and actively works against them, even though he should be able to see that all the evidence supports Voldemort being back. Ignatius means fire, and fire features prominently on the UK children’s edition of the Half Blood Prince. There was a saint named Ignatius who Christ supposedly ‘took up into His arms’. In the Pocket Dictionary of Saints, the last sentence of the entry on Ignatius of Constantinople is, "Though he is recognized as personally holy, he was evidently deeply engaged in the politics of his times." How very fitting. It is also claimed that he helped write the gospel John. He is famous for writing what is known as the Ignation Letters – Percy wrote Ron a lengthy letter in the Order of the Phoenix, although to suggest that this is more than coincidence would be stretching the bounds of possibility rather a lot. There is an aristocratic (pure blooded?) family in Britain called the Percys who live in Alnwick Castle, which was used for the exterior of Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films.

Weasley, Ronald Bilius (Ron): Popular mythologist Charles Hart did some digging through ancient Scottish folklore and discovered a very interesting bit of information that Rowling may have had in mind when naming Ron. A rather obscure legend says that ancient warlord Running Weasel was an extremely talented chess player (like Ron) and died of an accident involving a rat that had been dyed yellow – in book 1, Ron attempted to turn Scabbers yellow. (Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!) Are these connected, and does this mean Ron will die in an accident involving Scabbers? Ron was named after a friend of Jo’s who died, called Ronald Ridley, who the Goblet of Fire is dedicated to. His last name sounds similar to Riddle, although this is probably just coincidence.

Wendelin the Weird: Wendelin had a rather unusual fondness for being burnt at the stake, as Florean Fortescue in Book 3 tells us. She allowed herself to be caught by muggles 47 times, and went down in the history books for this. Weird undoubtedly refers to this strange hobby.

Whitby, Kevin: Whitby is an English town highly associated with witchcraft and the occult. It was where Dracula landed in England, in Bram Stoker’s novel, and every year at Halloween wiccans and Goths flock to the town. There is a popular

Widdershins, Willy: Widdershins means in the wrong way. In witchcraft, to move widdershins is to move anti-clockwise in a circle, or to face left. The word has unlucky associations and is part of many superstitions, for instance that if you walk around a church anticlockwise (widdershins) three times at night, the devil will appear. Widdershins was c