Septembers Lesson- "Behind the Name"
In JK Rowlings work she introduces readers to an assortment of characters that range from being
good to extremely bad, some are capable to confuse us while others are really dumb and all most
all the others being in-between. If you haven't noticed, all most all the main characters are
introduced in book one "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone." These characters resurface in
later books where they either play a larger role, a prominent role or are significant to an
advancing plot. Others are introduced and banished within one book.
As we know, Harry Potter is fiction and his world is just a fantasy. This means that the characters
are not always human but can also be creatures, plants, and enchanted objects. Many muggles
(Non-magic folk) are identified in groups. Characters like Voldemort play an elusiveness role
where they are both physical and orally portrayed.
The characters that populate Harry's world represent arch types that are based on legends, fairy
tales and myths. Some characters are stereotypical, to help them portray exaggeration to their
traits or emphasize a point.
The novels revolve around a theme of good versus evil. The whole book series revolves around
Harry verses Voldemort. The two characters appear to be distant opposites but they share
similarities as well.
Hogwarts Professors and staff are the most stereotypical characters in the novels. This is to aid
reader's thoughts of their roles. They are referred to as "Professors" to exemplify the formal
manners expected from students. Teacher's names are frequently anagrams of words based on
their personality, academic specialties or flaws. Hogwarts four founding wizards, Godric
Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff,Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin, each establish a tone for
future students and teachers. Then there is Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore
is reminiscent of Merlin from the King Arthur legends, with his long beard and eyeglasses. The
word Dumbledore means "Bumblebee" and the headmaster displays help to those of common
dwellers. See how each name gives an anagram (word on play) to each character's personality.
Below you can find a list of character names and their meanings. Some you may know, while
others may surprise you. Go ahead and skim through the list and discover new information on
your favorite characters!
MUGGLES
Dursley: A city in Gloucester County, Rowling's home county in southwest England. The family
has plant-oriented names!
Vernon (uncle) is from a French last name for "alder tree."
Petunia (aunt) is a type of annual flower with delicate, bell-shaped flowers. Like her sister, Mrs.
Dursley's first name comes from a flower. The petunia is a flower that symbolizes anger and
resentment, reflective of her personal feelings towards her sister's magical abilities and how her
parents seemed to favor Lily for them.
Dudley: was formed from "dud" which is British slang for "a boring person."
Mr. Mason: This affluent builder was a guest of the Dursleys in The Chamber of Secrets. A
mason is a bricklayer.
Piers Polkiss: Piers is of Anglo-Saxon heritage and means "rock." It is a variant of
Peter, from the Greek for "rock." Polkiss may be a variation of Polk, which itself is a variation of
the Scottish names Pogue, Pollack, or Pollock, meaning "from the pool or pit."
HOGWARTS STAFF
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore: His first name is from the Latin word alba, "white." His last name,
according to Rowling interviews, is Old English for "bumblebee." In color symbolism, white often
stands for purity, so the headmaster's name suggests honor and a hard-working nature ("busy as
a bee").
Apollyn Pringle: This Hogwarts caretaker during Arthur's and Molly's school years was quite
different than the curent caretaker, Hagrid. Apollyn is one of the nicknames for the Devil. The
Pringle family were a bunch of self-righteous snobs in the novel "Anne of Green Gables."
Headmaster Armando Dippet: Armando is from the name Armand, "of the army." Dippet is not a
word in English, but dip has many meanings, including: (1) to put something into something else,
often a liquid; (2) to take something out of something, as in dipping out water; (3) to lower and
raise something; (4) a fool.
Argus Filch: In Greek mythology, Argus the All-Seeing was a man with 100 eyes on his body, who
gained a reputation as a great watchman. The goddess Hera asked him to watch a priestess, Io,
who had been turned into a heifer, or young cow, because she had fallen in love with Hera's
husband, Zeus. However, Hermes, messenger of the gods, tricked him by telling him long, boring
stories. All those eyes closed in sleep, and Hermes stole away Io. Filch is an informal word that
means to secretly steal items of little value.
Professor Binns: A bin is a large storage container. A dustbin is British English for a garbage can.
This boring professor could be described as a ghostly storage for information that many Hogwarts
students view as rubbish.
Professor Filius Flitwick: Filius is Latin for "son of." Flitwick is a town in England but also suggests
movement of a wand. To flit is to move quickly from location to another. A wick is a loosely woven
strand of fabric or fibers, often used in a candle or oil lamp. A wick has a similar shape to a stick
(wand).
Grey Lady: Lady Jane Grey was the queen of England for nine days in 1553, before being
disposed. Maybe she came back as a ghost?
Rubeus Hagrid: Rubeus, possibly from the Latin rubinus, "red." Also possibly from Hagrid Rubes,
"Giant of the Jewels." He was a kind giant in ancient Greek mythology. (Hagrid is a nice,
generous man.) Zeus, chief of the gods, framed him for murder. (Hagrid and Aragog were framed
for deaths of Hogwarts students.) Zeus banished him from Mount Olympus, home of the gods,
but allowed him to take care of the animals. (Headmaster Dippet expelled him from Hogwarts, but
Dumbledore convinced him to keep Hagrid on as head gamekeeper.) Hagrid also may nean
"hung over," as from alcohol. Hagride is a verb that means "to torment."
Madam Hooch: Hooch is (1) U.S. slang for hard liquor, especially whiskey or illegal (bootleg)
alcohol. Hooch is from hoochihoo, a liquor distilled by the Hutsnuwu Indians. (2) It also can be
slang for marijuana. (3) Among American soldiers fighting in Vietnam in the 1960s and '70s, it
was slang for a hut, particularly one in a rural native village. Hooch's possible first name,
Xiomara, may be either Aztec or from another Latin American Indian nation. You see Xiomara
used as a first name for Latin American females.
Gilderoy Lockhart: "Gilde" is from the word "gilded," or decorated with a thin layer of gold. "Roy"
is from the French word roi, or king. Lockhart is a Scottish name. It contains the words "lock" and
"hart" (heart). The Clan Lockhart's slogan is "I open locked hearts." So he is a gilded, golden
haired king whose big smile and friendly ways unlocks hearts (especially girls'). Lockhart also is a
town near Wagga Wagga, Australia, which explains the Wagga Wagga Werewolf.
Professor Kettleburn: Humorous name suggesting either a container that got burned, or an injury
gotten from one. A cauldron is a type of metal kettle.
Remus J. Lupin: Remus comes from the Roman legend of the child Remus who was raised a
she-wolf. He was the founder of Rome before being killed by his brother Romulus. Lupin comes
from "lupus" which is Latin for "wolf."
Professor Minerva McGonagall: Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war. Her pet
was an owl, like Athene, who was her equivalent in Greek mythology. The name Minerva also
means "wise." The Scottish name McGonagall (or McGonigle, McGonegal) is from the Celtic
name Conegal, meaning "the bravest," plus Mc, or "son of."
Alastor Moody: In Greek mythology, Alastor was the name of an avenging demon. It is also the
Greek term for an avenging power that visits the sins of the fathers on their children. This would
relate to his interaction with Draco who does carry his family's sins. "Alastor" was the name of a
demon (same demon or not) that executed court decrees in Hell, which is rather appropriate in
comparison with Mad-Eye, since he could be seen carrying out Ministry decrees by capturing
Death Eaters. In English, "moody" means "given to changeable moods; temperamental".
Madam Irma Pince: Irma is from German irmen for "whole" or "complete." Pince is from pince
nez, a pair of glasses with no side ear temples, but just lenses and their frames. They clip on the
bridge of the nose. Pince-nez is "pinch (the) nose" in French. This type of eyeglasses is
sometimes seen on stern or bookish people in literature, movies, TV, etc.
Madam Poppy Pomfrey: The poppy, genus Papaver, has served both decorative and medicinal
purposes. The opium poppy, Papaver somniferus, is the most notorius species, producing legal
and illegal drugs. It is used to make the legal painkillers codeine and morphine, but also produces
opium and heroin. The non-addictive poppy seeds are commonly used in baking. Pomfrey is a
contraction of the city of Pontrefact, North Yorkshire, England. Pomfrey cakes are small, sweet
lozenges made from the roots of the licorice plant. Licorice also has been a medicinal ingredient
for hundreds of years
Professor Quirrell: May be from the word squirrel, for a group of nervous, nut-eating rodents that
live in trees. The professor was a scared, shaky man who behaved a lot like one, later an act to
cover up his allegiance to Voldemort. The Diagon Alley extension of the Harry Potter Trading
Card Game lists Quirrell's first name as Quirinus. Several Roman Catholic martyrs bore this
name. Quirinus also was the name of a Sabine war god worshipped by the ancient Romans. It
may be derived from the world "spear" in the Sabine language, and from the Latin corvirium, or
"assembly of men."
Professor Sinistra: The Latin sinister meant "on the left," or more often, "unlucky." Something that
is sinister in Modern English means it is evil or suggestive of evil. The left side was often
associated with evil or bad luck in Roman and other ancient cultures.
Professor Severus Snape: Severus was the name of several ancient Roman emperors and later,
early saints. Severus is the Latin word for "strict" or "severe," which the professor truly is. Snape
also a town in England. It also is a shipbuilding term. It means to bevel the end of a piece of
wood, or cut it at a sloping angle, so it fits against an inclined surface.
Professor Sprout: Her very appropriate plant-oriented name means to (1) spring up and grow; (2)
to send out new growth.
Professor Sibyll Trelawney: Sibyl was a priestess in ancient Greek mythology. A sibyl (one "l") is
a woman who could look into the future. Often sibyls came in groups of 10 and were found in the
Greek, Egyptian and Babylonian cultures. A sibyl also can be any female prophet. The name is
from the Latin sibylla, seer. Trelawney is an English name meaning "for God."
Professor Vector: A vector is a mathematical term for either (1) a one-dimensional array or (2) a
quantity that has a magnitude and a direction, often represented by a line segment. Vector
teaches Arithmancy, which is fortune telling with number values.
MINISTRY OF MAGIC OFFICIALS
Ludovic "Ludo" Bagman: Ludovic is from Gaelic for "devotee of the Lord." Ludo also is Latin for "I
play." (He headed the Department of Magical Sport and Games.) In British slang, a bagman is a
traveling salesman. In U.S. slang, it means a person who transports cash for a criminal operation.
Ludo was a secret gambler who threw away his money.
Bartemius Crouch Jr./Sr.: Crouch means to bend the knees and get close to the ground.
Someone crouching may be hiding. Both Crouches did have something to hide in The Goblet of
Fire. Bartemius: This name is somewhat like Bartholemew, meaning "hill" or "furrow."
Cornelius Fudge: Cornelius is an Irish name that means "horn colored" or "strong-willed and
wise." Fudge is a rich sugar, milk, butter and flavoring. It also takes a more serious definition: (1)
to fake or falsify; (2) to evade; (3) to be indecisive. There were times when Fudge did behave like
this as head of the Ministry of Magic.
Bertha Jorkins: Victim of Lord Voldemort. Her first name means "intelligent" or "shining." Ironic
first name, as she was gossipy, forgetful and not always wisely cautious about danger. Jorkins
may be from Mr. Jorkins, a character in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield and A Christmas
Carol.
Newton "Newt" Scamander: His nickname is a small, brightly colored salamander. His last name
could also be a variation of salamander. Appropriate for a beast guy. The salamander of legend
was the "fire lizard," a reptile so resistant to heat that it lived in fire.
Other Wizards and Witches
Bathilda Bagshot: Author of A History of Magic. Bathilda is a German name that means "heroine."
Sirius Black: His first name is the "Dog Star," brightest in the Canis Major (Great Dog)
constellation. There are at least three stars in the Sirius system, and the brightest is Sirius A; it is
10 times brighter than our sun. This star was given god status among the ancient Egyptians and
later the Greeks. The dog represented by the constellation was the faithful companion to Orion
the hunter, who also is a constellation. Appropriate for a wizard who can transform into a dog.
Black suggests the dark nature that wizards unaware of Sirius' innocence assign to him. It also
could suggest "black dog," the form he takes when his uses his skill as an Animagus.
Fleur Delacour: Her first name is French for "flower." Her last name means "of the court." A flower
of the court could mean a noblewoman.
Dedalus Diggle: Daedalus (the more common spelling) was a craftsman and inventor in Greek
mythology. He fled Greece and went to the island of Crete. There he built the labyrinth, a maze
that held the Minotaur, a monster man with the head of a bull. Daedalus tried to escape King
Minos of Crete, so he built wings of wax and feathers for himself and his son, Icarus. They flew
like birds into the sky. Icarus flew too closely to the sun and crashed to earth, dying. Diggle may
be from dig.
Diggory: Amos is from Hebrew and means "to be troubled." Cedric may mean "chief," but also is
attributed to Sir Walter Scott, author of Ivanhoe. Diggory may be from digger, either (1) a person
who digs or (2) a nickname for an Australian or New Zealand soldier.
Arabella Figg: 1) Latin, ara and bellis, or "beautiful altar." (2) Possibly from the German Amhilda,
"eagle heroine/warrior." Figg may be variation of fig, a fruit-bearing tree. In Biblical times, the fig
tree was important to Roman and Hebrew cultures as a valuable source of food and medicinal
ingredients. Its flowering meant winter was over. For Buddhists, this is the tree under which the
Buddha received enlightenment.
Mundungus Fletcher: (1) Mundungus means "garbage" or "rubbish." From the Spanish
mondongo, or tripe, the linings of cattle stomachs used in cooking. The English considered these
stomach linings to be garbage, and "tripe" in English means something is rubbish. (2) Mundungus
also is an obsolete term for a very stinky tobacco. A fletcher is an arrow-maker (see Justin Finch
Fletchley).
Florean Fortescue: Florean or (Florian) means "flower." Could be related to florid, meaning (1)
reddish or rose colored, or (2) ornamental or flowery. Fortescue may have come from Sir Adrian
Fortescue, who was beheaded in 1539 for not being loyal to the Pope.
Miranda Goshawk: Author of The Standard Book of Spells series. Miranda is from Spanish and
means "admirable" or "beautiful." A goshawk is a large, powerful species of hawk with rounded
wings, long tail and brown or gray feathers.
Grindelwald: The Dark Wizard whom Dumbledore defeated in 1945 takes his name from a city in
Switzerland. In German, wald is "forest." Grind is a scab, as in the hardened covering over a scar;
could also be grinsen, a grin or big smile. The words grindel or grendel appeared in early versions
of several Germanic languages, including English. Grindan in Old English meant "to grind," and
further "destroyer," someone who grinds up others. In Middle English, grindel meant "angry." In
Old Norse, grindill was taken from "storm," and also meant "to bellow," or produce a loud,
frightening yell. In Danish legend, the Grendel was a fearsome, murderous monster of humanoid
form. He was later defeated by the Scandinavian hero Beowulf in the medieval story of the same
name.
Godric Gryffindor: His first name comes from Old English for "power of God." Gryffindor is from
griffin, a fierce, legendary beast with the body of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle. The
Hogwarts house named after him uses a lion as its symbol.
Helga Hufflepuff: The name is from Helge, from Old Norse heilagr, meaning "prosperous" or
"brave." Their symbol is the badger, a large mammal related to the weasels with distinctive white
stripes on its head. In Celtic mythology, a badger was a guide. The badger also can symbolize a
tendency to be hard-working, strong and tenacious (sticking to something and not giving up).
Hufflepuffs are known for loyalty and hard work.
Arsenius Jigger: Author of a book on potions. Arsenius may be from arsenic, a group of several
very poisonous metallic elements. A jigger is a liquid measurement, often for liquor, of 1 �
ounces.
Igor Karkaroff: Igor is the Russian form of Ivor, from Norse yr (bow, yew tree) + herr (man,
warrior); thus "bow warrior." Karkarov is unknown, but off/ov (or ev) is a common Russian name
ending. It originally was used by sons who took their father's name (females took eva or ova.)
Both suffixes mean "belonging to." Kark may be from the Polish karac, "punishment."
Viktor Krum: His first name means the "victorious one," appropriate for a forceful Quidditch
player.
Frank Longbottom: The Franks were a Germanic tribe that settled in France and the Netherlands.
The name is derived from a word meaning "spear."
Malfoy: This name is taken from mal foi, or "bad faith" in French. Lucius from the Latin for "light"
(lux). Lucius was the name of several Etruscan kings, as well as part of the name of the Roman
scholar Seneca. The name resembles Lucifer, the "Angel of Light." In Christian writings he
rebelled against God and was later thrown into hell with his supporters, becoming Satan.
Narcissa is from Narcissus, a man in Greek myth who was so vain he stared at his reflection in a
pond for so long that he eventually turned into a plant called the narcissus. A narcisstic person is
very stuck-up and into their appearance.
Madame Olympe Maxime: Originally, Mount Olympus was the mighty home of the Greek gods in
ancient legend. Olympe is the French form of Olympia. Maxime is a French word derived from the
Roman Maximus, or "greatest." This could suggest both her tall height and bravery for going with
Hagrid to try and contact the giants.
Mulciber: A Death Eater. May refer to Mulciber (Hephaestus), the gentle son of Zeus and Hera
who had a club foot and was a craftsman and balcksmith in Greek mythology. More likely Rowling
refers to Mulciber, a character in John Milton's Paradise Lost, a story based on mankind falling
into sin and the struggle of heaven and hell. Mulciber was a fallen angel who is the architect of
Pandemonium, the capital of Hell and home to the demons' council.
Peter Pettigrew: Peter is from the Greek petros, or rock. This may refer to his loyalty to Lord
Voldemort as being like a rock. Pettigrew is a real name, but it suggests that Peter "petty grew,"
that he grew into a petty person who is rock-hard, with no compassion. Petty means (1)
unimportant (2) minor (3) narrow-minded (4) mean and ungenerous, especially in small things.
Another fan suggested Pettigrew is a version of "pet I grew," referring to the moment that he grew
from a rat and back into a man by Remus Lupin and Sirius Black's wand zaps.
Potter: Harry is a medieval English version of the name Henry, "ruler of the home." It also can be
a nickname for Harold, "army ruler." Potter is a name derived from a trade practiced by an
ancestor -- far enough back, someone in the family line made earthenware items (compare to
Smith or Cook). Rowling got his name from some kids with whom she played in Winterbourne,
England, in the late 1960s. Lily (mom) is a flower of the genus Lilium that often symbolizes purity.
James (dad) means "supplanter." This is one who or takes the place of someone else, especially
by force.
Rowena Ravenclaw: Rowena is the Latin version of a Germanic name that means "fame and
joy." Ravenclaw is simply raven + claw. A raven is a large black bird that belongs to the crow
family; however, Ravenclaw's symbol is an eagle. In legend, ravens are known to be smart birds;
Ravenclaws are known to be wise and quick learners.
Rita Skeeter: Rita is a nickname form of Margarita, related to Margaret, from Greek margaron, or
"pearl." Skeeter is American English slang for a mosquito. This females of this insect are well
known for their annoying habits of buzzing around the head and sucking blood, which they need
to lay their eggs. Some people also like to call news reporters "bloodsuckers."
Salazar Slytherin: Salazar is of northern Spanish/Basque origin and means "palace." Slytherin is
a variation of "slithering," a method of travel for snakes. Some HP fans see a connection to
Antonio Salazar, a dictator who ruled Portugal from 1932 to 1968. Rowling lived in Portugal,
working as an English teacher,and was married briefly to a local man, who also is the father of
Jessica.
Phyllida Spore: The author of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi has a very plant-oriented
name. Her first name is from Latin for "leaf" or "plant." A spore is a body produced by fungi, algae
and nonflowering plants that is very protective and resistant to drought.
Emeric Switch: Author of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. Emeric was (1) the name of a
saint (1007-1031) who lived in Hungary. (2) A variation of Emery, "ruler of work." To switch is to
exchange one thing with another; could be extended to transfiguration, changing one form into
another.
Quentin Trimble: Author of a Dark Arts defense book. Quentin (or Quenton) means "the fifth."
Trimble may be a variation of tremble, to shake, which a person may do when confronted with
dark forces.
Vindictus Viridian: Author of a book on cursing people that attracts Harry's eye at Flourish &
Blotts. His first name comes from the Latin vincdicta, or "vengeance." To be vindictive is to want
to hurt someone you think has hurt you. Viridian is a durable, bluish-green pigment. From Latin
viridis, "green."
Voldemort/Tom Ridde: Voldemort is French for "flight of death." Tom Marvolo Riddle was made
into the anagram "I am Lord Voldemort." An anagram is one or more words that can be
rearranged into new words or phrases. A riddle is a clever puzzle asked as a question or
something that can't be explained. Tom proved to be this in life and in projected form through his
diary. To riddle also means to pierce with numerous holes. Thomas means "twin" (see Dean
Thomas). Marvolo is like marvel, (1) to be amazed or astonshed by something, or (2) a thing that
causes wonder. (From Latin mirabilis, "wonderful," from mirari, to wonder.)
Adalbert Waffling: Adal is Old High German for "noble" or "aristocratic"; berta, "bright." To waffle
means unable to make a firm decision.
Weasley: This name could be from the world weasel, meaning (1) sneaky (2) being cowardly and
running away from a situation. Or it could be from wheeze/wheezing/wheezy, meaning to breath
loudly and heavily. Neither one really applies to this large wizarding family. Arthur (dad) means "a
follower of Thor," the Viking god of thunder. Molly (mom) is derived from Mary, which in turn
comes from Miriam, "mistress of the sea," or "bitter." Charles (Charlie, son) means "manly."
William (Bill, son) means "desire to protect." Percy (son) is from the name Percival, "piercing the
valley." Frederick (Fred, son) means "peace" (but this kid doesn't bring very much of it to his
mom). George (son) means "farmer." Ronald (Ron, son) is from the Scandinavian form of
Reynold, meaning "advice ruler," a leader who gives advice. Ginny (daughter) is from the name
Virginia, meaning "virginal" or "pure."
Kennilworthy Whisp: (Author of Quidditch Through The Ages) The closest is kennel, an enclosed
cage for keeping dogs. Worthy means means "deserving of respect" or "suitable." A whisp is a
flock of snipe (a type of bird). A wisp is a small bunch or bundle, such as of straw; (2) a slight or
thin person; (3) something that is light, thin or streaked.
STUDENTS
Malcolm Baddock: (A Slytherin student) Malcolm means "disciple of St. Columba," a sixth century
Irish saint who established a convent on the island of Iona. Columba means "dove." Baddock is
unknown.
Katie Bell: Katie is a nickname for Katherine, often defined as "pure." According to Behind the
Names, it may actually mean "one of the two" or "my blessing of your name." Bell is an English
name with various meanings: (1) a person who lived by a town or church bell; (2) a bell-ringer, as
in a church; (3) beautiful or handsome, derived from the French belle (same meaning); from
Isobel, shortening of a name.
Susan Bones: Susan is from the Hebrew Shoshannah, or lily. The lily is often a symbol of purity.
Bones is a variation of Boone, which may have been from Norse bohun, "ready"; or French lebon,
"the good (one)"; or from the city of Bohon in France.
Eleanor Branstone: Eleanor is from the Greek and means "light." Branstone is a descriptive name
and may mean her ancestors either made grinding stones for mills or lived near a place that
made them.
Lavender Brown: Lavender is a pale purple, named after perennial plants of the genus
Lavandula, which have small clusters of purple flowers that are sometimes used as an ingredient
in purfumes.
Millicent Bulstrode: The first name is derived from Norman French and ultimately the German
Amalaswinth, or "work strength." Bulstrode is a variation of Bolstridge or Boulstridge. A reader,
Nick Boulstridge, said on the Message Boards that his name is derived from Boulstroude, and
means "bull stride," as in riding a bull, and was first established in 1077.
Cho Chang: This girl's ethnic background is not specified. In Korean, cho can mean "beautiful." In
Mandarin Chinese, Chang can mean (1) strength or (2) smooth. In Japanese, cho is "butterfly" or
"born at dawn."
Penelope Clearwater: Her first name is from the Greek penelops, a kind of duck. The name also
can mean "silent worker." It also suggests "weaver," as this was what Penelope, the wife of
Odysseus, did in her long wait for his return in The Odyssey. Clearwater is a descriptive place
name that suggests her ancestors lived near a body of water.
Vincent Crabbe: His last name is probably a variation of crab, a small, round crustacean with two
large claws in front, or informal English for a grumpy person. Vincent means "conqueror" or
"victor."
Creevey: Colin is derived from Nicholas, "victorious people." Dennis means "wild" or "frenzied."
Creevey is an actual English surname, but no meaning has yet been uncovered.
Justin Finch-Fletchley: Justin is from the Latin for "just" or "true." A finch is a family of small
songbirds with wide beaks. Fletchley may come from fletcher, an arrow-maker (also under
Mundungus Fletcher).
Seamus Finnigan: Seamus is an Irish version of the name James, which means "supplanter" (one
who takes the place of another, usually by force). See also James Potter. Finnigan is an Irish
name that includes finn (white, fair) and means "fair-haired one."
Marcus Flint: Marcus means "brave" or "warlike." A flint is a hard, fine-grained type of quartz that
when struck by steel, produces sparks to start fires.
Gregory Goyle: His last name is probably from "gargoyle," small monsters used to decorate
buildings. The Gargouille also was a legendary water monster living in the River Seine in Paris,
France. The smaller gargoyles sometimes were in the Gargouille's image and were used as
downspouts. Goyle's first name means "watchman," appropriate for an informal bodyguard.
Hermione Granger: Rowling first encountered "Hermione" when she saw William Shakespeare's
A Winter's Tale on a school field trip. Hermione is is from Greek for "earthly." A grange in British
English is a countryside estate or farming complex. A granger in UK English is a manager of a
grange; in U.S. English it means farmer.
Terrence Higgs: Terentius was a Roman family name. It may mean "tender" or "gracious," which
doesn't sound like a Slytherin. Higgs is variation of Hicks, from old English Hicke, a nickname for
the Norman French name Richard. The early English substituted an "H" because they had trouble
saying the letter "R."
Neville Longbottom: Neville means "new town." Longbottom is a comical name, perhaps
suggesting this bumbling student is chubby or has a "long bottom" that trips him up.
Angelina Johnson: Angelina is Spanish for "angelic." Johnson means "son of John."
Lee Jordan: Lee is a field or meadow. Jordan means to "flow" or "descend." Jordan is also old
English for a chamberpot (a small container in the bedroom, used for going to the bathroom,
before indoor plumbing).
Draco Malfoy: Draco is from the Latin word for dragon. Malfoy is from the French, mal foi, "bad
faith."
Morag McDougall: Morag is from Gaelic m�r, "tall." Dougall is from the Gaelic Dubhgall, or "dark
stranger," and "Mc" is "son of."
Patil: Patil may be a variation of Patel, Hindi for "village leader." Parvati means "gentle." Parvati
was the consort of Shiva, the chief god of Hinduism. She was themother of Shanmukha and Ganesha.
She won over Shiva through a long penance, or time of
repentance for wrongdoing. Padma is another name for Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and wife
of Sri Maha Vishnu.In Buddhism, Padma is the lotus flower and a central symbol of Buddha truth. The
lotus is a beautiful flower that grows out of a plant living in a murky swamp. The lotus also is a symbol for
the equality of all living things.
Pansy Parkinson: A pansy is an annual plant of the genera Achimenes or Viola, whose flowers
have velvety petals in several colors. It also can be a deep purple color. Parkinson means "son of
Parkin." Parkin means "young Peter." Peter is from Greek petros, "rock."
Graham Pritchard: Graham was originally a Scottish last name that meant "gray home" or "gravel
homestead." Pritchard is Welsh and derived from Richard, a Germanic name meaning "brave
power" and a popular name in Wales before the 15th century.
Adrian Pucey: Adrian means "of the Adriatic," an arm of the Mediterrean Sea between Yugoslavia
and Albania on the east, and Italy on the west. Pucey may be from puce, a deep red to dark
grayish purple, and from the French word for "flea."
Alicia Spinnet: Alicia is related to Alice and ultimately the German Adalheid, meaning "noble type
(of person)." The last name really exists and is often spelled Spinnett. A spinet a small upright
piano. Alicia's name also may be a variation of spinner or spinney, a small grove of trees.
Dean Thomas: Dean means "head" or "leader" and is often the title of a department chief at a
college or university. Thomas means "twin" (also under Tom Riddle/Voldemort.)
Oliver Wood: The olive branch often is a symbol of peace. The olive tree's symbolism also
includes a great harvest and long life. Wood is a place name (like Brooks or Field) and suggests
ancestors who lived near or in a forest, or who were woodcutters.
Blaise Zabini: The name name Blaise in French and Old English means "stutter." Zabini is an
Italian name.
HUMAN-LIKE CHARACTERS
Bane: A "bane" is something that (1) is a constant source of unhappiness or worry; (2) can cause
injury or death or (3) a poison. The word comes from the old English bana and is related to the
German word bano, death.
Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington: Nicholas is from the Greek Nikolaos, "victory of the people."
Nick is a jokey, ironic nickname and pun -- one definition of nick is "to cut slightly," and he
received more than just a little cut when he was beheaded. Sir indicates he was knighted by a
British monarch when he was alive. Porpington is a name Rowling made up and is closest to
porpentine, an obsolete name for a porcupine. "Like quills upon the fretful porpentine...": From
Shakespeare's Hamlet. Nick is a prickly-tempered person at times. Mimsy may have come from
come from the same word coined by Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll. It appears in his
nonsense poem "The Jabberwocky": "All mimsy were the borogroves..."
Dobby: (1) A dobby is a small mechanical part in a loom that enables the weaver to create small
geometric patterns. (2) A geometric figure in a fabric. (3) Fabric containing these patterns.
Grey Lady: This may be a play on Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554), who was imprisoned and
executed by the British monarchy. Her ambitious parents hoped she would marry Edward, son of
Henry VIII, and become queen of England. This did not occur, and she was bullied into a loveless
marriage to Guildford Dudley, a son of the Duke of Northumberland (whose ancestral home was
Alnwick Castle, a filming site of the HP movies). After King Edward's death, she was shocked to
find he had named her queen. There was a conflict over who was actually queen -- Mary, the
Catholic daughter of Henry VIII, or Lady Jane, a Protestant. The Tower of London went from
being her home to her prison as Mary and her supporters came to London and took over the
monarchy. Lady Jane was beheaded in February 1554.
Moaning Myrtle: Myrtle comes from a flowering shrub of the same name. Myrtles (genus Myrtus)
are a group of plants found in the Mediterranean region of Europe. They have aromatic leaves
and are source of a bitter spice of the same name. The wood from the plant also is fragrant and
adds a sweet taste to grilled foods. To moan is to (1) complain or (2) make a long, low sound of
pain or grief.
Peeves: A peeve (1) is something that is very annoying, as in "pet peeve." (2) To peeve is to be
annoying. (3) Peevish means disagreeable and bad tempered.
Ronan: There have been 12 Irish saints bearing this name. Ronan has red hair, a characteristic
often given to Irish people.
Firenze: This is the Italian name for the city of Florence, known for its great collection of artwork.
Sir Cadogan: English form of the Welsh name Cadwgawn, meaning "glory in battle"; from cad
battle, and gwogawn, glory.
Winky: (1) To wink means to close the eye quickly. (2) Using this as a gesture to mean you are
joking or being friendly. (2) To wink at a negative situation means you choose to ignore it.
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