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Origin of their names and other misc..

The TVClubHouse: Archives: Movies & Library 2003 -2004: Library: June 2003 - April 2004: Harry Potter (ARCHIVES): Origin of their names and other misc.. users admin

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Twiggyish

Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 11:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hope this is ok to start:

I found this link and noticed in google lots of information regarding names given to spells and people:

http://www.theninemuses.net/hp/2.html

If you find an interesting link which wouldn't have a spoiler regarding names..post it here.

Neko

Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 1:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I just wanted to show this one, inc ase people aren't up to read that whole page..

Fudge, Cornelius - bumbling Minister of Magic
There was a pope named Saint Cornelius, whose reign was marked by the controversy over the lapsed (those under persecution who had renounced Christianity). Cornelius's leniency toward the lapsed drew the support of the bishop of Carthage, St. Cyprian, but aroused the opposition of the Roman priest Novatian. He was exiled, then martyred in 253, where he was succeeded by bishop Saint Lucius. (that's worth a shiver up your spine!)


Oh, that REALLY got a shiver up my spine
That's not good..

Twiggyish

Friday, July 04, 2003 - 4:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Got this from another site:
In French 'vol de mort' means 'Wish of Death'. (Vol coming from the OLD French Verb 'to wish' rather than the modern French verb to fly as many people have contrued.) There is also a legend of a dark wizard named Voldemortis (which means 'Lord of Evil') who tried to kill Merlin. He rounded up supporters by enticing the evil wizards onto his side, and bewitching good wizards so that they would work for him. Merlin defeated Voldemortist using a paralysing curse and then fed him to a beast with many heads. So you never know, You-Know-Who might just end up as Fluffy's dinner!
Remus Lupin

As legend goes, Remus and his brother Romulus where abandonned as children and where raised by wolves. Remus was killed by Romulus during an argument. Lupine means 'wolf-like'.
Ron Weasley

His name means 'running weasel'. Running Weasel was a warlord from the Sixth Dynasty and was a great strategist who never lost a game of chess. He was killed when a rat (that some soldiers had dyed yellow) knocked over a burning lamp and burnt down his palace. So maybe it was lucky that Ron's charm to turn Scabber's yellow never worked!

Sirius Black (Padfoot)

Sirius is another name for the dog star. The dog star is the star in the sky that sailors and other travellors used to help them find the right direction, the one they looked to for guidance. Padfoot was another name used years ago to mean the Grim or a large black dog.
Expecto Patronum

Expecto Patronum means 'expect a protector'.
The Mirror of Erised

Erised says 'desire' backwards, and the inscription on the mirror, read backwards, says 'I show not your face but your hearts desire'.
Fawkes

Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament. It is he who sits on the tops of bonfires all over the UK on November the 25th.
You-Know-Who Remus Lupin Ron Weasley Sirius Black Expecto Patronum The Mirror of Erised Reubeus Hagrid Fawkes Albus Dumbledore Minerva McGonagall Boggarts Scar Stag (Prongs) Dobby Pigwidgeon Argus Filch Aragog Ludo Bagman Fleur Delacour Ronan Mrs. Norris Crookshanks Diagon and Knocturn Alley Durmstrang Beauxbatons Nicholas Flamel Cedric Diggory Salazar Slytherin
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Albus Dumbledore

Albus means 'white' in latin. Dumbledore means 'bumblebee'. (What I'm about to say might sound a bit weird but keep reading at it might start to make more sense!) Legend has it that Jupiter was nourished by bees. Jupiter was King of the Roman Gods. He determined the course of human affairs and made known the future through signs in the heavens. Jupiter was King of the Heavens and the bringer of light. White was the colour sacred to him.
The more common (and likely!) theory is that the name derives from the fact that Dumbledore often hums to himself, like a bee!
Minerva McGonagall

Minerva was the Roman Goddess of Wisdom. She is represtented as being magestic and grave and story has it that she sprang from the brains of Jupiter. She was one of the 3 chief deities, the other two being Jupiter and his wife Juno.
Dobby

Dobby simply means...yep...you've guessed it...House Elf!
Stag (Prongs)

The stag symbolises Christ. This idea comes from the ancient myth that it's breath could draw serpents from thier hiding places and then trample them to death.
Scar

The word scar orginated from the latin word for fireplace: the centre point, where family members come together.
Boggarts

'The Boggart' is an old fairy story about an invisible creature who lived behind a wardrobe with a knotted lock in a farm house. The Boggart used to play tricks on the family that lived there.
Pigwidgeon

Although spelt slightly differently, 'pigwidigin' means 'anything very small'.
If you know of anything I have missed please let me know!
Argus Filch

Argus was a monster with many eyes who was ordered by Juno (wife of Jupiter) to watch over one of the children of Zeus. To 'filch' is to steal.
Aragog

Spiders are arachnids. Gog means giant.
Back to Top
The following is simply what I think are the reasons that the Harry Potter characters have thier names. Some of them may not be true. They are just my deductions!
Ludo Bagman

Ludo means to 'play' and Bagman is a name for someone who collects money.
Fleur Delacour

In French, Fleur means 'flower' and de la cour mean 'of the heart' or 'of the court'..
Mrs. Norris

In Jane Austen's novel 'Mansfield Park', there is a character called Mrs. Norris who is a nosey parker.
Rebeus Hagrid

Hagrid Ruebus, was an early Greek god whose name meant "The Giant of Jewels" He was a kind god. Hades framed him for the death of Perseus's son. (Who Killed Medusa) So, he was banned from Olympus. Zeus took pity on him and gave him a job as the keeper of beasts.
Crookshanks

"Crooked shanks" means "crooked legs". Crookshanks is described in the books as being 'bowlegged!
Diagon and Knocturn Alley

Said quickly, these place names beome the words 'Diagonally' and 'Nocturnally'.
Durmstrang

This is a play on the German words 'Sturm and Drang' meaning 'Storm and Stress'. This was a type of liturature which included many operas as well as stories. They were based around rebellion and grandeur.
Beauxbatons

This originates from the French words 'Beux' and 'Batons' translated into English as 'Beautiful Wands'.
Nicholas Flamel

Nicholas Flamel is actually real!!! He was a Frenchman who lived in the 1300s. In 1357, according to Flamel, he was visited by an Angel telling him to look at a certain book. Flamel saw this very book a few days later and bought it. After dechipering the Hebrew text, he found that it described a way of changing base metals into Gold. The text stated that to do this he would need 'A Philosopher's Stone' but did not say what one was. Flamel's wife was also called Perenelle.
Cedric Diggory

JK Rowling has said that some of her favorite books are the Chronicle of Narnia by CS Lewis. In these books there is a hero called Digory Kirke. Notice how Kirke is almost a slight rearrangement of Cedric.
Salazar Slytherin

There was a Portugese dictator, notorious for his harshness called Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. (JK Rowling used to live in Portugal). Slytherin is one of Rowling's little jokes...slithering...like a snake.
Ronan (The Centaur)

Ronan was a Irish Saint. The cool thing about this name is that Ronan is described as having red hair...a hair colour which the Irish are famous for.
Dursley

Dursley is a small town close to where JK Rowling was Born.
Hermione Granger

Hermione is the female form of Hermes, who was the messenger god.

Hermione69

Saturday, July 05, 2003 - 10:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
This is awesome!! THANK YOU! What a great find! I really like the parallels between Ron and Running Weasel who never lost a game of chess, but I hope the rat causing him to die does not prove prophetic. Like it was said above, maybe it is a good think that "sunshine, daisies, butter mellow" spell never worked for Ron!

Weenerlobo

Tuesday, July 08, 2003 - 11:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Twiggyish - that was one fantastic post and very interesting! Thanks so much for sharing all of your investigating. I printed it off to share with a friend, who just finished OoP.

I laughed when I read the Mrs. Norris trivia. I am a committed Jane Austen fan, and why I never picked up on that is beyond me! Good job!

Maesin

Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thank you!! Love this post!