The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter (83 page)

.K. Rowling is wonderfully good at giving her characters exceptional and entertaining names. Rita Skeeter, Gilderoy Lockhart, Godric Gryffindor, Horace Slughorn, Argus Filch … everyone has their favorites. Indeed, virtually all of the major characters, with the exception of the Big Three (Harry, Hermione, and Ron), have strikingly original, memorable monikers. But many of these names are
more
than just names; they carry an extra meaning, a history, a reference, or a sly editorial comment that can lead to a deeper appreciation of the characters and the books.

Part of the fun of exploring the names is taking a closer look at where they come from. Some are based on Latin, French, or Greek roots that reveal something about the character’s personality. Others are borrowed from mythology or folklore and matched to characters with similar virtues or occupations. Several names come with meanings already attached from another tradition, such as heraldry or the lore of flowers. Many of the quirkiest names, however, are built from antiquated English words (such as
dumbledore
) that Rowling collected over the years, along with an odd assortment of names belonging to streets, towns, and characters in other books. What makes this hodgepodge of sources work, of course, is Rowling’s pitch-perfect ear for juggling the elements and using rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, and other writerly devices to achieve just the right effect.

ARAGOG:
A giant and a mythological maiden are behind Aragog’s stupendous-sounding name. The maiden, Arachne, was a weaver who was turned into a spider for having the audacity to challenge the goddess Athena to a weaving contest
(You wanna weave? Then do it as a spider!)
. Her name then became the scientific designation for a class of eight-legged, mostly carnivorous critters known as arachnids (spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites).
Gogmagog
was a folkloric giant who terrorized ancient Britain until he was tossed over a cliff.

BAGMAN
,
LUDO:
Ludo
is Latin for “I play,” which makes it a fitting name for the former Quidditch star and head of the Department of Magical Sports and Games. His last name is slang for a low-level racketeer who handles the money associated with illegal gambling, bribery, and payoffs—presumably because he hauls the loot around in a bag. Bagman, of course, is behind many a shady deal involving gambling, goblins, and gold.

BLACK
,
SIRIUS:
Sirius is the name of the brightest star in the night sky, also known as the Dog Star because of its prominent position in the constellation Canis Major (“big dog” in Latin). Sirius Black, of course, is an animagus who transforms into a big black dog. His nickname, Padfoot, is what the residents of Norfolk County, England, call the big black, phantom dogs that haunt the landscape of English folklore, like the graveyard-dwelling
Grim
. Other names for the same creature are Black Shuck and Shag Dog.

DELACOUR
,
FLEUR:
Her name is French for “flower of the court,” a worthy name for someone who is regal and beautiful (as all
Veela
are). Her school, Beauxbatons, translates as “beautiful wands.”

DEMENTORS:
These soul-sucking wraiths derive their name from the Latin
mens
, meaning “mind,” and the prefix
de
, indicating “separation” or “removal.” Dementors, you might say, separate you from your mind (the word
dement
means “to make insane”). Rowling has said that Dementors, who are invisible to Muggles, represent the mental illness we call depression.

DIGGORY
,
CEDRIC:
The name Cedric was invented by Sir Walter Scott for a character in his 1819 novel
Ivanhoe
. We don’t know if Rowling had this Cedric in mind when she named
her
Cedric, but it’s worth noting that
Ivanhoe
features a majestic tournament that draws the most brilliant knights from throughout Britain—not unlike the Triwizard Tournament in which Cedric Diggory plays a central role.
Diggory
is probably a tip of the literary hat to Digory Kirke, a character in one of Rowling’s favorite childhood series,
The Chronicles of Narnia
by C.S. Lewis.

DOBBY:
In the folklore of northern England, a dobby is a type of
elf
, brownie, or hobgoblin. Some dobbies are house elves, but most live in barns and stables where they care for the animals. They have a reputation for being foolish and lazy, but, like Harry’s loyal friend, they will sometimes make extraordinary efforts on behalf of their human families in times of trouble.

DUMBLEDORE
,
ALBUS:
Dumbledore
is an Old English word meaning “bumblebee.” Rowling felt it suited the headmaster because he was a music lover, and she imagined him strolling the halls of Hogwarts humming to himself.
Albus
is Latin for “white,” a color traditionally used to represent goodness and virtue. It also describes Dumbledore’s physical appearance—white hair, long white beard. And finally,
Alba
is the Gaelic name for Scotland, where Rowling makes her home, and
Albion
is the oldest known name for the island of Great Britain.

DURSLEY
,
DUDLEY:
The Dursleys owe their surname to a city in southwest England. Rowling liked it because it sounded dull, like the Dursleys. Dudley was likely meant to echo the dullness by suggesting that Harry’s cousin is a “dud,” that is, a failure.

DURSLEY
,
PETUNIA:
In flower lore, the petunia is often said to represent anger and resentment. Aunt Petunia is no stranger to these emotions, particularly when it comes to her sister Lily.

FAWKES:
Dumbledore’s phoenix shares his name with the British conspirator Guy Fawkes, who was executed in 1606 for trying to blow up Parliament. The occasion—now called Guy Fawkes Day—is commemorated in England each November 5, when effigies of Fawkes are paraded through the streets, then set ablaze on a bonfire. Unlike Dumbledore’s phoenix, the effigy does not rise from its ashes, although a new one is built every year.

FILCH
,
ARGUS:
Could there be a better name for the Hogwarts watchman?
Argus
was a hundred-eyed giant of Greek mythology. Known as the “all-seeing,” he rested but two eyes at a time, the other ninety-eight always on guard.
Filch
means “to steal,” especially something of little value. While Argus Filch is not a thief, the negative associations to the word—pettiness, furtiveness—describe the watchman.

FLETCHER
,
MUNDUNGUS:
Mundungus
is an outdated word meaning “foul-smelling tobacco.” Mundungus Fletcher, a pipe smoker, is also known by the nickname Dung, which reflects how some members of the Order of the Phoenix feel about him.

FUDGE
,
CORNELIUS:
To
fudge
something means to slip and slide around an issue, rather than dealing with it head-on. Coming to grips with Voldemort’s return is something the Minister of Magic simply can’t do. Rowling has said that she modeled Fudge after Neville Chamberlain, the English Prime Minister who was accused of appeasement, rather than dealing directly with the Nazi threat, in the lead-up to World War II.

GAUNT
,
MEROPE:
In Greek mythology, Merope was one of seven sisters who were transformed into the star cluster called the Pleiades. Of the seven stars, only six are visible in the night sky. Merope is said to be hiding in shame because she married a mortal. Merope Gaunt, a pure-blooded witch, committed a similar outrage when she married a muggle, Tom Riddle Sr.

GREYBACK
,
FENRIR:
This bloodthirsty
werewolf
is named for an equally depraved and monstrous wolf of Norse mythology named Fenrir. The offspring of the god Loki and the giantess Angerboda, Fenrir is so vile that the gods must chain him to a rock beneath the earth to prevent him from fulfilling a prophecy that he will one day destroy the world.

GRINDELWALD
,
GELLERT:
Defeated by Dumbledore in a legendary dual, Grindelwald may owe his name to Grendel, one of the earliest of literary monsters, defeated by the title-hero of the poem
Beowulf
. On the other hand, Grindelwald is the name of a perfectly pleasant village in the mountains of Switzerland, and Rowling may have chosen the name simply for the sound of it.

GRYFFINDOR
,
GODRIC:
Gryffindor
literally means “golden griffin” (d’or is French for “of gold”). In heraldry, the Griffin symbolizes valor, bravery, and courage—the core virtues associated with Gryffindor House and its founder.

HAGRID
,
RUEBUS:
The name Hagrid comes from the Old English word
hagridden
, which means “tormented, worried, anguished,” as if a
hag
had given you nightmares as you slept. It’s a telling name for the Hogwarts groundskeeper, who has a giant-size fondness for fermented beverages that often leave him feeling hagridden and hung over. The name Hagrid also suggests the word
haggard
, which means “exhausted” and “wild-looking,” as Hagrid often is after a lengthy visit to the
Forbidden Forest
.

LESTRANGE
,
BELLATRIX:
She’s the toughest, most brilliant fighter of all the Death Eaters, and her name means “warrior.”
Bellum
is Latin for “war,” and
-trix
is the feminine ending. Bellona, a variation on the name, was the Roman Goddess of war. Bellatrix is also a star in the constellation Orion.

LOCKHART
,
GILDEROY:
This name is so perfect we were surprised that Rowling did
not
make it up from scratch. She spotted the name Lockhart on a war memorial and found Gilderoy—who was a real-life dashing rogue—in a book she was browsing. Put together, they say much about the egotistical author of
Marvelous Me
. To
gild
something means to cover the surface with a thin coat of gold, often as a way of making it appear more valuable than it actually is. (What’s beneath Lockhart’s shiny surface is dark and cowardly.)
Roi
is French for “king” and speaks to the gilded one’s royal sense of himself.
Lockhart
suggests he’s a matinee idol with a “lock” on the hearts of adoring fans, but might also tell us that it’s
his
heart that’s locked, since the only person he loves is himself.