The names used in Harry Potter are more than catchy monikers. Many of the names, including those used for minor characters, have special meanings. Some are layered in meaning, while others describe the personality a character has, such as Dumbledore’s tendency to pace about his office murmuring to himself. This list is by no means exhaustive; the cast of Harry Potter is large, and to cover every name would take several blogs.
Regardless, of those listed, the fun names have a surprising amount of meaning behind them. Whether it be the heroes of the series, the villains, or more minor characters, as much thought was put into their names as it was into the world around them.
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1) Albus Dumbledore
The name “Albus” translates into white. When looking at character archetypes, Dumbledore embodies that of the kindly and heroic mentor. He is a Gandalf figure, albeit an eccentric version, and he represents the ultimate threat to evil. As the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, he is all that stands between the darkness attacking, or taking over. Even before Voldemort came along, Dumbledore managed to defeat the previous dark wizard, Grindelwald. As a keeper of peace, and a mentor to Harry, having a name which literally means “white” represents his pure side nicely.
As for his surname, it’s one of those names which is more fun than anything. When English authors of old referred to “dumbledors,” they were talking about bumblebees. It’s a name which not only sounds fun, but which describes a quirky side of the headmaster’s personality. Dumbledore’s habit of talking to himself, and moving about his office, makes this a fitting name.
2) Voldemort
Names are important in the Harry Potter universe, especially when it comes to Voldemort’s name. His name is so powerful, people won’t even say it. Before we even meet the villain, we are introduced to him as “He Who Shall Not be Named.” In parsing through the name itself, the most obvious portion is the “mort” part. “Mort” translates into “death.” The “vol” part means “thief” or “flight.” This might sound strange (Voldemort is more associated with murder than thievery) but a look into his history reveals a young man who not only killed for what he wanted, but stole it too.
While the name could be referring to the Dark Lord’s proclivity for stealing lives, he was a literal thief in his early days. As a little boy at the orphanage, Voldemort regularly stole from the other children, a habit Dumbledore was quick to reprimand him on. The headmaster’s first stern words to Tom were that, “Thievery is not tolerated at Hogwarts.” As a young man, Tom stole the relics he wanted to create his Horcruxes, first taking the Hufflepuff cup from a client and then taking Rowena’s diadem from the Ravenclaw family. Even his own family heirloom, the ring, was stolen from his grandfather before he killed him.
By calling him “thief” and “death,” respectively, the name points out not only the Dark Lord’s connection to death, but his lesser side as a petty thief. That such a name should be coupled with a name as basic as Tom Riddle makes it all the more interesting. Of course, even the name “Riddle” has a deeper meaning, since one has to solve the riddle of the sentence “I am Lord Voldemort” when translating it to reveal Tom’s full name. After so many loaded names, Tom really just means “Tom.” Another character in the story, Tom of the leaky cauldron, even has this name, underscoring how ordinary it is. The moniker change reflects Voldemort’s desire to be something more than ordinary.
3) Minerva
Minerva McGonagall, despite her stern demeanor, is one of the best loved teachers at Hogwarts. She might be tough, but she’s also loyal, hardworking, and willing to defend the castle. The name “McGonagall” is derived from the Celtic words “son of” and “the bravest.” As head of Gryffindor, Minerva is certainly going to embody bravery – it’s one of the House’s top qualities, after all. The “Gonagall” portion, spelled as “Conagel” in the Celtic language, is where the bravery portion comes in.
As for the name “Minerva,” this is where Greek Mythology comes into play. Fluffy the Dog and the centaurs aren’t the only Greek elements brought into the story. In Roman mythology, Minerva is the goddess of wisdom and war. Those familiar with Greek mythology would know her as Athena.
Interestingly, Minerva was what was known as a “hat stall,” meaning that the Sorting Hat struggled to place her. Though she was eventually placed in Gryffindor, she was also a promising contender for Ravenclaw. Given that Ravenclaw is known for it’s main attributes of intelligence and wisdom, Minerva also would have fit here. The goddess Minerva had a dual nature of wisdom and war, a personality which is translated into McGonagall, who could have excelled in two Hogwarts houses which are seeming opposites.
Of course, the name “Minerva” has another meaning most readers wouldn’t have been aware of, at least until the creation of Pottermore. On the website, Rowling released further snippets of lore on her world; this extended to her characters, several of which were given fleshed out backstories the books didn’t have time to cover.
In Greek mythology, Athena (or Minerva) takes a vow never to lie with a man. She wants to focus on her role as a goddess of war, and feels the need to rear children or be subservient to a husband, would cancel out her ability to fulfill this role.
In the world of Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall makes a similar sacrifice. She meets a man and falls in love. There’s just one problem: he’s a Muggle. Though Minerva has no problem with Muggles, his status as one means she would have to give up her own role as a witch were she to marry him. She can’t tell him she’s a witch, and yet she’s one of the most gifted witches around. Ultimately, Minerva makes the gut wrenching decision to leave him, so that she might continue excelling in her magic and build a career as a teacher at Hogwarts. Her role was that of a skilled witch, and she wasn’t willing to give up this role—who she was—to be with a man, however much she loved him.
Such a parallel in stories, and sacrifice, makes the name all the more fitting for the character.
4) Sirius
The name “Sirius” is a little on the nose, but it works. The name refers to a constellation of stars, Sirius. The constellation is of a dog, and the star is literally called the “Dog Star.” Since Sirius often transforms into a dog, it’s a fitting name. In Indian mythology, the star Sirius also represents the character Svana, who follows his master when everyone else has abandoned him. This trait of loyalty jives well with Sirius, who happily followed James even after others, such as Peter, had betrayed him. Even after James’s death, Sirius remained loyal to him. More generally, dogs are often associated with loyalty. There couldn’t be a better way to show such a characteristic, but to literally have James’s best friend transform into “man’s best friend.”
5) Lupin
The name “Lupin” is also on the nose. In Latin, Lupin translates into “wolf.” Since Lupin is afflicted with Lycanthropy, being forced to transform into a werewolf each full moon, his name translating to “wolf” is fitting. Even the potion Lupin must drink, the Wolfsbane Potion, is filled with aptly named ingredients, including Moonwart, Aconite (also called Wolfsbane), and black quicksilver. The last ingredient, myrrh, is known, in real life, to help those who use it feel calmer—which is exactly what the potion does, rendering Lupin calm and harmless while transformed.
6) Fenrir Greyback
Of course, Lupin isn’t the only werewolf with a meaningful name. Fenrir Greyback works with the Death Eaters, attacking people, especially children, on Voldemort’s behalf. Unlike most people, Fenrir actually enjoys his condition as a werewolf, because it better enables him to carry out his more sadistic tendencies. It’s Fenrir’s trick to turn others into werewolves by planting himself outside their homes. Voldemort’s forces will threaten compliance from families through Fenrir; if they do not agree to Voldemort’s terms, he will loose the werewolf on them.
Fenrir was the one responsible for biting Lupin when he was still a little boy. Fenrir doesn’t just attack families; he positions himself in such a way that he will bite, and curse, their children.
In Norse mythology, Fenrir (sometimes called Fenris) is a son of Loki and a great wolf. He is large and vicious, and the other gods and goddesses come to fear him. He is unpredictable, and too powerful for his own good. The gods eventually imprison him by tricking him into placing himself in ribbon like bonds which are stronger than any chains. They tell him it is a game, but when he cannot escape they leave him trapped. He doesn’t break free until Ragnarok, or the end of the world.
The Death Eaters often have to keep Fenrir Greyback restrained. Even when he isn’t a werewolf, he has a habit of biting people. He’s allowed to “wear the robes of a Death Eater,” but is never given full status among them, likely because of his wild nature. Like his Norse counterpart, nobody fully trusts him. It’s not until the Battle of Hogwarts, the end as it were, that he’s able to go full out, throwing himself at students and biting away.
7) Argus
Argus Filch is the mean caretaker of the school. Though he’s just doing his job, he has a reputation for being cantankerous and harsh. It’s hard to blame him: after years of cleaning up messes, particularly those left by Fred and George, anyone would become frustrated. None of the students seem to respect Filch, despite his ability to clean and maintain an entire castle. Of course, Filch doesn’t just terrify students because of his attitude; though Filch is a Squib, and Hogwarts is an Apparation free zone, one would think Filch had discovered a way to teleport about the corridors. It doesn’t matter which part of the castle a student lurks in—Filch is sure to find them.
This ability to see everywhere at once is reflected in Argus’s name. In Greek mythology, Argus is a figure whose body is entirely covered in eyes. This means he can literally see in every direction. His eyes are also described as following people, or of “trailing” after them, characteristics which transfer to the Hogwarts caretaker. Filch has a habit of making students feel guilty with his stare, even if they haven’t done anything.
In Conclusion
Whether they be major characters or minor, evil or good, the names given to the characters of Harry Potter are often layered with meaning. The names are derived from not only words from other languages, but from characters in myths or constellations. Some are drawn from English words, while others are pieced together from a combination of them.
Not all names are included on this list. Other characters not listed include Rubeus Hagrid, Luna Lovegood, and Dolores Umbridge, to name a few. However, the names listed reveal a world brimming with yet another layer. Though the names sound good for what they are, their actual meanings add depth to an already detailed world. Especially in a world where the names of some characters have become taboo, such a convention is all the more interesting.
What is your favourite character name in the series? Do you feel all of the names fit? Let me know.