This page is a reference as to what some of the names and places in the Harry Potter series mean in other languages, what they might be named after, and some stories surrounding them in mythology that might have to do with the future of the Harry Potter books (we know JK Rowling used these as inspiration for names and other things in the books; maybe she'll do it again in the future books).

The names are in alphabetical order. To find someone, look for their first name, last name, or what it would look like together. If we have the etymology for both (or multiple parts) of the names, you will find them separated. For instance, Severus Snape is separated into "Severus" and "Snape." If a name has meaning when left together, such as Fleur Delacour, it will be left that way. Titles are behind the character's name (like Voldemort, Lord). The incantations for all spells are italicized.

Special thanks to Fronskie Feint and MoHPCN for some of these origins, and to Steve from The Harry Potter Lexicon for some help with the spells.

• Aberforth - In Gaelic, it means "from the river." It is also the name of a small corporation in Edinburgh.
• Ambrosius Flume - As the founder of Honeydukes, his first name most likely comes from the word "ambrosia," which is especially sweet and delicious. A "flume" is a "narrow tunnel" that usually has something flowing through it. Combining the names, he can be seen as a supplier of sweets. Coincidentally, there is also an underground tunnel that connects Hogwarts and Honeydukes.
• Abraxan (Powerful flying horse, mentioned in Fantastic Beasts) - Abraxus was the name of a flying horse that pulled Helios, the sun god's chariot through the sky in Greco-Roman mythology.
• Abraxas (Malfoy) - The supreme Gnostic Deity. Had the body of a man, the head of a cock, and serpents for feet. This image depicts him holding a shield and whip. In some stories, he is referred to as a demon. It is believed "Abra-cadabra" originated from his name.

• Accio (Summoning Charm) - Latin for "I summon."
• Alastor - Similar to Alistair or Alisdair. It is the Scottish (Gaelic) form of Alexander. It means "defender of mankind." It is an appropriate name for an Auror and a character responsible for protecting the magical world by apprehending evil wizards.
• Albus - In Latin, it means "white" (maybe for white beard). Wisdom. Albinus was Governor of Britain at the death of the Emperor Pertinax. Decimus Clodius Albinus attempted to seize the throne but ended up in alliance with another imperial contender, Septimius Severus. After Severus defeated two other rivals (Voldemort and... maybe Slytherin?), the now expendable Albinus was forced into another attempt at usurpation, an attempt that came to an end at the bloody battle of Lyon.
• Alecto - One of the Death Eaters who broke into Hogwarts. In Greek mythology, Alecto was one of the Furies. Her name is derived from the Greek "alektos," meaning "unceasing in anger."
• Alohomora (Spell that opens locks) - Derived from the Hawaiian "Aloha" meaning "goodbye," and the Latin word "mora," meaning "obstacle."
• Alphard - Perhaps derived from the dominant star in the constellation Alpha Hydra, the Water Serpent (a Slytherin reference?). Alphard can mean "the heart of the serpent" or in Arabic, "the solitary one." It lies to the southwest of the brighter star Regulus.

• Amortentia - "Amor" is the Latin word for "love," and "tentia" is derived from "tentare," which means "the handling of," "the making of an attempt," or "the attack on." Hence, "the handling of love," "making an attempt to love," or "the attack on love."
• Amos (Diggory) - In the Bible, Amos was a prophet who tried to make the people understand that without morals and prayers, salvation wouldn't come.
• Amycus - Another Death Eater who broke into Hogwarts. In Greek mythology, the son of Poseidon and Melia, a champion boxer and king of mythical people.
• Anapneo (Spell that clears blocked airways) - In Greek, "anapneo" means "I breathe."
• Andromeda (Tonks) - In Greek mythology, Andromeda should be married to her uncle Phineus but marries Perseus, the famous hero, instead. (Andromeda Black marries Ted Tonks, a Muggle, and is erased from the family tree). Phineus sounds like Phineas Nigellus, Sirius' great-great-grandfather. In the Old Testament, Phineas kills an Israelite man for being in love with a woman who belongs to another ethnical group. As our Phineas was a Slytherin teacher, this can't be coincidence!
• Animagus - Combination of the Latin words "animal" and "magus," meaning "animal wizard."
• Aparecium (Spell that makes invisible ink appear) - From the Latin word "aperio," meaning to "uncover, lay bare, reveal, or make clear" or "apparere," meaning to "make clear." It is spelled with only one "p," perhaps because of "apertus" which means "open, obvious, public."
• Arabella - Name translates as "prayerful." Also means "eagle" or "heroine." "Eagle eye" is slang for someone who is very attentive and watches over something or someone. She was possibly given this name since she watches over Harry.
• Aragog - "Arachnid" means spider and "Gog" was the name of a legendary giant. Combined, the name means "giant spider." Also possibly derived from the Greek word "agog," meaning "leader."
• Argus - In Greek mythology, Argus was a monster that had a hundred eyes and was ever-so-watchful. The name "Argus" means "bright and watchful." Sounds like Filch.
• Arithmancy - A method of fortune-telling based on names, numbers, and mathematical calculations. From the Greek, "arithmo" meaning "number" and "mancy" meaning "prophecy." It is also known as numerology.
• Arresto Momentum (Spell that stops the descent of a falling object) - This is strictly a movie-based spell and literally means "stop movement."
• Arthur - Could represent King Arthur. The legend presents Arthur as a leader in ancient times who defeated the Saxons and other enemies, thereby uniting the people of Britain in peace and harmony. Arthur Weasley sounds like Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, who won the Battler of Waterloo.
• Auror - Perhaps derived from "aurora," meaning "the dawn." The Aurors may be seen as those who bring the light, vanquishing the darkness.
• Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse) - Aramaic phrase that means "I will destroy as I speak." Also similar to "Abra-cadabra", which is an ancient spell (dates from the 2nd Century) used by conjurors to invoke spirits or supernatural powers for protection against disease or aid. "Kedavra" sounds like "cadaver," which means "corpse."
• Avis (Spell that Ollivander used to make birds fly out of Krum's wand) - Latin for "bird."
• Azkaban - Sounds very similar to and description is very much the same as the American prison known as Alcatraz, located on an island off the coast of California.

Back To Top

B Titles

• Bagman - A person who collects money, as for racketeers.
• Bane - Means "nemesis," "bringer of ruin," "pernicious to well-being," "the agent or instrument of ruin or woe," or in Old English "slayer" or "murderer."
• Basilisk - The history and evolution of the myth of the basilisk is detailed in this article. The Greek basiliskos means "little king" or "petty tyrant." Some myths describe the basilisk as a cockatrice, a giant bird with a serpent's tail that could breathe fire and kill with its stare. Others call it the king of all serpents and consider it as powerful as the gods.
• Beauxbatons - French for "beautiful wands." While we do realize this actually translates as "beautiful sticks" in French, the actual term for "magic wands" being "baguettes magiques" sounds far less appealing.
• Bellatrix - "Bella" is a construct of the word "bellum" meaning "war" and "trix" refers to "a woman in power." Bellatrix is therefore known as the "Female Warrior" and is also the pale yellow star indicating the left shoulder of the constellation Orion, the Great Hunter.
• Bezoar - A bezoar is indeed "a ball of indigestable material that can be found in the stomach of certain animals," most notably the so-called bezoar goat (capra aegagrus). And indeed it was believed in ancient times that a bezoar could serve as an antidote for most poisons.
• Blaise - Blaise was the teacher of Merlin. From the Roman name Blasius, which means "lisping." From the Latin "blaesus." A famous bearer was Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and philosopher.
• Binns, Professor - A "bin" is what the British call "a garbage can." Many students consider Professor Binns' information to be rubbish. In Northern England, "Binns" is a slang term for glasses, possibly referring to the professor's academic nature.
• Bluebottle (Make of broomstick) - A type of annoying fly with a loud buzz and iridescent body. Also a small, blue jellyfish (also known as a Man-O-War). They appear on beaches after strong winds and their sting is very painful.
• Bode - To be an omen. When things are said to not "bode" well for somebody, it usually implies dark times ahead. It also means "a stop or delay."
• Boggart - From Wikipedia, in Celtic mythology, a boggart (or bogart, bogan, bogle or boggle) is a household spirit, sometimes mischievous, sometimes helpful. In Northern England, at least, there was the belief that the boggart should never be named, for when it was given a name, it would not be reasoned with or persuaded and would become uncontrollable and destructive.
• Boomslang - One of the ingredients used in brewing Polyjuice Potion, a boomslang is actually a South African snake. Boomslangs live in trees and bushes and feed on small animals and bird eggs. They are greenish to brown or black in color and grow to about 1.5 m (about 5 feet) long. Most members of the family (Colubridae) to which the boomslang belongs are harmless, but the boomslang has a potent venom that it delivers through large, deeply grooved fangs that are located at the rear of the mouth. The bite of the boomslang can be fatal.
• Brian - From Old Celtic "bre" meaning "hill" or by extension "high, noble." Brian Boru was an Irish king who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was victorious in the Battle of Clontarf, but he himself was slain. People associate Brian as a last name but believe it's derived from Brian Boru.
• Bubotuber pus - "Tuber" refers to the fact that the bubotuber is a plant, which extends perpendicularly into the soil. It's pus is dangerous to the skin. "Bubos" is an English word for an inflamed, tender swelling of a lymph node, especially in the area of the armpit or groin. It is characteristic of certain infections, such as Bubonic plague and syphilis.
• Buckbeak - To "buck" is the "action of a horse when it leaps upward and arches its back." A "beak" is the "mouth of a bird." Very suiting considering Buckbeak is a Hippogriff.
• Bullstrode - A "bull" is "an adult male bovine animal" and "strode" means to "be astride of" or "straddle."
• Burke - Most likely named after the famous murderer and body snatcher William Burke. He used to operate in Edinburgh around 1740, and considering J.K. Rowling comes from Edinburgh, this is too much of a coincidence. Burke and his partner suffocated a bunch of people in their rooming house and sold the bodies to the local medical school. Following this, it became illegal to use cadavers in medical education. As a result, the process of killing someone to sell their body is known as "burking."

Back To Top

C Titles

• Cadogan, Sir - Cadogan is a Welsh name meaning "terrible and fierce in battle." This name fits the fiesty knight whose portrait hangs on the seventh floor very close to the South Tower.
• Cassandra - A prophetess. The daughter of Priam, king of Troy. She foresaw the fall of Troy. After spurning Apollo's amorous advances, the sun god gave Cassandra the gift of prophecy (with the catch that no one would ever believe her).
• Cedric - Old English for "chief" or "warleader."
• Charlie - A diminutive of Charles, which means "manly" and "strong."
• Cho Chang - Cho is Japanese for "butterfly" and in Chinese means "autumn." Chang is Chinese for "free" or "unhindered." In Chinese, "chou chang" means "melancholy."
• Colin - Means "youth, child, or victor." Also means "young dog," which fits his devotion to Harry.
• Colloportus (Spell used to lock doors) - "Coller" means "to stick together" in French, and "portus" means "door" in Latin.
• Cormac (McLaggan) - Cormac is of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning "charioteer." Also means "son of defilement." Cormac was the son of a King in Celtic legend. He was on a mission when he was put under a spell by a jealous lover of one of his competitors. Funny how Hermione puts Cormac under a spell during Quidditch tryouts so Ron can get on the team.
• Cornelius - See Lucius.
• Crucio (Cruciatus Curse) - "Crucio" is Latin for "I torture."
• Cole, Mrs. - Similar to role she plays as head of Tom Riddle's orphanage in Half-Blood Prince, in Jane Austen's Emma, there is a character named Mrs. Cole who serves much of the same role. We all know this is one of Jo's favorite books.
• Conjunctivitus Curse (Spell that Krum used to "do something" to the eyes of the Chinese Fireball during the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament) - Conjunctivitis is the scientific name for pink-eye -- the illness that children often get that makes their eyelids crust together.
• Crookshanks - "Crook" comes from "crooked," meaning "bent or not straight," and "shank" is a "leg or a leg-like part." J.K. Rowling said herself she gave Hermione's cat "bandy-legs" and Crookshanks is often described as being "bow-legged."

Back To Top

D Titles

• Dedalus (Diggle) - Daedalus was a famous Athenian inventor from Greek mythology who built the Labyrinth for King Minos and helped make wings for himself and his son, Icarus, amongst other things. Read more about Daedalus here.
• Deletrius (Banishing Spell) - Latin for "that which is erased."
• Demelza (Robbins) - Demelza House is Dan Radcliffe's favorite charity.
• Densaugeo (Spell that Malfoy used to make Hermione's front teeth grow enormous) - "Dens" is Latin for "teeth." "Augeo" is Latin for "I enlarge."
• Diagon Alley - Play on words. "Diagonally" refers to "a straight line at a slanted angle."
• Diffindo (Spell Harry used to cause Cedric's bag to split apart) - In Latin, "Diffindo" means "I split."
• Diggory - Could be an allusion to Digory Kirke, a character from The Chronicles of Narnia, specifically The Magician's Nephew. He grew up to be the Professor in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. This character had a strong sense of right and wrong, was loyal to his friends, kept his promises, and loved his mother.
• Dobby - A fatuous or foolish person. Also, a weave of cloth that is durable and natural-looking. Finer stores still sell shirts made of "dobby" weave.
• Dolohov - This Death Eater shares the name of a trouble-making character in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.
• Dolores - Of Latin origin. Means "lady of sorrows or pain" (psychological or physical). In Greek, "doleros" means "deceitful." In Spanish, "dolor" means "to have pain."
• Draco - Draco is a constellation that looks like a dragon but is a snake. In Latin, Draco means "dragon." There was also a Greek ruler named Draco who developed a system of severe punishments for the smallest of crimes. "Draconian" means "harsh or cruel." In Romanian, "drac" means "devil."
• Dumbledore - Means "Bumblebee" in Old English. J.K. Rowling has said that she chose this name because she imagined Dumbledore walking around the castle, humming to himself.
• Durmstrang - "Sturm und drang" is a German phrase meaning "storm" and "stress or urge." "Sturm und Drang" was a genre of German plays that were famous for their sense of foreboding and ill-fate. Their influence even reaches into modern musical theatre, as in the title song of Little Shop of Horrors.
• Dudley - An aristocratic surname used as a first name since the 19th Century. Also, a town in one of England's largest cities - Birmingham.
• Dursley - A town near J.K. Rowling's birthplace.

Back To Top

E Titles

• Ennervate - See Rennervate.
• Elphias Doge - Doge was the title of the ruler of Venice from the 8th to 18th Century. "Corno," meaning horn in Italian, was the cap worn by the doge as a symbol, which is mentioned when Mad-Eye Moody shows Harry the photo of the Order: "Elphias Doge, you've met him, I'd forgotten he used to wear that stupid hat."(Order of the Phoenix, pg. 158 UK, pg. 174 US). Also, Magus Elphias Levi was a French occultist of the 19th Century.
• Engorgio (Spell that makes things grow) - In French, "engorgement" means "swelling."

• Errol - Means "wanderer" in Old English. This accurately describes the Weasley owl who always seems to get off track when delivering the post.

• Evanesco (Vanishing Spell) - Means "I disappear" or "I vanish" in Latin.
• Evans - A Celtic name that means "young warrior."

• Expecto Patronum (Spell used to conjure a Patronus) - In Latin, "expecto" is to "await, desire, or hope for" and "patronus" is "protector." Hence, "to hope for a protector." A Patronus is used to protect against a Dementor.
• Expelliarmus (Disarming Spell) - Latin combination of "expellere" meaning "to expel" and "arma" meaning "weapon or upper arm."

Back To Top

F Titles

• Fawkes (Dumbledore's phoenix) - Guy Fawkes was an English Catholic who, in 1605, tried to blow up the House of Parliament as an act of rebellion against the new Protestant government. In England, November 5th is now known as "Guy Fawkes Day" (or "Bonfire Night") where Guy Fawkes is burned in effigy. Every year he is resurrected to burn again. It can also be noted that he is known as one of the most infamous traitors in English history.
• Felix Felicis (Luck Potion) - "Felix" is Latin for "lucky, fortunate, or happy." "Felicis" is derived from two Latin adjectives, one for "lucky" and one for "of the lucky." It translates as "lucky of the lucky," but seems more acceptable to write it as "luck of luck." Could haves ties to the word "felicity" which means "extreme happiness."
• Fenrir - Fenrir or Fenris in Norse mythology is a gigantic and terrible monster in the shape of a wolf. He is the eldest child of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. The gods learned of a prophecy which stated that the wolf and his family would one day be responsible for the destruction of the world. They caught the wolf and locked him in a cage, bound in chains made by dwarves. Fenrir then requested that one of the gods put their hand in his mouth before he was chained as a sign of good faith. Tyr, the god of war and justice, did and his hand was bitten off (Pettigrew?). In the final battle, Fenrir will escape from his bindings and eat Odin (Lucius?), and Odin's son Vidar (Draco?) will kill him by stabbing him in the heart or ripping his jaws apart. Other stories claim Fenrir will be killed with Vidar's iron boot (Pettigrew?). Also, the evil wolf Captain serving the White Witch in C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was named Fenris Ulf.
• Ferula (Spell that creates a splint or wooden rod) - From the Latin word "ferula," meaning a "rod to beat children with." In Spanish, the word "ferula" refers to an object used to immobilize a limb, like a broken leg. The object can be either a stick to tie to the limb or a cover of plaster.
• Fidelius (Charm that makes someone a Secret-Keeper) - In Latin, "fidelis" is the comparative form of "fidelis." Thus, meaning "a person who is more faithful, devoted, loyal, earnest, true, trustworthy, dependable, reliable, constant or lasting."
• Fifi LaFolle - Author of Enchanting Encounters. Her name translates as Fifi "The Insane One." Must be, if she's claimed to have meetings with "other beings."
• Figg - "Fig" means "not literal" and a "fig leaf" is something that "conceals or camouflages." Arabella Figg keeps her identity a secret from Harry until Order of the Phoenix, and is able to conceal herself in the world of Muggles.
• Filch - Means to "steal."
• Filius - In Latin, "filius" means "son." This could perhaps explain why Flitwick is such a short individual.
• Finite Incantatem (Spell that cancels out other spells) - "Incantatem" could be related to the Latin "Incantationem," which means "incantation." Together the phrase translates as "Stop the incantation!"
• Firenze - Italian name for the city of Florence. Florence was the same city that the famous astronomer Galileo lived in for most of his life. In fact, he died in his estate while serving out his life-long house-arrest sentence issued by the Inquisition, as they found him guilty of heresy.
• Flitwick - A town in England. It could also be interpeted as the movement of a wand - flit (to move quickly from one spot to another) and wick (a stick shaped cord of woven fibres).
• Fleur Delacour - Means "Flower of the Court" in French. It could also be a clever play on the similar French word "coeur" meaning "heart" (Veela's captivate men's hearts).
• Florean Fortescue - "Florean" means "flower" in Latin. Adrian Fortescue was a martyr for the Catholic Church and cousin to Anne Boleyn. He was martyred for disagreeing with Henry VII's changes to church law.
• Fluffy - Cerberus, the three-headed dog was the guardian of the underworld in Greek mythology. Orpheus got past Cerberus by lulling it to sleep with music. You get past Fluffy by lulling it to sleep with music. The name "Fluffy" itself, is just another way of J.K. Rowling showing how Hagrid does not view certain magical creatures and beasts as dangerous.
• Fudge - "Fudge," besides being a delicious chocolate confection, can mean "nonsense." As a verb, it means to "evade" or to "falsify." In technological jargon, it means "to perform in an incomplete but marginally acceptable way." We've seen the former Minister "fudge" a story many times during the series.

Back To Top

G Titles

• Gabrielle (Delacour) - In Hebrew, Gabrielle means "hero of God."
• Gaunt - To be very skinny especially because of hunger or disease or cold; to have a bony body.
• Gilderoy - A highwayman known for being handsome. May also come from the word "gilded," which is defined as having a "pleasing, showy appearance, which covers something of little worth." This is very fitting considering Gilderoy's supposed good looks covered up the truth about his inability to function as a powerful wizard. The name "Roy" is Old French for "regal one" or "king."
• Ginny - "Ginevra," an Italian female and woman of the people, her name means "Juniper" as in evergreen tree. There is an old myth about a bride named Ginevra, who playfully hid in a trunk on her wedding day. The lid fell, burying her alive; and eventually her skeleton was discovered. This could relate to Ginny being taken into the Chamber of Secrets where her "skeleton would lie forever." However, J.K. Rowling has also said that she picked the name because she wanted something different and special for the only Weasley girl!
• Godric - Means "power of god." Derived from the Old English "god" combined with "ric," meaning "power" and "rule." Name became conmmonly used after the Norman conquest. - Godric of Finchale is an Anglo-Saxon saint.
• Granger - Possibly from the Granger movement in the 1800s, a movement to improve the lives of farmers. Could be a connection to Hermione's desire to start SPEW, a movement to improve the lives of house-elves. A granger was also a very common person, just like Hermione's parents. Granger is the name of a character from the book Fahrenheit 451. He is the leader of a group of intellectuals known as "The Book People," whose goal is the preservation of liturature in the face of their government's efforts to burn and destroy all books. A possible reference to Hermione's fanatical love of books?
• Greyback - Similar to the term "silverback" used for the dominant male in a band of gorillas. We all know Fenrir Greyback is the dominant werewolf in the wizarding world.
• Grindelwald - Perhaps derived from the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf character Grendel, the demon. (Many theories in which the Dark wizard Grindelwald is compared to Hitler have been explored by <i>Harry Potter</i> fans in the past, especially since the date of his demise, 1945, is the same as the end of WWII.) A beautiful village in the mountains of Bernese Oberaland, Switzerland. Also, a well-known hotel chain in Germany.
• Grimmauld Place - "Grim Old Place" (play on words).
• Gringotts - According to J.K. Rowling the famous bank comes from the word "ingot," as a reference to "an ingot of gold." She added the "Gr" to the beginning to make it sound more powerful.
• Gryffindor - A "griffin" was "a creature in mythology with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle." Also known in Greek Mythology as the "gryphon," it was the protector of a god's gold from mortal men. In Greek, "gryphon" means "protector of wealth." In French "d'or" means "of gold," one of the Gryffindor House colors. The gryffin is fitting, considering lions are characterized as brave and courageous and eagles are desrcibed as being noble birds, all traits of the Gryffindor House.

Back To Top

H Titles

• Hagrid - J.K. Rowling said: "Hagrid is also another old English word meaning if you were Hagrid, it’s a dialect word meaning you’d had a bad night. Hagrid’s a big drinker. He has a lot of bad nights." Grid was a Norse giantess known for having a terrible temper. "Ha" is a variant of the Old West Norse name element "half." So, "Ha-Grid" may just mean "Half-Grid" or more notably "Half-Giant." " Haggard" can also mean "appearing worn and exhausted, gaunt; wild or distraught in appearance; a disheveled individual." From the Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, the Old English term "hag-rid" means "indigestion" (not surprising considering all the weird things Hagrid eats). Found in the exact same paragraph as "Dumbledore." Coincidence?
• Hannah (Abbott) - "Hannah" means "grace."

• Harry - J.K. Rowling's favorite boy's name. The name Harry is of Anglo-Saxon origin and means "power." There was also a magician named Harry Houdini in the 1900s.
• Hedwig - The Saint of Orphans that lived in Germany in the 13th and 14th Century. Means "refuge in battle." Mentioned in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
• Hepzibah - The name comes from the Hebrew "Cheftzibah," which literally translated means "my desire is for it" or "my will is in it." In Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables there is an old spouse called Hepzibah Pyncheon. She has has a remarkable lineage she is aware of, and she shows her guest and cousin Phoebe some teaspoons bearing the family coat-of-arms as well as antique china cups that belonged to one of Phoebe's ancestors. Also, at the beginning we see old Hepzibah trying to beautify herself to no avail. This is almost identical to the Hepzibah Smith in Half-Blood Prince and her actions before and during her visit with Tom Riddle.
• Hermes - The Greek Messenger. The god of merchants, shepards, thieves, and guardian of the roads.
• Hestia (Jones) - Member of the Order of the Phoenix. In Greek mythology, Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
• Hermione - Means "well-born," "earthy," or "stone." Refers to peony-type flowers. The feminine version of Hermes. In Greek mythology, was often known as the patron saint of high magic (no surprise our Hermione is so gifted). She was the daughter of Helen of Troy and King Menelaus of Sparta. In the Aeneid, Hermione was kidnapped by Pyrrhus, but her loving Orestes came and murdered Pyrrhus while he was praying. Hermione is also a character in Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale. The character is accused of adultery and dies before the intermission. At the end of the play she is brought out as a statue, and finally returns to life at the very end of the play. A possible connection to her petrification in Chamber of Secrets?
• Hippogriff - Derived from the Greek word "hippos" meaning "horse" and the magical creature known as the griffin. In this case, it has the body of a horse as opposed to a lion, but keeps the head of an eagle.
• Hog's Head - Pub in Hogsmeade. In Old English, a "hoggshead" was a medium-sized barrel holding fifty-four gallons of ale. Similar to the Boar's Head Tavern in Shakespeare's Henry IV.
• Horace - English and French form of Horatius, a Roman family name possibly derived from Latin "hora," meaning "hour, time, and season." A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet in the first Century B.C. Horace's poems often celebrated the pleasure found in good food, drink, and spending time with congenial companions - sounds like Slughorn.
• Horcrux - "Horcrux" when broken down in many languages means "outside the cross." This is consistent with the very unholy nature of creating one, and why it is stricken from the pages in a lot of textbooks. "Crucis" means "pain or torture," and "hor" is a shortened form of the noun "horreum," which means "storehouse." Thus, "tormenting storehouse." A Horcrux is effectively a "storehouse" for the part of the soul that an individual destroys when killing someone. "Hor" can also remind readers of the words "horrible" and "horrid." The English meaning for "crux" is "the critical feature or essence," like the crux of an argument. Similar to the Latin translation, it then becomes understood as "essence storehouse." Many consider the soul to be the essence of an individual. A "crux" is also defined as a "difficult puzzle," so Horcruxes can then be seen as "horrible" or "tormenting puzzles." In Egyptian mythology, Horus was the son of the god Osiris, who became the God of the Dead. Crux is also Latin for "cross." If you combine these two words, you get the "cross of Horus," also known as the "ankh" (a cross with a loop at the top). The ankh was the symbol of life. Thus, a Horcrux would ensure life.

Back To Top

I Titles

• Impedimenta (Spell used to slow down attackers) - "Impedio" is Latin for "I hinder." In Latin, "Impedimenta" means "obstacle," as in creating an obstacle to impede one's path or goal.
• Imperio (Imperius Curse) - "Imperio" is Latin for "I control" and "imperium" is Latin for "absolute control."
• Incendio (Spell that sets things on fire) - In Latin, "incendere" means "to set fire to something." "Incendio" also means "great fire" in Spanish.
• Incarcerous (Spell that makes ropes appear to wrap someone up) - In Latin, "carcer" means "prison." The word "incarcerate" means to "imprison."
• Inferi - In Latin, means "those down below; the dead."

• Inigo Imago (Author of Dream Oracle, a Divination textbook) - "Inigo" is a male name meaning "ardent or fiery" and "Imago" means "image." Imago Therapy is also a psychoanalytic technique used for helping bring out meaing from the subconscious.

Back To Top

J Titles

• James - Means "supplanter." To "supplant" is" to to take the place of, or substitute, especially through intrigue or underhanded tactics." James was also an apostle of Jesus.
• Joseph Wronski - Polish seeker for which the Quidditch move, the Wronski Feint, is named. Josef Wronski was a Polish mathematician born in 1778 and was widely regarded as an eccentric by the greater academic community due to his work on perpetual motion machines, machines intended to predict the future, and attempting to square the circle (making a square and a circle have the same area using only a compass and a straight edge; it was later proven to be impossible.) Wronski's most famous and lasting contribution to mathematics was the Wronskian, a function used in linear algebra and differential equations. It can be found in many textbooks today.

Back To Top

K Titles

• Kappa - A water demon that attacks humans. It is described in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. To prevent it from attacking a certain person, one gives it a cucumber engraved with the person's name. This is fitting, considering "kappa" means "water spirit" in Japanese and they feed themselves on blood and cucumbers. Japanese villagers used to write their names on cucumbers and throw them into a river, believing that this would keep the kappas from harming their families.
• Knockturn Alley - Nocturnally (play on words).
• Kreacher - Creature (play on words). Reminiscent of the German "kriecher" derived from "kriechen," meaning "to creep, crawl, cringe, grovel, tuckle, or fawn upon."
• Krum - In Swedish and Norwegian, "krum" means "curved," which is interesting considered how he is described as being uncoordinated on land (as opposed to in the air). A famous Bulgarian czar circa 800 A.D. known for killing the Byzantine emperor and making a goblet out of his skull.

Back To Top

L Titles

• Legilimency - In Latin, from "legere" meaning "to read" and "mens" meaning "mind." Hence, the ability to read one's mind.
• Lestrange - To be "estranged" means to be "removed from society." In French, "etrange" means "strange" or "weird."

• Levicorpus (Spell that suspends an individual in mid-air) - In Latin, "levi" means "to raise" and "corpus" means "body." Combining these words translates as "to raise the body."

• Libatius (Borge) - The author of Advanced Potion Making. A libation is a sacrifice to the gods. In Homer's The Odyssey, amongst other Greek myths, it is used to bring up ghosts from the Underworld. After drinking the potion they are then able to speak.
• Liberacorpus (Spell that releases or frees the individual suspended in mid-air) - In Latin, "libera" means "to free" and "corpus" means "body." Combining these words translates as to "free the body." Counter-curse to Levicorpus.

• Lily - A flower symbolizing purity and innocence. It is the flower commonly used during the Easter holiday and symbolizes immortality. The bulb decays in the ground, and from it new life is released. It is Lily who gives her life so Harry can keep on living.
• Little Whinging - The house on Privet Drive is in the suburb of Little Whinging. "Whinge" is a British word for "whining and complaining." That seems to be one of the Dursleys' favorite activities whether it is about Harry, the neighbors, or just the news in general.
• Lockhart - As coincidental as the following information may be, J.K. Rowling stated in a radio interview with BBC 4 that she found the name Lockhart on a war memorial. Lockhart is a world renowned cognitive psychologist whose particular interest is in the study of memory and levels of processing. He did a lot of research in this area in the late 1970s. Town in Australia near Wagga Wagga ("Compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf"?). A possible play on words as he seems to have so many women's "heart locked" on him.
• Longbottom - The name itself is considered quite humorous, but "bottom" is an old word for "staying power." This seems to accurately fit Neville's personality and overall devotion to Harry.
• Lucius - A Latin male first name. A character in Shakespeare's play Julius Casesar, Lucius is the servant of Brutus, the leader of the conspirators who plot against and assassinate Caesar. Possible connection to the similar sounding "Lucifer" (the devil). Lucifer means "light-bearer." In Romanian, "lucios" means "shiny," a possible connection to his desire for the extravagant and valuable. A Roman General named Lucius Cornelius Sulla was usurped by the people of Rome, but defeated them and seized control as a dictator. After doing so, he removed most of the popular say in the government and returned it to the Senate of Rome, which controlled the people, and founded a firm Republic.
• Ludo - Latin meaning "I play." Fitting, as Ludo Bagman likes to "play his luck" by betting on sports and is the former head of the Department of Games and Sports.
• Lumos (Spell used to make a wand emit light) - "Lumen" is Latin for "light" and "luminous" means "emitting light" in English.
• Luna - The Roman goddess of the moon. "Luna" means "moon" in Latin, Romanian and Italian. In Romanian, it also translates to "month." The word "lunatic" is also derived from the word "lunar," as it was believed in old times that strange or odd behavior was caused by the moon. "Luna" is a term for "silver" in alchemy.
• Lupin - "Lupus" is the Latin derivative for "wolf." Canis Lupus is the scientific name for wolf. To be described as "lupine" means to "resemble a wolf."

Back To Top

M Titles

• Malfoy - In Latin, "malus" means "bad" and "mal" means "pale." "Mal foi" means "bad faith, an act with bad intentions, or a malicious act" in French. "Mal de foi" means a "loss of faith." The similar French phrase "Mal fait" can be interpeted as "badly made" or "evil deeds." In Portuguese, (J.K. Rowling taught English in Portugal for a few years) "Mal foi" means "was bad" or "is bad." In Arthurian legends, Lancelot (King Arthur's greatest knight and his betrayor) is sometimes called "Le Chevallier Mal Fait" (the "mal fait" knight). "Foy" means "a farewell feast, drink, or gift, as at a wedding."
• Mandragora - In medieval times, Mandragora or mandrake root was though to have magical properties. It was thought to resemble the human figure and was known to cause sleepiness.
• Marietta - Means "Little Bitter."
• Marvolo - Implies "marvelous," but also contains the Latin root "volo" meaning " I wish, want, will, ordain, suppose, maintain that, be willing, to mean, signify, or denote." "Volo" also means "to fly, speed, or move rapidly." Tom Riddle can be seen as a character who wants to achieve greatness very quickly. Perhaps from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night character Malviolo. He was a Puritan who could not have fun and sought to stop the other servants from enjoying themselves. He is "sick with self love" and dreams of getting power. He thinks he is better than the others because he believes he is "pure." He is constantly the subject of practical jokes. It is here where the quote "Some are born great, some acheive greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them" comes from. At the end of the play, he swears revenge on the lot of them.
• Mason, Mr. (Visits the Dursleys in Chamber of Secrets) - A mason is an extremely skilled builder.
• McDonald, Natalie - In Goblet of Fire (American hardcover edition, pg. 180), a girl named Natalie McDonald was sorted into Gryffindor House. She was a real girl who was suffering from a terminal illness. She wrote J.K. Rowling a letter. J.K. Rowling wrote back to Natalie and her letter included an outline of Goblet of Fire so if Natalie died, she would know how the book went. Unfortunately, the letter was too late. In memory of Natalie McDonald, J.K. Rowling included her name in Goblet of Fire.
• McGonagall, Professor - The name is Scottish (also written as McGonigle or McGonegal) and is from the Celtic name "Conegal," which means "the bravest." The "Mc" in McGonagall means "son of." The bravery fits well with her first name, Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and war.
• Merope - Means "bee-eater" and also translates to "eloquent" and "mortal." Meropia is a condition of partial blindess. The name Merope is used numerous times in Greek mythology. Click here for one lengthy explanation. Additionally, Merope was a member of the Pleiades sisters (nymphs) and was shamed eternally for marrying a mortal (Sisyphus). Since her parents were angered they made her star, Merope, weakest in the Pleiades constellation. Compare this to Merope Gaunt, a witch shamed for marrying a Muggle. A third Merope in Greek mythology, is one of the Heliades, or daughters of Helios. The Heliades were turned into poplar trees and their tears turned to amber by Helios himself. A fourth Merope was the daughter of King Oenopion who was wooed by Orion, apparently with little success.
• Metamorphmagus - In Greek, "meta" means "change," "morph" means "shape," and "magus" means "magic or wizard." Hence, a wizard that can change shape.
• Millicent - Millicent is derived from the Norman French name Melisende, which was itself derived from the Germanic name Amalaswinth. It is composed of the Germanic elements "amal" meaning "to work or labor" and "swinth," meaning "strength." This was the name of a daughter of Charlemagne. Her name also means ambitious.
• Minerva - The Roman counterpart to the Greek goddess named Athena. Both women in their respective mythologies represent war, handicraft and practical reason or wisdom.
• Mirror of Erised - Erised backwards is desire (as in "you'll see what you desire"). The inscription around the top of the Mirror of Erised, if shown backwards with the spaces rearranged, says: "I show not your face, but your heart's desire." Oddly enough, Eris was the Greek goddess of strife.
• Moody - In Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance there is a character called Moodie who wears a patch over one of his eyes. There is of course, the traditional meaning of "moody," which simply means to "not be in a good mood."
• Morfin (Gaunt) - Probably taken from Celtic myth. Morfan was the son of the Celtic Fertility God Ceridwen and was a fearsome warrior. Morfan fought with King Arthur in his last battle with Carlan. At first, none of Sir Mordred's men would fight against Morfan, because he was so ugly that they believed he might be the devil.

• Morsmordre (Makes the Dark Mark appear in the sky) - Combination between "mors" (Latin for "death") and "mordere" (Latin for "to bite"). Death bite? No -- Death Eater.
• Muggle - Comes from English slang. A "mug" is somebody who is easily fooled.
• Mugwump - One who sits on both sides of an issue. Referring to the "Supreme Mugwump." Originally an Algonquian word "mugquomp," meaning "chief," it became the word for a political party who wouldn't make up their mind about something in the early to mid 1800s.
• Mundungus - A stinking tobacco. Very similiar to the word "mondongo," which in Spanish is the word for a cow's "stomach," a disgusting part of the animal that is often eaten.
• Myrtle, Moaning - A type of evergreen shrub that is often overlooked because of its plainness.

Back To Top

---

Click here to go continue on to |N-Z|

---

MuggleNet is an unofficial Harry Potter fan site. Please email us if you have any questions or concerns. MuggleNet's original layouts were designed and created by Navy. All subsequent layouts by Dylan Spartz.

© 1999-2008 MuggleNet.com. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | COPPA Policy | Feedback | Credits
Random Addresses

642 muggles currently online