Harry Potter Name Origins #2
H a r r y a n d f r i e n d s
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.
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?
Ron - Interesting when taken in conjunction with Arthur. He is the advisor to the King.
Comparisons can be made here between Ron being an advisor to Harry on all of his
choices and adventures. Both Ron and Hermione listen to Harry's plan and then either
agree with or tell them why they think his idea is not a good one.
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!
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?
N e v i l l e - O l d F r e n c h f o r " f r o m t h e n e w f a r m l a n d . "
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