Have you ever wondered what your name means or where it came from? If so, you probably have Googled the meaning of your name, or asked your parents why they gave you your name.
Now, try to think about how novel authors come up with the name for their characters. Would you like to know the thought process behind it? Or, maybe, it’s just completely random?
Despite the process, a Reddit user named u/etymologynerd who claims to be a Harvard linguistics student, decided to dissect the meaning of some our favorite characters from the Harry Potter saga!
“I made an infographic explaining the origins behind some Harry Potter character names,” wrote u/etymologynerd in his post on reddit.
If you are having trouble reading from the image above, you can have a better look at it through this link.
Yet, we at Inside the Magic decided to get some of our favorite ones to share with you guys. One Inside the Magic writer said “I am not a huge Harry Potter fan, however, I have seen the first three films. With that being said — I find Severus Snape’s meaning extremely intriguing as well as Voldemort’s!”
Severus Snape
Severus is a Latin word meaning “severe” or “serious” and Snape is the name of the town in eastern England.
Voldemort
The phrase vol de mort can mean either “flight of death” or “theft of death” in French. Tom Riddle anagrammed later.
While another Inside the Magic writer said “Honestly, the meaning behind Sirius Black’s name has always been my favorite.”
Sirius Black
Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, is referred to as the “dog star,” and Black is just the color.
