DonnieDarko
5th Year
Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?
Posts: 312
|
Post by DonnieDarko on Jul 29, 2004 17:33:04 GMT -5
Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war. Her pet was an owl, like Athene, who was her equivalent in Greek mythology. The name Minerva also means "wise." The Scottish name McGonagall (or McGonigle, McGonegal) is from the Celtic name Conegal, meaning "the bravest," plus Mc, or "son of."
Amos is from Hebrew and means "to be troubled." Cedric may mean "chief," but also is attributed to Sir Walter Scott, author of Ivanhoe. Diggory may be from digger, either (1) a person who digs or (2) a nickname for an Australian or New Zealand soldier.
|
|
|
Post by RainFrost on Sept 3, 2004 22:37:23 GMT -5
Um, let's see, if my memory recalls correctly (which it probably hasn't ) Hermoine was the name of the daughter of Helen of Troy and the King of Spartan (sorry, can't remember his name ). Hmmm, this might be reaching too far but maybe that has something to do with her parents. *Gasp.* What if Mrs. Granger runs off with a Trojan Prince and ignites a war that will kill many many great warriors and a giant wooden horse filled with Greeks will be involved! Um, heh heh. Perhaps not. ;D
|
|
Calavera Diablos
Ravenclaw Alumni
Draws grown men wearing underpants outside their trousers
Posts: 1,547
|
Post by Calavera Diablos on Apr 24, 2006 14:17:42 GMT -5
I know this has been dead for awhile, but I just thought of something new to discuss.
All this time, we've been studying the implied connections and actual meanings of the HP characters' names, but do any of you sometimes question Rowling's choices? I mean, it is a children's novel, but the names are sometimes too obvious.
For example, we all know about a certain Remus Lupin. For those of us reading the book, it makes sense since Lupin(e)= Wolf and Remus=mythical figure who suckled a she-wolf, but when we take the step to look at the name realistically in that universe, it's kind of... silly. Basically, his parents named him the fancier equivalent of Wolfy VonWolfenstein.
Rowling could have easily used modern Old English derived equilvalents to common Anglo-Saxon names and surnames as well. For example, she could have used "Ealdulf", which is Anglo-Saxon for "Old Wolf" or something like "Wulfric", which translates into "Ruler of Wolves". That could have been a more realistic choice for a surname, that would have still kept the symbolic connection to his character intact.
Thoughts? Any names you would have constructed differently?
|
|
|
Post by Sphi on May 7, 2006 18:27:32 GMT -5
Maybe it's just because I'm already so engrossed by the story that JKR has weaved, but I wouldn't change the names. I can see your point, but I guess part of the joy of the HP books is that it's like a fairy tale. There are social and political aspects of the books that are realistic, but there also parts that are completely off-the-wall and magical. I just couldn't see the characters with any other names.
|
|
|
Post by Fluffy on Oct 16, 2006 12:58:02 GMT -5
I guess I've always assumed that the names were fairly obvious like that because she wanted people to have that impression of the character, same way she usually describes Snape as batlike - to create a strong impression, even a visual image. Or maybe she was just being silly?
|
|
|
Post by KoNeko on Oct 16, 2006 19:20:59 GMT -5
Here's one I never really understood though. Dumbledore's name is supposed to have some reference to a bumblebee, but I don't see why JKR would have done this. In a sense, the idea of bees and communities is something that is may strike me as something that Dumbledore would have championed, but anything further along than that... I don't know. Surely there are better things to describe him with than just some pro-community/family values?
|
|
|
Post by Fluffy on Oct 18, 2006 12:59:01 GMT -5
Yeah, I was never sure about that one either. Was it supposed to convey that he was at the centre of an organised body of people working together? Was it supposed to make him seem very busy? Maybe it was just a funny-sounding name. Oo - that might be it - it sounds like this doddering geezer name but secretly means something quite surprising, one of the most organised, powerful, constructive creatures in nature, in fact - hmm.
|
|