Names from Myth: Names from Myth: Greek, Roman, Greek, Roman,

Celtic, and MoreCeltic, and More

• Rowling explains in Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies, “A very great variety of first names are given to children by their wizard parents, some of them being what we might think of as Muggle names (e.g. James, Harry, Ronald), others giving a distinct flavour of the personality or destiny of the bearer (e.g. Xenophilius, Remus, Alecto).”

(Kindle Locations 518-520).

• Rowling adds that these “destined names” are actually chosen after consulting with destiny, explaining, “A certain sector of magical society, however, follows the ancient wizarding practice of consulting a Naming Seer, who (usually for a hefty payment of gold) will predict the child’s future and suggest an appropriate moniker.” Presumably, this is why Remus Lupin is so-named before he’s even bitten.

(Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies, Kindle Locations 523-524).

Greek Greek NamesNames

• Hermione Granger• Hermes, Percy’s owl• Alastor Moody• Argus Filch• Sybill Trelawny• Alecto Carrow• Amycus Carrow• Merope Gaunt• Nymphadora Tonks• Andromeda Tonks• Xenophilius Lovegood • Delphini

Roman Gods and Latin Roman Gods and Latin NamesNames

• Pomona Sprout• Minerva McGonagall• Silvanus Kettleburn• Septima Vector (Arithmancy)• Quirinus Quirrel• Remus Lupin• Aurora Sinistra (Astronomy)• Albus Dumbledore• Luna Lovegood

Roman SkiesRoman Skies• Stars: Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius Black,

Alphard Black, Arcturus Black, Pollux Black, and Regulus Black

• Constellations: Draco Malfoy, Scorpius Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks, Cassiopeia Black, Cygnus Black, and Orion Black

Roman SkiesRoman Skies

IndiaIndia

• The pantheons themselves weren’t a strong match, but there are a few particular references to consider.

• Parvati is the wife of the god Shiva, known for her courage (the perfect Gryffindor).

• “Padma” refers to Saraswati, the goddess of intellect (the perfect Ravenclaw).

• Nagin is used for the female snake in Hindi, while Nagini’s power parallels the mythic nagas, or snake-people of tales.

Celtic Celtic CorrespondencesCorrespondences

Dumbledore The Dagda: The All father, god of the arts, knowledge, magic, prophecy, prosperity, and regeneration

Rubeus Hagrid Rudiobus, the Celtic god of horses

Filius Flitwick Sucellos, the Celtic 'good striker' and smith godGilderoy Lockhart Angus Og, the beautiful male god of loveMinerva McGonagall

Brighid, the triple goddess of healing, poetry and smithcraft 

Severus Snape Lugh, the tormented god of healing, reincarnation, prophecy, knowledge, and revenge. He was forbidden to wed any woman and his flower wife betrayed him for another. His sign was the white stag.

Madam RosmertaRosmerta "The Great Provider“: Celtic Goddess of fertility and wealth.

Sybill Trelawny Corra, Goddess of Prophecy, transcendent knowledge, and transitions. The rune stones, crystal balls, and tarot cards were her symbols.

Dolores Umbridge and the Carrows

The triple war goddesses Badb/ Madb/Macha

Mad-Eye Moody Balor of the Evil EyeIsolt’s ancestor is “the famous Irish witch Morrigan”

This “Animagus whose creature form was a crow” wasactually a goddess in Celtic myth.

Peter Pettigrew Nuada of the Silver Hand could use it as well as his living one. He was toppled from his throne because he was no longer whole.

James Potter Cernunnos the stag, a forest god who dies each year in the sacred marriage only to return more powerful.

ArthurianArthurian• “Merlin” and “Morgana” famous wizard cards. • The magic ceiling above Hogwarts’ Great Hall is an exact copy of the

ceiling above Arthur’s Round Table. • As Arthur was the only one who could pull the sword from the stone,

so Harry is the only one who could pull the Sorcerer’s Stone from his pocket.

• The Goblet of Fire, the graillike object Harry quests for • Names: Ginevra (Italian for Guinevere), Arthur Weasley,

Voldemort/MORdred, and Percival. • Percival, of course, offers the Arthurian link. He was a valiant fighter

who quested for the grail (or in Harry Potter’s world, the Horcruxes) but failed in his goal. His teenage protégé Galahad succeeded, through immaculate faith and goodness. Clear parallels appear here with the Dumbledore-Harry relationship. Percival Dumbledore (father to Albus) and his namesake, Percy Weasley, likewise appear as knights who fail, but leave others to battle and complete the great quest against Voldemort

• Isolt Sayre, founder of Ilvermorny

The Hallows of BritainThe Hallows of BritainThe Earliest Hallows

Powers Later Hallows

Tarot Symbols

Grail Hallows Rowling’s Objects

Shining spear of Lugh

Provides victory in any fight

The Pole of Combat

Spear or Wand

Crucifixion Spear

Elder Wand

Sword of Nuadu

Always destroys its target

The Sword of Light

Sword Broken Sword Godric’s Sword

Cauldron of Dagda

Provides endless food

The Cauldron of Cure

Cup The Grail Hermione’s Beaded Bag

Stone of Fal

Confers kingship

The Stone of Destiny

Pentacle Platter or Stone Resurrection Stone

The Thirteen Treasures of Britain,

ArthurianThe Arthurian Hallows

The Mantle of Arthur

The Whetstone of Tudwal Tudglyd

The Chariot of Morgan the Wealthy

Dyrnwyn, Sword of Rhydderch

The Coat of Padarn Red-Coat

Chessboard of Gwendd-olau

Halter of Clydno Eiddyn

OtherArthurian Hallows

Ability Makes the wearer invisible

Ensures death follows wounding.

Travels at great speed to any location.

Bursts into flame.

Identifies those of noble birth.

Plays by itself.

Calls any horse into it (for summon-ing aid).

Produce and prepare food and drink

Rowling Invisibility cloak

Sword of Gryffindor

Apparition Fiendfyre Sorting Hat

Wizard Chess

Sirius’s Mirror

Beaded Bag

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