What's in a Name?

Have you ever wondered where Harry Potter and Voldemort got their names from in the Harry Potter Books?

Edinburgh is known as the birthplace of Harry Potter as J. K Rowling wrote some of the very first chapters of the books there. So, there are many places in the historic city that are thought to have inspired characters, places, and events in the series.

J K Rowling denies that the gravestones in Greyfriars Kirkyard inspired the names, but I’m thinking they must have had something to do with it as Scrymgeour is not a very common name hereabouts!!

The Kirkyard has a whole host of names that are in the book.  If you look closely enough you'll find a Potter, Scrymgeour, Moodie, Black, and Thomas Riddell (old Voldemort himself).  

A happy coincidence or just her imagination?  You decide.

(Harry) Potter (Main character)

(Rufus) Scrymgeour (Minister for Magic after Fudge)



(Alastair) Moodie (Professor with a magic eye)

                                       (Sirius) Black (Notorious bad guy and Harry's Godfather)

Thomas Riddell (AKA Lord Voldemort - All round bad guy)












Comments

  1. What a fabulous find Greyfriars Kirkyard is. I've heard/read different interviews with JK & she said in one or two that she knew a few of the people with names from the books, so I'm going with she combined knowledge with imagination (talk about sitting on the post).
    PS: I know of the famous Greyfriars Bobby (same location?).

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  2. Greyfriars Bobby is buried in the same Kirkyard. There's a post about that coming soon too. :0)

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  3. That is a bit too much of a coincidence isn't it? What a find.

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    Replies
    1. It's only a very small Kirkyard so it's too much of a coincidence for me.

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