Sorting order WAS Sorting ceremony and uniforms.

[joanne0012]

> BTW, during that scene it really annoys me that the names aren't called in 
> alphabetical order (not so much because its a deviation from the book, but 
> because the order is completely random and makes no sense).
> 
> -Rebecca

JKR has mentioned in an interview that there's a magic quill that writes down 
the names of Hogwarts candidates as they're born.  Perhaps the list was the 
one generated by the quill, in birth order?  Is the sorting consistent with the 
few birth dates that we know? (Sorry, it's been a while and I don't have access 
to my copy of the film right now.)