Harry - the name

[flying_ford_anglia]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C3023
From: flying_ford_anglia
Subject: Harry - the name
Date: 6/28/00 7:04 pm  (ET)

Mr Dursley ponders over Harry's name at the start of PS - "it might have
been Harvey. Or Harold." This suggests that he, and possibly JK Rowling,
regard Harry and Harold as different names.

As far as I'm aware, Harry is a given name in its own right and is also
used as a shortened form of Henry *and* Harold, with Hal also being a
short form of Harold. So, everyone is right!

Harry is not really a nickname and I feel sure that the Dursleys would
call our hero 'Harold' if that was his given name, because -

1. They are pompous and like to put on 'airs and graces';

2. Calling him 'Harry' would be an unusually friendly move for them;

3. They are always shouting at him, and people who yell at kids invariably
revert to their full name.

My secretary tells me that she gauges people's moods by what they call
her. If they call her "Jack", they're being familiar and probably want
something, "Jackie" conveys a normal situation, and "Jacqueline" is
reserved for severe lectures (usually from her mother).

Of course, it only works if you have a long name. My mother has another
one for when she's annoyed with me. It's [SPOILER]...!

Neil