name origins

[cynthiaanncoe at home.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 26373

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Joy M" <joym999 at a...> wrote:
> I had a thought today (a likely story, I hear some people 
mumbling).  
> Certain HP words have always seemed sort of light and cute and 
> comical and silly to me, like Dumbledore and Hogwarts and 
Hufflepuff, 
> where as others seem downright sinister, like Voldemort and 
Slytherin 
> and Malfoy.  JKR is obviously very good at creating names that have 
> the right "feel" to them.  

I feel the same way.  Some of the names of things are kind of 
neutral, like pensieve, but are clever word plays.  Veritaserum is 
the same way.  My single favorite name is Sirius Black.  If you are 
naming a would-be villian, it is hard to go wrong there.  I'm also 
becoming quite taken with the name Severus, which would be a great 
name for my next dog.

The flip side of this coin, however, are the words and names that 
just don't work for me.  One is "death eaters."  Ludo Bagman doesn't 
stir any images for me, either.  Winky also doesn't seem to fit, as 
Winky is kind of, well, whiny.  But maybe she'll lighten up in future 
books.

Cindy (whose own name doesn't do much for her either)