What's in a name? - Weasleys

[frodoyoda_2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 36361

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "ohtoresonate" <ohtoresonate at y...> wrote:

<snip>

> Though most people in this fandom and in HP fan fiction (like 
Malfoy 
> in canon) conclude that the Weasleys' last name somehow connect 
them 
> to weasels, I find little to no evidence to support this 
assumption.  
> Of course, I would be happy to entertain this theory if people can 
> cite canon text as support.  :)
> 
> In fact, if you look at the structure of English names, you will 
find 
> that names ending in -ley or -ly usually indicate an association 
with 
> fields.  For example, "Stan-ley" means stony field and "Wes-ley" 
means 
> field of the west.  So going by this pattern, Weas-ley should mean 
> fields of
weas?  
> 
> Hmm
seeing how Quidditch evolved (IMO, rather arbitrarily) from 
Queer 
> Ditch and Snitch from Snidge (and incidentally, "blimey" 
from "blind 
> me"), I can't even begin to hazard a guess as to what the original 
> word for "weas" could possibly be.
> 
> Anyone?
> 
> :) OTR

How about weeds? As in, they were too poor to work their fields, and 
so had fields of weeds?
Or wea'sel snouts, which are a kind of nettle, but that's really a 
stretch.
OK, thought I'd throw those out there.
Molly