Name Meanings (WAS: Significance of Peter Pettigrew's Name)

[erisedstraeh2002]

No: HPFGUIDX 47192

Chris wrote:

> Sirus is a dog, while Minerva is a cat.  Could Dumbledore be a 
> bumblebee, and Draco a dragon?

and Menolly (Liz Shouse) responded:

> Now I'm not disagreeing with Chris but I am concerned
> about the possibility of the names being read into too
> much.  JKR has made comments in interviews about the
> names being from Greek and Roman religions so these
> names are going to have some outside meaning to them. 
> Whether or not their meanings will foreshadow
> something to be read in later books remains to be
> seen.  Personally I think it does, just to what extent
> I honestly do not know.  

Now me: 

I think a lot of the names have hidden meanings, but they don't all 
indicate the animagus the wizard can turn into.  With regard to 
Draco, I would find it hard to believe that he can turn into a 
dragon, given his limited talents.  While I'm not an astronomer, 
the "Draco" star constellation looks a lot to me like a backwards 
number 5.  Perhaps this means Draco Malfoy will be the one to die in 
book 5?  Although that wouldn't be a "bad" death (IMO, anyway - 
Lucius and Narcissa would probably beg to differ).  The constellation 
also resembles the letter "S," which could be suggestive of his 
Slytherin proclivities.

~Phyllis
always thinking HP, even when playing with my son's "Star Theater"