Ginny's full name.

[dungrollin]

No: HPFGUIDX 120407


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jaymzhuk" <jwh at c...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Perhaps it's fallen off the bottom of the search, but I noticed on
> looking at JK Rowling's website that Ginny's full name is
> Ginevra, but nobody seems to have commented on this!
> 
> A quick Google for "Ginevra" brought up Leonardo da Vinci's 
painting
> "Ginevra de Benci", which in turn leads (almost) to the Italian for
> Juniper.
> 
> SO, knowing Jo's penchant for meaningful names, anyone dug anything
> out? Websites seem to suggest that Juniper berries are a diuretic,
> possibly good for counteracting poisons, and certainly good at
> repelling insects (Skeeter?)
> 
> Perhaps interesting, one variety is "Juniper virginiana":
> 
> "The interior wood is of a reddish colour and highly valued on 
account
> of its great durability, being suitable for exposure to all 
weather.
> The highly-coloured and fragrant heartwood is largely used in the
> manufacture of the wood coverings of blacklead pencils, and also 
for
> pails, tubs, and various household utensils subjected to wettings.
> Boxes made of the wood are useful for the preservation of woollens 
and
> furs, it being an excellent insectifuge on account of the oil
> contained in it." 
> (http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/j/junipe11.html)
> 
> Reddish colour ties in the Weasley's, durability, ... ?
> 
> Perhaps a bit too tenuous. :)
> 
> Apologies if this has been done to death and been buried already.

Hmmm... I just did a search too, and found that it's an 
Italian/German/somethingelse form of Guinevere, which is an Old 
French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, from gwen meaning "fair, 
white" and hwyfar meaning "smooth". Though apparently in Italian 
Ginevra means "woman of the people".

I'm not well-up on Arthurian legend, but quoting from a 
site: "Guinevere is the beautiful wife of King Arthur. Her betrayal 
of her husband with Mordred prompted the battle of Camlann, which 
led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. Later versions of the 
legends tell of her adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot."  Which 
obviously doesn't bode well...

I'm afraid that Juniper only makes me think of gin.  (Which is a 
thought I'm about to act upon, given the other posts on the board at 
the moment...)

Dungrollin
No, I tell a lie, Juniper also makes me think of The Life of Brian.