Harry's moral core vs. Voldie's

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 117598


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ginnysthe1" <ginnysthe1 at y...> 
wrote:

Kim:
> 
> Firstly, I don't think it's certain that Tom Riddle's mother was 
the 
> one who named her son, as Carol suggests.  She may have died before 
> she could do that, she may not have known he would be a boy 
(although 
> she could have picked out a boy's and a girl's name ahead of time, 
> just in case).  Maybe it was the birth attendant, the midwife, or 
> someone else who named him after his father (which would mean they 
> had to know who the father was).  I admit it's all maybe.  

Geoff:
If I may disagree, according to canon, she did.

'"You live in a muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" 
said Dippet curiously.
"Yes, sir" said Riddle,reddening slightly.
"You are Muggle-born?"
"Half-blood, sir," said Riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother."
"And are both of your parents - ?"
"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the 
orphanage she lived just long enough to name me. Tom after my father, 
Marvolo after my grandfather."'

(COS "The Very Secret Diary" p.182 UK edition)

Your idea of an attendant or midwife naming him would probably have 
been unlikely anyway, because they would also have had to have known 
the grandfather's name....

Geoff
http://www.aspectsofexmoor.com