Malkin (was: The Knights of Walpurgis and Madam Malkin (Was: Black Names)

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 154311

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...>
wrote in <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/154303>:

> Note to Catlady regarding Madam Malkin: "Malkin" means "cat," as in
> "grimalkin" (gray cat). 
> http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/malkin
> http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/grimalkin

I think Malkin (from Molly-kins or Maudie-kins) means a female cat the
same way Tom means a male cat, because it was a name very commonly
given to pet cats. (I read somewhere that male cats were called 'ram
cats' until a very popular book about Tom the Cat led people to name
their male cats Tom.)
 
> I think it's a surname, but since it's a derivative of Maud and can
> also mean an untidy woman (not exactly the image I have of Madam
> Malkin!), 

That's JKR being sarcastic with her clever names. When Narcissa and
Draco stomp out of Madam Malkin's shop in HPB, Narcissa says they're
taking their business to "Twilfitt and Tatting's." I'm sure the latter
name refers to 'tatty' rather than to one of the lacy needle arts.

> you could be right. Still, I'm betting on the cat connection
> and the surname.