Wordplay/ What's fun about the HPs?

[inufan_625]

No: HPFGUIDX 152540

Geoff:
This, I believe, is one of the factors which makes some "children's"
books so engaging to all ages.
<snip>
I have always be highly amused by JKR's wordplays which are sometimes 
lost on young people and also will leave readers who are not native 
English speakers lost.
 
Consider names such as Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley, Hogwarts, 
Durmstrang, Grimmauld Place and Umbridge just to list a handful....



Inufan_625:

This caught my eyes as it was mentioned by another poster...something
about being embarassed about not getting the joke with Knockturn Alley
for so many reads.

I guess I should be supremely embarassed then because I still don't
get it. I know that JKR choses her names carefully using a variety of
sources to put meaning behind her choices (mythology, history, ect.),
but I feel like I am missing something, especially pertaining to the
above examples.

I would appreciate it if someone would feel this clueless reader in. I
have no excuse as I am a native speaker and not all that young...lol