Severus

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 190139



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff" <geoffbannister123 at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> ....
>  
> > ...
> 
> Geoff:
> ... JKR's naming has been carefully worked out. For instance, you 
> have the humorous ones like Umbridge, Durmstrang or Grimmauld. And 
> those where she subtly changes the meaning of a word as in 
> Disillusion or Apparition. I think she must have used the town
> and regional names because she like the sound of them... 
> 
> Who knows? 
> <loud offstage whisper of 'JKR knows'>.
> :-)
>

Steve:

Let's not forget Malfoy which means Bad Faith. 

But let us also not forget how hard it is to name characters,
even if you are NOT trying to have Hidden significances to the
name. 

While I don't do much writing, I find myself watching movie
credits for cool names, walking though graveyards, looking
through phone books, looking though list of famous Russian, 
English, Scottish, Irish authors, directories of Surnames in
Britain, maps, and countless other sources just to find the right
name for a character.

Believe it or not, you do not just assign names to characters
willy-nilly. It is more like each character already has a name,
and it is up to you, the author, to discover what it is. 

I remember one day, walking around Minneapolis, through grocery
store, drug stores, kitchen store, book stores, etc... just
hoping to find a name for a given character. When I walked
by a tobacco shop and looked in, I saw a pack of British
DUNHILL cigarettes, and realized I found his name.

In another case, I spend several weeks trying to name a 
Quidditch team, for a story I was planning. 

And keep in mind, I was not trying to have any hidden 
significants in the names. Just to come up with names that
fit the characters. It is not an easy process.

And for JRK to have has so many characters whose names have
hidden significance as well as her knowledge of folklore,
myth, and fairtales, it truly stupendous. 

Sorry, just rambling. 

Steve/bboyminn