One of the best ways an author can foreshadow or reveal information about a character is through their name. A well selected name can tell us about a character’s motivations and origins through historical or etymological meaning. Of course, not every name has significant meaning, but I love names that were selected precisely for this purpose, that can tell us something deeper about the character! I’ve devised a list of some of my favorite names in Young Adult literature, what they mean, and what that tells us about their character.
Gilderoy Lockhart -- Harry Potter
Gilderoy Lockhart is, without exaggeration, one of my favorite Harry Potter characters. His bumbling idiocy that is only partially (and poorly) obscured by a flashy personality and glamorous looks is a recipe for hilarity. His name also clues us in to his true nature. JK Rowling revealed in a 2005 interview with Stephen Fry that she found the name “Lockhart” on a war memorial and liked it because it sounded “glamorous [and] dashing.” The name “Gilderoy” came from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (a reference book for phrases and allusions) where it referred to “a highway man, and a very good-looking rogue.”
The name itself has interesting implications as well. To “gild” something is to cover it thinly with gold. Usually the thing being covered is made of a much less valuable material. Similarly, Gilderoy covers up his utter incompetence with a thin veneer of good looks and charm. Additionally, the second half of the name, “Roy,” means “king” in French. By combining both parts of the name, we can assume that Gilderoy is the “king” of deception.
Miles Halter -- Looking for Alaska
Miles’ first name was inspired by the Robert Frost poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” which has the line “And miles to go before I sleep.” This poem is referenced within the book itself (upon first meeting the Colonel, Miles is dubbed “Miles ‘to go’ Halter”). The poem is literally about stopping in the woods on a snowy evening, and admiring the scenery there, but it also has other implications. The narrator of the poem wants to bask in the beauty of his natural surroundings, but then remembers he has other duties he must attend to, and “miles to go.” Miles himself simply wants to exist in Alaska’s presence (maybe not a coincidence that Alaska is named after a snowy environment?). Miles is fixated on Alaska and kind of stuck in his obsession with her, especially after her death. But eventually he realizes he must move on from Alaska, just as the narrator realizes he must move on and leave the snowy scenery behind.
My favorite part of Miles’ name is his surname, though. According to John Green (the author) he chose the name “Halter” because it sounded similar to “halt her.” Miles had the opportunity to stop (or “halt) Alaska leaving the night she died, but he didn’t.
Caesar Flickerman -- The Hunger Games
Caesar is one of my favorite characters in The Hunger Games trilogy, so it’s only fitting his name would be one of my favorites as well. He’s the main talk show host and media personality of Panem. His first name “Caesar” probably refers to the Roman imperial title meaning “emperor” “king” or “dictator.” This makes sense given Panem’s obvious similarities to ancient Rome, especially the gladiatorial elements and dictatorship and totalitarianism. The movie draws these comparisons further by using greco-roman architecture in the Capitol city. Although Caesar himself is not the president of Panem, he is an important arm of the dictatorship.
Caesar’s last name “Flickerman” is far more interesting to me though. It could just be referring to his role as the media personality (screens “flicker,” especially the broken ones in Panem) but I prefer to think it says a bit more about his character than that. Caesar’s morality and guilt within the system of Panem and the Games is still hotly debated among fans. Was he a willing participant and perpetrator, or was he doing the best he could in a difficult situation? He was one of the few Capitol people Katniss respected from the beginning because of his genuine desire to help every tribute, not just the careers. Perhaps the last name “Flickerman” could be referring to Caesar’s real loyalties-- although he participates willingly in the system, there are “flickers” of him being a good person. In Mockingjay, for example, he allows Peeta to speak out against the Games and the Capitol much more than either entity would have approved of. Could his name be suggesting that his true loyalties are hidden? Is he hiding something under his flashy personality and looks? I’m not sure, but I do like the implication that his name holds.
Alaska Young -- Looking for Alaska
I’m cheating a little with this one, because John Green actually answered the question of “What does Alaska’s name mean” point blank in an interview. So I didn’t really have to dig for this one, but I still love the meaning regardless! To quote Green himself:
“I liked the name Alaska because it’s grand and mysterious and far away, part of our country but a mythologized part, in much the same way that Alaska herself is (disastrously) mythologized by her classmates.”
Green also notes that he liked the name for its literal meaning: “that which the sea breaks against.” He found it to be a suitable metaphor for Alaska’s experience: “she feels that the sea is breaking against her again and again, with all the incumbent turmoil, excitement, and pain.”
Her last name, Young, could just be a reference to the fact that she is perpetually "young" as she died as a teenager.
The Black Family -- Harry Potter
One of my favorite name themes in any of these stories is that of the Black family in Harry Potter. Many direct descendants of the Black family are named after a constellation or star. Sirius, fittingly, is named for the Dog star, foreshadowing his animagus form of a big (black) dog. His cousin, Andromeda, is named for the constellation of a mythological woman who goes against her family’s choice in husband to marry her true love, much like Andromeda goes against her family’s wishes for her to marry a pureblood, marrying her true love, muggle-born Ted Tonks, instead. Draco (whose mother, Narcissa, was a Black before marrying Lucius Malfoy) is named for the dragon constellation, which resembles a snake (much like his Slytherin house, and perhaps implying there is more to Draco than meets the eye). The word “draconian” can refer to cruel or incessantly strict rules. Draco himself is cruel, but perhaps only because of his own draconian upbringing. Bellatrix is one of my favorites: when splitting her name into their latin roots, “bella” meaning “war” and “trix” meaning woman, you get the meaning “female warrior.” Bellatrix is also the third-brightest star in the Orion constellation, sitting on the left shoulder of “the great hunter,” further reinforcing her violent nature.
The Half-Bloods -- Percy Jackson and the Olympians
(Art by Viria)
Most of the Half-Blood children of the gods have pretty punny names based on their godly parents. Connor and Travis Stoll, for example, are children of Hermes (god of thieves) whose last name sounds like the past tense of “steal.” Katie Gardner’s last name sounds a lot like “Gardener,” which is fitting as she’s a daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Bianca and Nico DiAngelo are children of Hades, god of death. Their last name, DiAngelo, means “of Angels” in Italian, which obviously refers to the afterlife, and subsequently death. Although he’s not a half-blood, Grover Underwood also has a punny sort of name. Grover, the nature-loving satyr and Percy’s best friend, is named for nature himself. “Grover” sounds suspiciously like “grove,” which refers to a group of trees. The surname “Underwood” has the obvious reference to trees with “wood.” His last name could also refer to his search for Pan, who he ends up finding “under”ground.
Remus Lupin -- Harry Potter
Perhaps the most ridiculous name in the Potter canon, Remus Lupin’s name essentially means “wolf wolf.” It’s almost like his parents were begging for him to be bit by a werewolf.
The surname “Lupin” comes from the latin root “lupus” meaning wolf. “Lupin” literally translates to “lupine” which means “to resemble a wolf.” “Remus” comes from the Roman legend of the two founders of Rome-- Romulus and Remus-- who were abandoned on the banks of the River Thames and were adopted by, you guessed it, a wolf.
Tris Prior -- Divergent
This one might be a stretch, even for me, but hear me out. Although Tris’ real name Beatrice means “to bring happiness,” I think her nickname could have a different meaning. I can’t help but notice the “tri” prefix in Tris’ name, perhaps referring to the three factions she could fit into (Abnegation, Dauntless and Erudite) and hinting at her Divergent status. Her last name, “Prior,” has the literal meaning of “something that came before,” maybe referring to her mother before her also being Divergent.
Lord Voldemort -- Harry Potter
I’m sorry this is so Potter heavy-- JKR clearly put a lot of thought into her names. Lord Voldemort is no exception, as “Voldemort” means “flight of death” in French. Seriously, if you plug “Vol de mort” into google translate, that’s what you get. This obviously refers to Voldemort’s driving motivation of becoming immortal and avoiding death forever. He’s running away from death.
Victoria -- Twilight*
This is hands down my favorite name on the list, but not because it’s really deep and significant or anything, just because it’s incredibly petty. If you know too much about Twilight like I do, then you know that Stephanie Meyer likes to name her characters after her family members. For example, every one of her siblings’ names make an appearance in the books-- Seth, Emily, Jacob, Paul, and Heidi-- to varying degrees of involvement and flattery (Jacob is the third biggest character in the book and the second main love interest, while Heidi is a vampire receptionist who shows up for about three seconds and eats people). However, my favorite family name that made it into the book is that of Victoria-- the evil and cunning vampire who makes it her mission to murder Bella, the protagonist. Rumor has it she’s named after Meyer’s mother-in-law.
On a more serious note, Victoria has the obvious relation to "victory," perhaps in reference to Victoria's obsession with her own personal victory of killing Bella.
*My source for this one is a tumblr post, so take it with a grain of salt
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