Behind the Name: Space Part 1

We all know that J.K. Rowling leaves nothing to chance and has a reason behind everything. This includes character names. I decided to take a look into the origin of character names. This is only the beginning =).

Alphard Black
This is the name of Sirius’s uncle who left him his fortune. In Arabic, Alphard means “the Solitary One.” This also is the name of a giant orange star. This star is located in the Hydra constellation and is the brightest star in that constellation. Hydra and Alphard are located in the Southern Hemisphere in the second quadrant.

Andromeda Black
In Greek Mythology, Andromeda was a princess who was chained to a rock by the sea as a sacrifice to Poseidon after her mother, Cassiopeia, offended the water nymphs. The myth says that Athena placed her in the sky to honor her after her death, creating the constellation of Andromeda. There is also a galaxy in this constellation that is named after the princess, and it is the closest galaxy to our Milky Way. This constellation is located in the Northern Hemisphere.

Bellatrix Lestrange
The character that we all love to hate has an astrological background to her name as well. The origin of Bellatrix’s name is Latin and means “the Female Warrior.” It seems fitting that this star is also nicknamed “the Amazon Star.” She kicked butt as a character, and it’s a pretty cool star as well. Bellatrix is the third brightest star in the constellation of Orion and the 27th brightest star in the night sky.

Cygnus Black
If you have not yet realized the Black family lineage is full of astrological names, Cygnus is the name of the father of Narcissa, Andromeda, and Bellatrix. This is also the name of a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere and spacecraft developed by America. As a constellation, it is representative of the swan, which is referenced several times in Greek Mythology. Zeus transformed himself into a swan to seduce a woman, and multiple people were transformed into swans after their death. The spacecraft named the Cygnus was built for the purpose of transporting supplies to the international space station.

Draco Malfoy
Narcissa kept with her family’s tradition of astrological names. Draco is one of the first constellations to have been established in one of the oldest known astronomical records. In Latin, Draco means dragon, but it is depicted by the ancient Greeks as a snake. This constellation is located in the extreme north. This constellation is circumpolar, meaning that it never sets, and can be seen year-round in the northern latitudes. It is one of the easiest constellations to spot because it resembles its namesake. Seems fitting for a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, huh?

Regulus Arcturus Black
This member of the Black family got a two for one special! Both his first and middle names are astrologically related. These stars lie in two separate constellations but are both the brightest star in their respective constellations. Regulus resides in Leo the lion, which is in the Northern Hemisphere and is often referred to as the heart of Leo. Arcturus’s home is in the constellation of Bootes, the herdsman residing in the Northern Hemisphere as well.

Sirius Black
Another star!! Sirius is located in the constellation of Canis Major. This constellation is also called the Great Dog, fitting remembering his Animagus form. This is the brightest star in the sky, even 26 times brighter than our sun. Sirius is also one of the stars nearest to the sun. In mythology, Canis Major was the name of Orion’s senior dog, thus giving Sirius the nickname of the Dog Star.

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy
It’s only fitting that Draco followed the family tradition of naming their children after stars. Firstly, Scorpius is the Latin name for the eighth constellation in the Zodiac, Scorpio. Also, Scorpius X-1 was the first x-ray source to be located outside of our solar system. His middle name, Hyperion, is also the name of something outside our atmosphere. It’s the name of one of Saturn’s moons! Malfoy gave his son a two-for-one special in the astrology department!

Wow! That’s a lot of astrological backgrounds! I can’t wait to see what I discover in Part 2!