Why we can't read too much into Lucius Malfoy's name....

[conuly]

(crossposted from a comment on hptheories

The Romans didn't have "given names". They had praenomens, nomens, and cognomens. Every boy had one of about 2-3 dozen praenomens (names like "quintus", "rufus", or "gaius"). All children had the nomen (like a clan name) and a cognomen (which indicated which "branch" of the clan they were from.

So C. Iulius Caesar had the praenomen Gaius, and was from the Caesar branch of the Iulian clan. He had a daughter, whose full name was Iulia Caesar. Some people think that he may have had two daughters. If that's the case, each one would have been named Iulia Caesar, but the second one would probably have been called something like "secunda", the second. Note that girls don't have praenomens. This is reasonably fair, though, as 1. there just aren't that many praenomens to go around and 2. many of the praenomens seem to have once been descriptives - Octavius, the eighth, Quintus, the fifth, Rufus, the red-haired one.

Additionally, people could add names to their whole name because of adoption, or because they'd done something really cool, or an ancestor had.

Many Romans did have the praenomen "Lucius" (for example, that was Cataline's praenomen), but this signifies nothing. It's like having the name "John". Doesn't mean you're like any famous kings or princes named John, or Ivan the Terrible, doesn't mean you're like John the Baptist. The most the name "Lucius" means is that the Malfoys like Roman names. Big surprise, that seems to be quite the fashion with the purebloods, especially the ones who are vehemantly anti-Muggle.

Edit: Unless, of course, you're saying it means something because of the meaning of the name "lucius". In this case, you're still probably wrong. Lucius has the same root as Lucifer, and it means "light".

Comments

[marveen.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think Rowling chose the name as a deliberate echo of the Lightbringer. Everyone even halfway acquainted with Christian mythology knows about Lucifer, and what he did, and what he became.

Consequently, dark echoes and connotations from the name Lucius.

weirdness

[scottrossi.livejournal.com]

one time, i had this terrible harry potter dream. in it, mrs. weasley died, and i remember the line mr weasley said in book 4 "the worst thing about the days of darkness was coming home and seeing the dark mark above your home" or something like that. anyway, she was killed by percy, who turned traitor when promised with glory in a new ministry of magic. then someone broke down lucius malfoy's name and said it meant "light so bright it hurts meleficient". needless to say, it didnt come true for book 5 but who knows.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think Rowling chose the name as a deliberate echo of the Lightbringer. Everyone even halfway acquainted with Christian mythology knows about Lucifer, and what he did, and what he became.

Consequently, dark echoes and connotations from the name Lucius.

weirdness

[scottrossi.livejournal.com]

one time, i had this terrible harry potter dream. in it, mrs. weasley died, and i remember the line mr weasley said in book 4 "the worst thing about the days of darkness was coming home and seeing the dark mark above your home" or something like that. anyway, she was killed by percy, who turned traitor when promised with glory in a new ministry of magic. then someone broke down lucius malfoy's name and said it meant "light so bright it hurts meleficient". needless to say, it didnt come true for book 5 but who knows.