(Loved Trope) Aptronyms

[u/dream_monkey]

Aptronyms are characters whose name is heavily symbolic or represent them as a character. Sometimes it is a subtle play on words, sometimes it’s just a clunky transliteration. Either way, it can help characterize a character and provide more allegorical depth. Authors must be careful not to delve into the realm of cliche, though.

1. Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter series) His name means Evil Dragon, and he tries really hard to live up to his name.

[Many commenters have pointed out that Darth Vader is not a true aptronym. I stand corrected .]

1. Darth Vader (Star Wars series) His name means Dark Father, which cleverly conceals one of the biggest reveals in cinema history.

2. Cthulhu (Lovecraft mythos) Cthulhu may just sound like a nonsense syllable, unpronounceable by a human mouth. The name is derived from the word “cthonic” which means a being that lives under the earth or in the underworld, so an ancient and terrible god that lies dreaming in death at the bottom of the ocean would definitely fit the description.

[u/Lil_Mcgee]

Remus with a different surname would be solid for a fantasy Werewolf. The connection is there but it's not crazy overt. Lupin really is just stupidly on the nose.

[u/Missing_Username → u/Lil_Mcgee]

I'm surprised he didn't have a brother named Romulus, just to really dial it all the way in

[u/Superhero_Fanboy1994 → u/Missing_Username]

Romulus was his code name in the pirate radio broadcast in book 7.

[u/Missing_Username → u/Superhero_Fanboy1994]

Was the point to broadcast to everyone that it was obviously Remus?

Was Harry's codename "Larry Bowler"?

[u/Big-Employer4543 → u/Missing_Username]

"Harold Pothead"

[u/Credit-Financial → u/Big-Employer4543]

"Harold Scarhead"

[u/forestNargacuga → u/Big-Employer4543]

Harald Töpfer

[u/Fenrir_Carbon → u/Missing_Username]

Donald Beesly

[u/HailMadScience → u/Missing_Username]

Larry Claybaker.

[u/Dragoness290 → u/Missing_Username]

When Harry and Hermione were listening to it they could tell who everyone was pretty easily, though that mightve been more to do with voices/mannerisms

[u/Mister-builder → u/Missing_Username]

Hirsute Glazer

[u/kupozu → u/Lil_Mcgee]

I agree! I actually had to think for a second what was Remus' relationship with wolves while typing that

[u/rosyatrandom → u/Lil_Mcgee]

And that's particularly problematic because werewolves have very sensitive noses

[u/Geffalrus → u/Lil_Mcgee]

Now, if it was a family/heredity thing, that would be fine. But if he got bitten that’s…….just ironic.

[u/Dragoness290 → u/Geffalrus]

He was bitten as a child by Fenrir (he targets children by intentionally transforming near them)

[u/Complete-Play-1159 → u/Lil_Mcgee]

Guys the book is written for 12 year olds btw