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The official publishing company of J.K Rowling named Pottermore have revealed (see here) that there are/were interesting and well thought etymology of characters in Harry Potter book series. It does not contain however all the characters' names' etymology (including famous Longbottoms, Weasleys etc)

What led Ron's sister name to be Ginevra Weasley (Ginny Weasley)?

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    The name "Weasley" threw me off like crazy the first time I read Sorcerer's Stone. The names were obviously intended to convey character, and the name "weasel" is not a positive association in my experience. I kept expecting Ron to turn out to be the bad guy. I assume that "weasel" has a more positive connotation to Rowling... or maybe she just liked the sound of it and didn't think past that.
    – Joshua Engel
    Feb 24, 2017 at 15:25
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    @JoshuaEngel "The names were obviously intended to convey character" You mean like when there was a werewolf running around and one of the characters first name was a mythological hero who was raised by wolves and his last name was Latin for wolf?
    – Kevin
    Feb 24, 2017 at 18:23

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I believe all the Weasleys except Ron were named after either characters from Arthurian legend or historical royalty of England/Albion/Britain:

  • Arthur (duh)
  • Molly (sometimes a nickname for Margaret or Mary)
  • William
  • Charles
  • Percival
  • Frederick
  • George
  • Ginevra (a form of Guinevere)
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    I appreciate your answer. From your answer I am making out that it's your personal deduction. I was looking for some official ones..Do you have any official words or link? Just Curious :)
    – Karan Desai
    Feb 24, 2017 at 14:03
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    @KaranDesai Only links to sites where other fans have noticed the same pattern, which have as much weight as mine. :) It is a fact I am observing. I may deduce that since Rowling was so careful with every other name in her universe, she was equally careful here.
    – Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum
    Feb 24, 2017 at 14:05
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    Yeah you have a point :)
    – Karan Desai
    Feb 24, 2017 at 14:06
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    Surely a simpler explanation is just that (at least in shortened form - Percy, Fred, etc. rather than Percival, Frederick, etc.) they're all common English names? The Weasleys symbolise a down-to-earth family, and this comes out in their down-to-earth names, like Ron and Bill as opposed to e.g. Severus or Draco. They have no connection to royalty, symbolic or otherwise.
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Feb 24, 2017 at 22:29
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    @Mat Nope, Ginevra.
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Feb 24, 2017 at 23:27

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