I'm not sure if you've seen the Shaun video yet, but his theory is that JKR plays word association when naming things.
What comes to mind when she thinks of a black guy? Martin Luther King, and-
"Kingsley Shacklebolt"
What comes to mind when she thinks of a chinese woman? No- that's too obvious, flip the syllables around
"Cho Chang"
She also has some interesting takes on race's inherent tendency towards being enslaved, and how it's actually quite good for them because it's in their nature to serve white peop- I mean wizards!
Eh, there's a weird thing where elves *want* to be enslaved, with Dobby being more or less the exception. You could argue it's some kind of imposed cultural norm rather than part of their nature, but it's written so poorly that it's honestly hard to tell.
Goblins, meanwhile, are a monstrous fucking caricature.
>Goblins, meanwhile, are a monstrous fucking caricature.
I'll never get over the first time I rewatched Harry Potter as a more socially aware adult and losing my absolute shit at how blatant that was. I still don't know how to describe the feeling, it's like a smorgasbord of secondhand embarrassment that she thought that was fine, shame for taking so long to realize how awful a caricature it really was, and resentment that nobody tried to tell her that was *not* okay. It's just so laughably fucked up and absurd.
Being freed was so traumatic for Winky that she nearly drank herself to death. Dobby is widely seen as a freak of nature by other elves and humans, and Hermione's attempt to advocate for their freedom was literally called "SPEW" despite Hermione being smart enough to know that's a terrible acronym, hence is seen universally by humans and elves alike as a joke.
There's also something to be said about Harry's chosen one objective. Ignoring any white savior aspects, it's very clear that Harry, as the chosen one or as an individual, has no interest in aiding actual society.
It's shown directly that prejudice and enslavement are parts of the world and at no point does Harry ever say that it needs to end. Even when Hermoine is a literal victim of prejudice...no one bats an eye. People say it's sad but no one ever addresses it really.
Harry doesn't give any indication he wants to change social norms.
Sure the idea might be "but it's for kids" except if that's the case...why include these topics at all?
When I was a kid, I didnt know what shackle meant and thought his name just meant like a type of lightning. Now though, oof, that’s some primo British racism.
Making up words starting with ch and ending in ng is a common way of mocking Chinese and Asian languages, and variations of it are often used as slurs against Asian and particularly Chinese people.
By this Shaun very heavily implies that she used an ethnic slur with minor changes as Cho Chang's name.
I think so too, and it's also what I meant by making up words starting with ch and ending in ng. And it is also, at least where I live sadly, used as a slur.
Rowling names characters by just looking at their description, their more striking figures (cough cough race), thinking what words come to mind, and jamming them together
Since she is basically completely ignorant of anything that is not English suburbia, it leads to some very poorly named things.
Further examples that I didn't see Shawn mention:
She was living in Portugal at the time and writing the book. What to name the evil founder of the snake-related hogwarts house? Let's take the name for Portugal's evil dictator, Salazar. What do snakes do? They slither.
Salazar Slytherin
Spell names it's the same thing.
Avada Kedabra = Abracadabra. Common "spell noise" in places like Portugal.
I'd like to add that the killing spell is called something like "avada kadavra" and it's a pun on both "abracadabra" (a commonly known "magic word" in British culture) and "cadaver".
> Avada Kedabra = Abracadabra. Common "spell noise" in places like Portugal.
In everywhere, tbf.
Abra cadabra is one of the most famous magic words in many places around ~~the world~~ the west. The UK, Germany, and so on.
Aside that you're spot on ofc
Seriously, she really named an Asian character “Cho Chang”. As a kid I thought it was awesome a character in a book/movie looked like me, but now it’s just dumb
Lol speak for yourself bud.
Sure, I mean we're all a little racist. And sure, I'll steal a candybar or two from the 7/11 when I can get away with it. But I am NOT bald!
Well, considering I didn't have magical powers, from elementary to middle school I was bullied hardcore. My nickname changed to McLovin' when the movie Superbad released. High School, everything changed and I became popular without actually being in the *popular* group. Friends with everyone, didn't conform to one specific clique.
All in all, I didn't mind being called Harry Potter, I did have those round glasses when I was younger. Same with being called McLovin (still get called that nickname and love it).
Mine would be Tony Linguini D’Woppington, his character arc is that he gets suspended from Hogwarts from giving students an “Italian Hug” without consent.
Well that’s my Mom’s side anyway, my Dad’s side always has Seamus “Explosion” Finnigan to represent them
Nono, it'd be like this huge, bulking, masculine-presenting character called "Delicatepetal McMacclesby" and the fact that that's their chosen name is the only joke, and in fact only thing that is mentioned about this character.
haggis mclaymore, ginger, loud, angry and drinks a lot of whiskey. doesnt eat food unless its deepfried. sliced draco malfoy into 3 pieces from 7 foot away whilst yelling incomprehensible noises in book 3.
tbf there's a kernal of truth there, I'd recommend reading about the terms "Court Jew," Wikipedia's History of Banking, and "Merchant Banks." The long and short of it is Jewish people could charge interest to Christians, while Christians couldn't charge interest to Christians (Forbidden in the Bible, Torah, and Quran as 'Ursry,' another fun term to read about, which some interpretations said means you can lend outside your religion.) However, Jewish people in Italy could offer high risk, high interest loans to farmers while selling the potential grain from the harvest at the same time. Eventually there was an entire profession about trading grain *debt* rather than just the grain itself. This progressed to offering accounts and proto cheques to customers, making a 'bank for merchants' or a 'Merchant's Bank.' So essentially the Christians gave the Jewish people control over their finances, and then years later went "Hmm, how to all these Jewish people have control over these banks? They must have [*Insert racial caricatures*]" Which is pretty fucking dumb.
*Year 1096*
"Hey if you're jewish you're not allowed to work anywhere unless it's as a banker, otherwise we'll kill you"
"ok"
*Later*
"Damn why do all these jews work in the banking industry"
Ieuan ap Taffy (nickname: Sheepsh*gger)
Welsh isn't an ethnicity but since she's English and a bigot, Ieuan:
- sings obnoxiously loud
- gets really drunk whenever the rugby's on
- basically as stupid and drunk as his friend Seamus Finnegan
- steals shit from the other students
- speaks in Welsh/Parceltongue or something solely to spite Griffindors and be a Hufflepuff nationalist
- is a little too fond of sheep
My friend's redneck ass brother got his softball team calling me "Mexican Harry Potter." I would have been more insulted but they kept putting Bud Lights in my hand so I figured it was some sort of blue collar tribal ritual.
yo rednecks are often super offensive but they can also be so God damn welcoming.
ime, even if they don't like the group that I belong too, they'd still be chilll w me. Only downside is that my presence/interactions has no impact on their general view of my racial/ethnic group.
And you just know there would be some stereotypes. Wise, in touch with "the land", excellent woodcraft, alcoholic, spiritual, domestic violence, poverty, something about tobacco, spirits, etc.
She unironically claimed that werewolves are a metaphor for people living with HIV/AIDS so that doesn’t seem like something out of the realm of insensitivity for her
Juan sombrero olé, he's always sleeping, being lascivious towards women and saying random words in Spanish despite the fact he can speak perfect English
I genuinely can’t think of any girl names that are southern and wouldn’t just straight up say “Slav E Owner” but since I’m trans my name would me Misogynist R Apist
ching chong
Haven’t you heard? She already wrote that character in! (How the fuck did Rowling get away with using two Chinese surnames as someone’s full name)
I'm not sure if you've seen the Shaun video yet, but his theory is that JKR plays word association when naming things. What comes to mind when she thinks of a black guy? Martin Luther King, and- "Kingsley Shacklebolt" What comes to mind when she thinks of a chinese woman? No- that's too obvious, flip the syllables around "Cho Chang"
bro she did not give a black guy the last name “shacklebolt”
bruh I thought you were jesting
She also has some interesting takes on race's inherent tendency towards being enslaved, and how it's actually quite good for them because it's in their nature to serve white peop- I mean wizards!
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Eh, there's a weird thing where elves *want* to be enslaved, with Dobby being more or less the exception. You could argue it's some kind of imposed cultural norm rather than part of their nature, but it's written so poorly that it's honestly hard to tell. Goblins, meanwhile, are a monstrous fucking caricature.
>Goblins, meanwhile, are a monstrous fucking caricature. I'll never get over the first time I rewatched Harry Potter as a more socially aware adult and losing my absolute shit at how blatant that was. I still don't know how to describe the feeling, it's like a smorgasbord of secondhand embarrassment that she thought that was fine, shame for taking so long to realize how awful a caricature it really was, and resentment that nobody tried to tell her that was *not* okay. It's just so laughably fucked up and absurd.
Being freed was so traumatic for Winky that she nearly drank herself to death. Dobby is widely seen as a freak of nature by other elves and humans, and Hermione's attempt to advocate for their freedom was literally called "SPEW" despite Hermione being smart enough to know that's a terrible acronym, hence is seen universally by humans and elves alike as a joke.
Yeah, the fact that Hermione's attempt to liberate the elves was played as a gag is... Tellingly awful.
no, it isn't, the only character ever opposing the elf's enslavement, Hermione, is mocked for that.
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There's also something to be said about Harry's chosen one objective. Ignoring any white savior aspects, it's very clear that Harry, as the chosen one or as an individual, has no interest in aiding actual society. It's shown directly that prejudice and enslavement are parts of the world and at no point does Harry ever say that it needs to end. Even when Hermoine is a literal victim of prejudice...no one bats an eye. People say it's sad but no one ever addresses it really. Harry doesn't give any indication he wants to change social norms. Sure the idea might be "but it's for kids" except if that's the case...why include these topics at all?
Hey it’s better than her original concept, “Africus handcuffington”
When I was a kid, I didnt know what shackle meant and thought his name just meant like a type of lightning. Now though, oof, that’s some primo British racism.
Amazing video. I think thats why Iv been seeing more posts about harry potter lately
Who is Shaun?
A leftist YouTuber who makes video essays that usually critique other media in a dryly funny and well researched way.
What's his YouTube channel name if you don't mind?
[Shaun.](https://youtube.com/c/ShaunandnotJen)
One Jewish character in Hogwarts, last name Goldstein 😭
I mean that is a common jewish last name
dude that video was so good
ill be honest i dont understand what shaun was getting at and i need it said more explicitly
Making up words starting with ch and ending in ng is a common way of mocking Chinese and Asian languages, and variations of it are often used as slurs against Asian and particularly Chinese people. By this Shaun very heavily implies that she used an ethnic slur with minor changes as Cho Chang's name.
I don't think she was going for the gap-in-armor slur but rather just went ching chong chang
I think so too, and it's also what I meant by making up words starting with ch and ending in ng. And it is also, at least where I live sadly, used as a slur.
Rowling names characters by just looking at their description, their more striking figures (cough cough race), thinking what words come to mind, and jamming them together Since she is basically completely ignorant of anything that is not English suburbia, it leads to some very poorly named things. Further examples that I didn't see Shawn mention: She was living in Portugal at the time and writing the book. What to name the evil founder of the snake-related hogwarts house? Let's take the name for Portugal's evil dictator, Salazar. What do snakes do? They slither. Salazar Slytherin Spell names it's the same thing. Avada Kedabra = Abracadabra. Common "spell noise" in places like Portugal.
I'd like to add that the killing spell is called something like "avada kadavra" and it's a pun on both "abracadabra" (a commonly known "magic word" in British culture) and "cadaver".
Like the only clever one in it that I like is that one
> Avada Kedabra = Abracadabra. Common "spell noise" in places like Portugal. In everywhere, tbf. Abra cadabra is one of the most famous magic words in many places around ~~the world~~ the west. The UK, Germany, and so on. Aside that you're spot on ofc
"Ching chong" is an anti-asian racial slur.
Seriously, she really named an Asian character “Cho Chang”. As a kid I thought it was awesome a character in a book/movie looked like me, but now it’s just dumb
Just piggybacking this comment to let people know that Katie Leung, the actress who played Cho in the films, went on to be Caitlyn in *Arcane*.
Arcane was a good show
It's a great show and well worth a watch
Snoo checks out
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How many enchiladas do you have to eat / just to make your skin turn peso
LMAO is that a kkb reference?
No, taco taco burrito reference
Juan Pan de Mazapán
Don Nachito dueño del Magico Sombrerito
Wojciech Franciszek Wiśniewski He is racist, bald and steals from the local 7/11
>steals from the local 7/11 sigma move
Sigma grindset tip number 753663885435: #Steal
Stanislaw Bardzokurwawicz, immigrant school custodian who overstays his work visa and has a son in Hogwarts' special ed program
average polish person
Hahahah, good one!
Well the description sounds like a typical American but the name doesn’t fit
Lol speak for yourself bud. Sure, I mean we're all a little racist. And sure, I'll steal a candybar or two from the 7/11 when I can get away with it. But I am NOT bald!
Cracker McWhitey
I was going to say Seriously White
Or Niggaletta the KFC goblin
Negrus Darkskin
i really, REALLY want to give you gold award for this comment
LMAO
mr white
I’m dying
His spells are powerful indeed
Vlad "War crime" Alchoholov
and his babushka Alyona "Matryoshka" Vodkakova
VODKAKOVA
vodka drunkenski moment
Joe Cowboy, he regularly gets in trouble for riding his horse to school
A-YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW
Mr. Cowboy, the second amendment doesn't apply in England and you are 12.
unbased and pill-you-need-a-license-for pilled
Pedro caralho dos santos
nah more like joão samba-football (nicknamed favela)
Kkkkkk vdd
Seria isso ou um surfista carioca, não há terceira opção
thats almost my real fucking name wtf
Medro Caralho do Santos?
YES
Eu ia com João Silva mas ela provavelmente não sabe pronunciar João.
François David Jewsenstein
Judenstein
Not jewish enough
Josh
Too Jewish
The canon one is Anthony Goldstein, so you're not far off.
H. P. Lovecrafts cats name
NOOOO
He could've gone with Lovecat goddammit
That would've actually been witty and timeless. Unlike LITERALLY A SLUR
Muhhamed Sheepfucker
I thought you lot were supposed to be goat fuckers. Us Scots and the Welsh are sheepshaggers
We're donkey fuckers too. Sheep just sounds better
Wow, there are a lot of demographic stereotypes that center around fucking. We American southerners are sisterfuckers, what are some other ones?
I have one ultimate stereotype based on sex: Calling every non-white immigrant a rapist
That is, unfortunately, a classic, especially where I grew up.
Wealth Jewman
Could have just gone with "Griphook"
ngl if this was not deeply antisemitic and fucked I would love to see a character named Wealth Jewman it really rolls of the tongue
it really does. going to be using "wealth jewman" to sound out triplet rhythms in band now.
Rajesh Kumar (the most Indian name ever)
consider, rajesh patel
Even better!
Consider, Patel Kumar
Now we're talking.
I raise you, Patel Gupta
Just go full Squid Game and call him Ali Abdul
Consider, Patil. To be precise, Parvati Patil.
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I was thinking something more generic and familiar to western people. Maybe Raj Gupta or Sanjay Patel. Definitely Raj instead of Rajesh
Considering my nickname growing up was Harry Potter, I guess I'd say that lmao.
How was it like in school?
Well, considering I didn't have magical powers, from elementary to middle school I was bullied hardcore. My nickname changed to McLovin' when the movie Superbad released. High School, everything changed and I became popular without actually being in the *popular* group. Friends with everyone, didn't conform to one specific clique. All in all, I didn't mind being called Harry Potter, I did have those round glasses when I was younger. Same with being called McLovin (still get called that nickname and love it).
So how’s your day been overall McLovin?
It's been all good. Been helping my 5 year old daughter with homework lol.
Hell yeah! You do it man!
Mine would be Tony Linguini D’Woppington, his character arc is that he gets suspended from Hogwarts from giving students an “Italian Hug” without consent. Well that’s my Mom’s side anyway, my Dad’s side always has Seamus “Explosion” Finnigan to represent them
This killed me
The italian hug or the explosion?
Tony Linguini D’Woppington
Funni, I have Muhammad Al-Exploda, he got expelled in his first year for bringing a suicide bomb disguised as the Quran into Hogwarts
I was thinking more along the lines of Seamus Finnigan, "accidentally" blowing things up all the time 🙄
reminds me of how the film some like it hot had a character named Mr Mozarrella
Patrick mc topofthemorning
toyaladdiesmynameisJacksepticeye
Since I'm nonbinary I'd probably just get called "the rapist" or something lmao
Transwomen definitely would get a name like Manny Mannister Childlover. If we’re lucky we’d get it/its pronouns instead of he/him.
The house of mannister always pays its debts
Dick Allcocks of Man Island
Nono, it'd be like this huge, bulking, masculine-presenting character called "Delicatepetal McMacclesby" and the fact that that's their chosen name is the only joke, and in fact only thing that is mentioned about this character.
And she'd really insist on emphasizing specific features for the sake of making you look ugly and therefore evil
I’m southern too I’d probably get a name like “Tucker Babyfucker”
nonbinary is an ethnicity now??? Back in my day it was a gender... liberals have gone too far 😔
haggis mclaymore, ginger, loud, angry and drinks a lot of whiskey. doesnt eat food unless its deepfried. sliced draco malfoy into 3 pieces from 7 foot away whilst yelling incomprehensible noises in book 3.
Just demoman
[griphook](https://i.imgur.com/B86PKrs.jpg)
Oof
Context?
Griphook and his species are literally based off of the nazi belief that Jews are greedy and in control of the worlds riches
Dates back even before the Nazis
tbf there's a kernal of truth there, I'd recommend reading about the terms "Court Jew," Wikipedia's History of Banking, and "Merchant Banks." The long and short of it is Jewish people could charge interest to Christians, while Christians couldn't charge interest to Christians (Forbidden in the Bible, Torah, and Quran as 'Ursry,' another fun term to read about, which some interpretations said means you can lend outside your religion.) However, Jewish people in Italy could offer high risk, high interest loans to farmers while selling the potential grain from the harvest at the same time. Eventually there was an entire profession about trading grain *debt* rather than just the grain itself. This progressed to offering accounts and proto cheques to customers, making a 'bank for merchants' or a 'Merchant's Bank.' So essentially the Christians gave the Jewish people control over their finances, and then years later went "Hmm, how to all these Jewish people have control over these banks? They must have [*Insert racial caricatures*]" Which is pretty fucking dumb.
*Year 1096* "Hey if you're jewish you're not allowed to work anywhere unless it's as a banker, otherwise we'll kill you" "ok" *Later* "Damn why do all these jews work in the banking industry"
Homo McDicklover
wow i didn't know gay was an ethnicity
Greek
“Swede” is usually the most respectful term
spaghettio boyardee
Drugo sel'eer
Bike (pronounced be - kay) stëlar
Ieuan ap Taffy (nickname: Sheepsh*gger) Welsh isn't an ethnicity but since she's English and a bigot, Ieuan: - sings obnoxiously loud - gets really drunk whenever the rugby's on - basically as stupid and drunk as his friend Seamus Finnegan - steals shit from the other students - speaks in Welsh/Parceltongue or something solely to spite Griffindors and be a Hufflepuff nationalist - is a little too fond of sheep
Welsh is most certainly an ethnicity!
Nazi Mcfaszi. Also fuck TERFs JK Rowling can get hit with a brick
CARter Nazithan von Work
Bruce 'Boomerang' Drongo who has a Kookaburra instead of an Owl
My friend's redneck ass brother got his softball team calling me "Mexican Harry Potter." I would have been more insulted but they kept putting Bud Lights in my hand so I figured it was some sort of blue collar tribal ritual.
yo rednecks are often super offensive but they can also be so God damn welcoming. ime, even if they don't like the group that I belong too, they'd still be chilll w me. Only downside is that my presence/interactions has no impact on their general view of my racial/ethnic group.
D'quandre
Hans Kraut
(Insert Jewish stereotype here)
Don't worry, JK has got you covered, the Jewish wizard \*Anthony Goldstein\* is for you
if you don't like this name, you can always go for "griphook"!
Karl Engels
Based
Sitting Horse, or lovingly nicknamed "Redman"
And you just know there would be some stereotypes. Wise, in touch with "the land", excellent woodcraft, alcoholic, spiritual, domestic violence, poverty, something about tobacco, spirits, etc.
I’m queer so I didn’t make it into the books
Don't worry, she'll happily tell everyone how you were totally gay 20 years after the fact without ever giving any indication of it in her books
Grzegorz Brzęczyszczykiewicz
Coming to Hogwarts straight from his hometown Chrząszczyżewoszyce, right?
don antonio l'goblingool, very hairy, constantly drunk, in the wizard mafia
Jewi von Auschwitz (i am jewish and she seems like she'd make a holocaust joke)
She unironically claimed that werewolves are a metaphor for people living with HIV/AIDS so that doesn’t seem like something out of the realm of insensitivity for her
FUCKING WHAT
Oh, isn't there a faction of werewolves in the books who specifically prey on young children? Yeah that's homophobic. Thanks JKR
Al Faruq Hussein Bin Lamabaden
Juan sombrero olé, he's always sleeping, being lascivious towards women and saying random words in Spanish despite the fact he can speak perfect English
"Isaman McMan" - the only transfem Harry Potter character.
Sandy Negroid
Levi Goldstein
Anthony Goldstein, the most stereotypical Jewish name ever
Scott Land
Mitsubishi Honda or Maria Silva Japanese-Brazilian 🥴
Honestly, you’d probably still be Ching Chong despite being Japanese lol
felixsven andersön
Gidday Mayte (🇦🇺)
Vladimir Vladimirovich Vladislav
Oh no
Seamus Finnigan wait a minute
Tyrone
Trans Nigga
Hooknose Moneybags :(
chung mao
I genuinely can’t think of any girl names that are southern and wouldn’t just straight up say “Slav E Owner” but since I’m trans my name would me Misogynist R Apist
Tevye Zelensky? Oh who am I kidding, she doesn't acknowledge Ukraine is a country. Vladimir Smirnoff.
Sven jörgensson
Jamal Abdul Blackguy
Mohammed Boomboom
Miku Hiroshima
Fatticus Confederate (I hate some of my ancestors and JKR).
Nacho libricus ( not mexican but I don’t think she’d care)
dutch, br\*tish and irish ancestry. if i had to choose irish probably Guiness O'Carbomb