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What is the significance of Lily Luna Potter's middle name?


All of Harry's other children have middle names that honour people who played a serious part not just in his life, but in the second wizarding war: James Sirius Potter, and Albus Severus Potter.


Whereas Lily Luna Potter takes her middle name from someone in his generation, in fact someone who is, to my knowledge still alive.


Is this an anomaly or something deliberate by JKR, who is known for putting a lot of thought into her characters' names? Without hating on Luna, she doesn't seem to contribute as much as any of the other names givers.



Answer



There are several areas where Luna stood out in Harry's mind:




  1. She was the first person he knew who could also see the Thestrals





  2. She was a member of Dumbledore's Army




  3. She went with Harry and company to the Ministry of Magic at the end of Order of the Phoenix




  4. She was held captive by the Death Eaters as leverage over her father





I think that she gave as much to the cause as many of the adult members of the Order of the Phoenix. The fact that Ginny liked her would have made it easy to honor her.


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