Pronunciations

“‘Her – my – oh – nee,’ she said, slowly and clearly.” Did you know: J.K. Rowling included that line in Goblet of Fire to help readers pronounce our favourite witch’s name. Read on to learn to pronounce some of the trickier Wizarding World names.

Characters

Albus Dumbledore [Al–bus–Dum–bell–door]

Alastor Moody [Alas–tor–Moody]

Bellatrix Lestrange [Bella–tricks–less–trange]

Cedric Diggory before the First Task
That’s Cedric as in Said–rick, not Seed–rick.

Cedric Diggory [Said–rick–Dig–or–ee]

Dedalus Diggle [Dead–ale–ee–us–Dig–el]

Draco Malfoy [Dray–co–Mal–foy]

Firenze [Fear–enz]

Ginny Weasley [Gin–knee–Weasley]

Hermione Granger [Her–my–oh–knee–Grain–jer]

Kreacher [Creature]

Lucius Malfoy [Loo–see–us–Mal–foy]

Hermione Granger
Herm–oine? Herm–ee–ony? Hermione’s name is correctly pronounced ‘Her–my–oh–knee’.

Ludo Bagman [Lewd–oh–Bagman]

Minerva McGonagall [Min–er–var–Mc–gone–ah–gul]

Mundungus Fletcher [Mun–dung–us–Fletch–er]

Nagini [Nag–ee–knee]

Narcissa Malfoy [Nar–sis–ah–Mal–foy]

Sybill Trelawney [Si–bull–Treh–lawn–ee]

Rabastan Lestrange [Raba–stan–less–trange]

Rodolphus Lestrange [Ro–dolph–us–less–trange]

Rowling [Rolling]

Rubeus Hagrid [Roo–be–us–Hag–rid]

Voldemort battles Dumbledore at the Ministry
Don’t anger the Dark Lord: the correct pronunciation of He Who Must Not Be Named is actually Vol–duh–more.

Seamus [Shame–us]

Sirius [Siri–us]

Voldemort [Vol–duh–more*] (Both audiobook narrators Stephen Fry and Jim Dale pronounce the Dark Lord’s name with the final t sound. In Cursed Child, the name is pronounced with the accurate more sound.)

Wizarding World

Accio [Ack–ee–oh]

Animagi [An–ee–maj–eye]

Arrival of the Beauxbatons students
The French magical school is pronounced Bo–bat–ons.

Apparate [App–ah–rate]

Beauxbatons [Bo–bat–ons]

Colloportus [Col–oh–portus]

Diagon Alley [Die–a–gon-Alley]

Eeylops [Eye–lops]

Erised [Error–said]

Expelliarmus [Expel–ee–arm–us]

Fidelius Charm [Fi–day–lee–us–Charm]

Grimmauld Place [Grim–old–Place]

Snape's Occlumency lesson
Legilimency (Leh–jill–ah–men–see) Occlumency (Aw–clue–men–see), the art of mind reading and shielding.

Gryffindor [Griff–in–door]

Hogsmeade [Hogs–meade]

Hufflepuff [Huffle–Puff]

Knuts [Ca–noots]

Imperturbable Charm [Im–per–ter-bub–bull–Charm]

Legilimency [Leh–jill–ah–men–see]

Occlumency [Aw–clue–men–see]

Ollivanders [Olly–vanders]

Patronus [Pat–rone–us]

Luna Lovegood's Patronus
Luna Lovegood’s hare Patronus (Pat–rone–us).

Pensieve [Pen–sieve]

Quidditch [Quid–itch]

Ravenclaw [Ray–ven-claw]

Sectumsempra [Sect–um–semp–ra]

Slytherin [Slyther–in]

Tarantallegra [Ta–ron–ta–leg–ra]

Veritaserum [Veritas–ear–um]

Wingardium Leviosa [Wing–guard–ee–um–Lev–ee–oh–sa] (*Leviosaaaaaah)

Wizengamot [Wizen–gah–mot]

Magical creatures

The Boggart (Bog–art) lesson. Riddikulus!

Augurey [Org–you–re]

Basilisk [Bas–ah–lisk]

Boggart [Bog–art]

Chupacabra [Chu–puh–ka–bruh]

Demiguise [Demi–guise]

Erumpent [Eh–rump–ent]

Newt Scamander's Occamy
Newt Scamander’s Occamy (Ock–ah–me).

Kneazle [Knee–zel]

Occamy [Ock–ah–me]

Phoenix [Fee–nix]

Thestral [Thes–tral]

Veela [Vee–la]