There’s an ongoing joke that Harry Potter should have named one of his kids after a different Battle of Hogwarts hero, but people forget the very good reason that this didn’t happen. It’s hard to deny that Harry came up with some horrible names to give his three children. It’s been the subject of memes for years now, with jokes that James Sirius, Lily Luna, and Albus Severus sound like names a Harry Potter fan would give their kids rather than the canon monikers of the Boy Who Lived’s offspring. Still, some of the criticisms haven’t quite been fair.

The epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows gave fans a peek into the future of the Golden Trio, and the scene revealed the names of all three of Harry and Ginny’s children. It seems that Harry wanted to name his kids after people in his life who had died, and considering the nature of the Harry Potter series, he certainly had a lot to choose from. Of course, Ginny lost someone important to her as well, so Harry has been accused of bogarting the naming process. However, there’s a good reason that the Potters never had a little “Fred.”

George Weasley Had Already Named His Son Fred When Harry’s Kids Were Born

People Frequently Forget That George Weasley Had Already Honored His Twin Brother

As ridiculous as Harry’s children’s names were, there’s a good reason they didn’t name James Severus after Ginny’s deceased brother instead. After the events of Harry Potter, George Weasley went on to marry Angelina Johnson, who had been Fred’s sweetheart at Hogwarts. In honor of his twin brother’s heroic death at the Battle of Hogwarts, George named his first son Fred Weasley II.

Since little Fred was born before Harry and Ginny had their children, it makes sense that the couple wouldn’t double up on the name. Of course, even if George hadn’t yet had kids, it would have been fair for the Potters to leave this honor open for George.

All three Potter kids were named after Harry’s dead loved ones, though Lily Luna is the exception with her middle name, which comes from Luna Lovegood. This has only added fuel to the criticisms since it seems that Harry decided to name his daughter after a living friend rather than giving Ginny a turn at naming a child. However, this isn’t entirely fair since this name was likely Ginny’s addition.

The Harry Potter movies downplayed Ginny’s character significantly, so she and Luna never seemed to have much of a connection. However, in the books, the two girls were best friends. Though Harry did consider Luna a friend, he was frequently embarrassed by her behavior. In fact, Ginny’s friendship with Luna was a significant part of why Harry invited the Ravenclaw girl to Slughorn’s party in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince—he wanted to please his crush. So, while it’s not much, it seems Ginny chose her daughter’s middle name, at least.

Albus Severus Potter’s Name Makes The Least Sense Of Harry Potter’s Kids

There’s No Defense For Albus Severus Potter’s Name

While there is a good excuse why James Sirius wasn’t named Fred, and though Ginny seemingly did get a chance to pick at least one name for Lily Luna, there’s not much of a defense that can be made for Albus Severus. It’s certainly reasonable that an orphan would want to name his kids after his dead parents, but his decision to name his second son after Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape must have made Ginny raise an eyebrow.

While there is a good excuse why James Sirius wasn’t named Fred, and though Ginny seemingly did get a chance to pick at least one name for Lily Luna, there’s not much of a defense that can be made for Albus Severus.

Harry mentioned in the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that he had named Albus Severus after the two bravest Hogwarts headmasters he had ever known, and while it can’t be denied that these men had courage, they were pretty awful human beings. Albus Dumbledore had used Harry like a pig for slaughter, and though it was for the greater good, this should have certainly disqualified him from naming honors. Then, there is Snape, who, despite his love for Lily and role in Voldemort’s downfall, is a cruel bully with an unhealthy fascination with the Dark Arts.

So, while defenses could be made for Harry Potter‘s other children’s names, little can be said for poor Albus Severus. Ginny most certainly should have had a chance to name him William Arthur, after living family members, or something similar. Or, perhaps the Potters could have thrown in a plot twist and given their kids brand new names instead—though what fun would that have been?

Lily Luna Potter’s Name Is Also Often Criticized (But That Might Not Be Fair)

It’s Often Assumed That Harry Chose The Middle Name “Luna”

Lily Luna Potter’s Name Is Also Often Criticized (But That Might Not Be Fair)

It’s Often Assumed That Harry Chose The Middle Name “Luna”