A name says a lot about a person. Especially when we are talking about book characters that are named after historical figures or figures from myths and legends. But because this is the Mythology course, let's focus on the latter for now.

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The Harry Potter series features quite a few characters that are named after figures from myths and legends. Some are more obvious, and some are more obscure, due to them not being featured prominently in the story or because they are named after more obscure figures.

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As an example, let's take a look at Fenrir Greyback.

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Greyback is the most prominent antagonistic werewolf featured in the Harry Potter series. He is most known for his savage behaviour and his aggressive attacks especially against children. His victims include a young Remus Lupin, Bill Weasley during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and Lavender Brown during the Battle of Hogwarts. He had made it his goal to infect as many people with lycanthrophy as possible, a task in which he succeeded in the case of Lupin, and partially in that of Weasley. His total body count is unknown. Only two of the victims are killed in the story (Brown and a five year-old boy named Montgomery), but we can expect the total number to be extremely high.

But let's shift our attention now, and focus on the mythological figure he was named after.

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Fenrir is the most prominent wolf of Norse mythology. He is the son of the trickster-god Loki and the giantess Angrboda. As that, he is also the brother of the Midgard-Serpent Jormungandr and the underworld goddess Hel. He was found and raised by the Aesir gods, who knew about his strength and tried to keep him under control, hoping to prevent him from wreacking havoc wherever he goes. They tried to bind him, and after the first two attempts failed, the Aesir commissioned the dwarves to forge the strongest chain ever built. With this chain they were finally able to bind the powerful, but the god Tyr lost one of his hands in the process.

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Later, at Ragnarök, Fenrir broke free, using his regained freedom to run through the world, devouring everything in his path. During the final battle, he clashed with Odin, managing to kill the All-Father, before being avenged by one of Odin's sons.

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The name Fenrir fits pretty well. Both the wolf and the werewolf are powerful beings, causing death and destruction in their path. Both are powerful fighters, and took a lot to take them down in battle.