Draco

Draco is the Latin word for a dragon or large serpent, borrowed from Greek drakōn. It also names a constellation that winds through the northern sky, giving the word an astronomical life as well as a mythical one. The image is an ancient one, associated with powerful serpentine creatures rather than a modern invented name.

Readers of Harry Potter will recognize Draco Malfoy, whose first name fits the series’ taste for names with symbolic meanings. Much earlier, the Greek lawgiver Draco supplied another historical use; his severe laws gave English the word draconian. These separate associations make Draco a name with a strong presence in astronomy, classical history, and fiction, all connected through the same recognizable spelling.