Hermione

Hermione is an ancient Greek name derived from Hermes, whose own name has an uncertain deeper origin. In Greek mythology, Hermione is the daughter of Helen and Menelaus. Her name therefore has a story of its own within the myths, beyond its connection with the messenger god.

Literature has carried Hermione through several very different worlds. Shakespeare used it for the queen in The Winter’s Tale, and J. K. Rowling later gave it to Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter books. For many parents, the latter character is the strongest association, but the Shakespearean and classical histories are much older. The familiar English pronunciation has four syllables, something that is not always obvious from the spelling alone.