--- description: "Harry paid him tribute in forgiveness and gratitude" title: Why Harry Potter Named His Son After Professor Snape image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt625f1265912c8804/698872e78e0601b593463842/jk-rowling-snape.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Books](/tag/books/) ## Books Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # JK Rowling Reveals Why Harry Potter Named His Son After Professor Snape ## Video: The Harry Potter Saga Continues In J.K. Rowling's New Play [Watch (HLS stream): The Harry Potter Saga Continues In J.K. Rowling's New Play](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/8ESDAPTG.m3u8) (1:10)  _Published 2015-10-23. An 'eighth Harry Potter story' is coming from J.K. Rowling in the form of a stage play. Cue that Potter fan freakout._ by [Tara John](/author/tara-john/) ## Tara John Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 27, 2015 3:01 PM CUT  Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling poses for photographers in central London, on June 23, 2011. Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling poses for photographers in central London, on June 23, 2011.Carl Court—AFP/Getty Images by [Tara John](/author/tara-john/) ## Tara John Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 27, 2015 3:01 PM CUT Harry Potter named his son after the character Professor Severus Snape in tribute to him dying for “for Harry out of love for Lily \[Potter\],”JK Rowling revealed on Friday. The Harry Potter novelist shed light on Twitter over the epilogue to _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,_ which revealed that Harry named his son Albus Severus. “Why did you pick Snape to name Harry’s kid after? I’m genuinely curious as he was nothing but abusive towards everyone” wrote a Twitter user to Rowling. > [](https://twitter.com/jk%5Frowling/status/670155785817694208) Her reply ignited a huge debate among Twitter’s legion of _Harry Potter_ fans, prompting Rowling to tell them to “never change.” > [](https://twitter.com/jk%5Frowling/status/670161154543603712) She also cleared up doubt as to whether Professor Snape held malice against Harry or his father, James Potter. > [](https://twitter.com/jk%5Frowling/status/670171378130243584) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4128152/harry-potter-son-professor-snape/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4128152/harry-potter-son-professor-snape/"},"headline":"JK Rowling Reveals Why Harry Potter Named His Son After Professor Snape","datePublished":"2015-11-27T15:01:59.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T12:55:53.547Z","description":"\"Harry paid him tribute in forgiveness and gratitude\"","url":"https://time.com/4128152/harry-potter-son-professor-snape/","keywords":["Books","celebrities","Harry Potter"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt625f1265912c8804/698872e78e0601b593463842/jk-rowling-snape.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tara John","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tara-john/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt625f1265912c8804/698872e78e0601b593463842/jk-rowling-snape.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Harry Potter creator J.K. 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