Having consumed the Harry Potter stories almost exclusively in audio fashion until recently, I always assumed that Fleur Delacour’s last name was a reference to “the heart.” It would seem to be in keeping with her portrayal as commanding the hearts of many would-be suitors at Hogwarts. Now that I have seen it in writing, though, I wonder if that is the case.
“Heart” in French is “coEur,” whereas “cour” actually translates to “court.” I wonder if JKR’s reference with her last name actually refers to a court then – perhaps a royal court (vs a court of law) thus indicating she is adept at using her wiles to gain favor.
Or another translation of “cour” is “yard” or “garden,” which would be very much in keeping with her first name, Fleur (“flower”). So perhaps JKR actually wanted her name to be “flower of the garden.”
I had never considered any of this before. What do you think, did JKR intend “heart” but just change the spelling a bit based on preference? Or did she intend “court?” Or did she intend “garden?” Or did she simply think it sounded cool?