Once again, I turn to Harry Potter for inspiration. In the very first novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Ron thinks Draco's name is funny. Of course it's funny; the name Draco is archaic, seems out-dated.
Off hand, I remember hearing or reading that Draco means dragon, or something of the sort. I came across a website that listed the origins of the names of Harry Potter, and this is what was listed for Draco:
First, "Draco is a constellation that looks like a dragon but is a snake." In other words, the constellations acts a big act and talks the big talk, but is nothing but slippery and conniving. This makes sense, looking back through my memories of the novels, Draco is always able to put up a big front because of his father's money and standing with the minister of magic and because of his family's status as a pureblooded wizard. In the first novel, Draco challenges Harry to a duel at midnight, but instead of turning up, he warns the caretaker that students will be out of bed; Draco is always up for getting Harry in trouble. Once his father is caught and imprisoned for being a Death Eater, and in turn is no longer in Voldemort's inner circle, Draco sinks down to less of a bigshot, because he has nothing to back him up.
Next, "In Latin, Draco means 'Dragon.'" Also, "'Draconian' means 'harsh' or 'cruel.'" Again, this relates directly to Draco's treatment to everyone who isn't idolized by him. Through book five, and even into book 6, Draco's treatment of anyone who is not a pureblood is condescending and cruel, whether a teacher, student, or another person. Draco's treatment of Dumbledore is also harsh; he has no respect for Dumbledore. Even to his friends he is condescending; his "friends" are more like followers than anything else.
Draco was also a Greek ruler who over-punished his people for the smallest of crimes. And finally, "In Romanian, 'drac' means 'devil.'" All of the definitions and origins can relate back to the very first about the constellation. Draco seems quite the perfect antagonist for Harry, but in the final novel, he refuses to reveal Harry to the other Death Eaters, and in the sixth novel, he refuses to kill Dumbledore. Draco is no devil, no dragon. He may appear to be so, just as the constellation appear to be a dragon. But Draco, while not entirely harmless, is not so cruel as the front he puts on. His upbringing and the influence of his father, creates a person who is harmful, "cruel" and "harsh." But once the influence of his father is removed, we see the true Draco--not a saint, but not a devil either.
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