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Harry Potter is full of fun and whimsical names that, generally, reflect the nature of the character to which they're attached. They may even reveal something the audience didn't know about the character upon their initial introduction, such as with Remus Lupin ("lupinus" is the Latin word for "wolfish"). His name hints at his werewolf identity revealed later in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban where he first appears as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Albus Dumbledore's name essentially means "white bumblebee," combining both Latin and 18th-century English terminologies. J.K. Rowlings' authorial choice in selecting monikers for her characters has also given her creations a rather specific distinction and cadence.
So, it's not surprising that when it came to the Hogwarts staff, their names often reflected their area of expertise. Professor McGonagall's first name, Minerva, harkens to the Roman goddess of wisdom and the Latin word for "the mind." And while a herbology instructor named Professor Sprout seems pretty on the nose, her name does take some dissection to decipher. Portrayed by Miriam Margolyes in the films, Sprout's surname isn't the only giveaway that she was destined for a career with her hands in the soil. Her first name finds its roots in the garden as well.
Professor Sprout's Name in Harry Potter Is Derived From Roman Mythology
Professor Sprout's full name is Pomona Sprout. Pomona was the Roman goddess of abundance. Her name comes from the Latin word for "orchard." She's closely associated with lush groves and fruit trees. The goddess was considered a wood nymph. Unlike most Roman deities, she does not have a Greek counterpart, although she may be most closely associated with Demeter, goddess of the harvest and agriculture. In works of art, Pomona is most often depicted holding a cornucopia or something similar. Despite Rowling drenching Sprout's name with heavy symbolism, not every character -- magical and Muggle alike -- received the same treatment.
Not Every Harry Potter Character's Name Directly Reflects Their Personality or Background
Even though Pomona Sprout's name directly mirrors her occupation, not all of Rowling's characters went through the same methodology. Befitting her comparatively normal background as a Muggle, Hermione's parents gave her a unique name more for their own sakes. According to Rowling, Hermione's dentist parents "like to prove how clever they are" by giving their daughter a name from Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale. Likewise, supporting characters such as Parvati and Padma Patil, Cho Chang, and Seamus Finnegan seem to have been given names more associated with their ethnic backgrounds, at least, as perceived by Rowling. The author has even received criticism in recent years for her handling of Cho Chang's name specifically.
Rowling spent a great deal of time christening some of her characters and was meticulous in her selection process... some of the time. Still, it's curious as to why Rowling didn't carry this over throughout the whole of her creative endeavor. Such as with Professor Sprout. Either she ran out of steam or potentially bit off more than she could chew. Regardless, the Harry Potter characters have become rather well known for their loaded epithets, and this alone has endeared them to fans of the books and films alike.