In the sixth part of the famous series Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the central mystery becomes the identity of the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. It is only at the end of the story that it is revealed that this nickname belongs to Severus Snape. But why did he choose such an unusual name for himself? Let’s find out!
A book full of secrets
The mystery of the Half-Blood Prince first arises when Harry Potter receives a battered potions textbook from Professor Slughorn. This book turns out to be far from ordinary — it's previous owner left numerous annotations that significantly improved potion recipes. Thanks to these tips, Harry even surpassed Hermione, greatly surprising everyone in class.
But in addition to the potion-making hints, unique spells unknown to other wizards were written in the margins. One of them, Sectumsempra, proved to be extremely dangerous: Harry used it against Draco Malfoy, and only a miracle saved the young Slytherin from death.
On the cover of the textbook was the inscription: 'Property of the Half-Blood Prince.' The mystery of the name kept Harry and his friends on edge until the very end. It was only after Dumbledore's death that Snape admits to Harry that he is, in fact, the Half-Blood Prince.
Why did Snape choose this pseudonym?
Severus Snape had two reasons for using the name 'Half-Blood Prince':
Heritage: Severus was indeed a half-blood. His mother, Eileen Prince, was a pure-blood witch and a Slytherin graduate whom he deeply respected. His father, Tobias Snape, was a Muggle. Snape's parents lived in poverty and often quarreled, which left a mark on his childhood and personality. Thus, Severus, being the son of a witch and a Muggle, was literally a 'half-blood.'
Mother's surname: His mother's maiden name was Prince. Severus was proud of his magical roots and gravitated towards his mother's legacy. By taking her surname as a pseudonym, he symbolically paid tribute to her memory and his magical heritage.
By combining his heritage and his mother's surname, Snape arrived at the name 'Half-Blood Prince.'
Why wasn’t this explained in the film?
In the film adaptation Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, this moment was overlooked, and the mystery of the pseudonym was never revealed to the audience. Many who only watched the film may have been puzzled as to why Snape chose such a name. This is another example of how deep details from the book do not always translate to the screen.
