I Am Lord Voldemort: Tom Marvolo Riddle and His Many Names

Despite the intelligent name that Lord Voldemort forged for himself, he was so successful at instilling fear that his name was very rarely used. Harry, who many would probably have assumed least likely to use Voldemort’s name, had no qualms about using it, possibly as he had grown up so oblivious to the truth about himself and the Wizarding World. Harry was often a little frustrated when others became nervous at the sound of Lord Voldemort’s name being spoken. ‘I’m not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name,’ said Harry. ‘I just never knew you shouldn’t…’ Harry Potter admitted in The Philosopher’s Stone.   

For most Witches and Wizards it was extremely rare to allow ‘Lord Voldemort’ escape their lips, usually referring to him as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who, even his loyal followers generally opted to call him simply ‘The Dark Lord’. 

At the beginning of The Philosopher’s Stone, Dumbledore told Professor McGonagall that ‘It all gets so confusing if we keep saying “You- Know-Who”. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort’s name,’ Later on wise old Dumbledore explains to harry that ‘Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.’ It seems like a small thing to use his name, but as Voldemort used fear as one of the main weapons in his arsenal it showed that even such a seemingly small defiance can reduce the terror.