In the Harry Potter series, Tom Riddle has a different name depending on which language the book is in, in order to preserve the anagram in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Tom Riddle's Name Changes in Every Harry Potter Translation
When twelve-year-old Harry Potter watches Tom Riddle's name rearrange itself into "I am Lord Voldemort" in The Chamber of Secrets, it's one of the series' most dramatic reveals. But that cinematic moment created a nightmare for translators: how do you preserve a perfect English anagram in dozens of other languages?
The answer? Change the villain's birth name entirely.
The Anagram Problem
"Tom Marvolo Riddle" only rearranges to "I am Lord Voldemort" in English. Every other language needed a workaround, and translators got wildly creative.
Some took the easy route, tweaking just the middle name. Spanish went with Tom Sorvolo Ryddle. German used Tom Vorlost Riddle. Italian chose Tom Orvoloson Riddle. These minor adjustments kept the character recognizable while making the anagram work.
But others completely reinvented him.
The Most Creative Name Changes
French translator Jean-François Ménard made Voldemort's birth name Tom Elvis Jedusor ("Jedusor" is a play on "jeu du sort," meaning "riddle" or "fate's game"). It rearranges to "Je suis Voldemort" — I am Voldemort.
The Dutch version went even further: Marten Asmodom Vilijn, which becomes "Mijn naam is Voldemort" (My name is Voldemort). The name "Vilijn" subtly references the Dutch word for "vile."
Denmark gave us Romeo G. Detlev Jr., where the G stands for "Gåde" (riddle). It rearranges to "Jeg er Voldemort." Yes, Voldemort was briefly Romeo.
When Translation Gets Weird
The Norwegian translator created Tom Dredolo Venster, an anagram of "Voldemort den store" — Voldemort the Great. Apparently Norwegian Voldemort has a bit of an ego boost.
Sweden's version is beautifully pretentious: Tom Gus Mervolo Dolder rearranges to "Ego sum Lord Voldemort" — in Latin, not Swedish. Because why use your own language when you can add unnecessary classical flair?
Hungarian pulled off something clever with Tom Rowle Denem, which becomes "Nevem Voldemort" (My name is Voldemort). The single "w" splits into two "v"s during the rearrangement, making the magic feel more literal.
The Translators Who Gave Up
Not everyone played along. The Arabic version skips the anagram entirely — Riddle just writes out "I am Lord Voldemort" directly. The Chinese translator kept the English names and added a narrator's explanation that they form an anagram.
It's a reminder that translation isn't just about words — it's about preserving narrative moments. J.K. Rowling's translators didn't just convert text; they rebuilt one of the series' most iconic scenes from scratch, in over 80 languages. Tom Riddle might have many names, but his translators deserve just as much recognition.