What name did J. K. Rowling use for the author of Quidditch Through the Ages?

J. K. Rowling used the name Kennilworthy Whisp for the author of Quidditch Through the Ages.

Quidditch Through the Ages is a fictional reference book presented as a history of the wizarding sport of Quidditch. Rowling wrote the real-world book as a companion to the Harry Potter series, and it was published in 2001 alongside Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The proceeds supported Comic Relief.

Within the book’s framing, Kennilworthy Whisp is the fictional author. He is not a character who writes the main Harry Potter narrative, and he is not one of Rowling’s publishing pseudonyms. That distinction separates Whisp from Robert Galbraith, the name Rowling used for crime novels.

The book describes the development of Quidditch, its rules, equipment, teams, and history. Albus Dumbledore provides a humorous introduction, reinforcing the idea that readers are holding a Hogwarts library volume rather than a conventional Rowling novel.