Which London railway station inspired the name of J.K. Rowling’s character Harry Potter?

King’s Cross station inspired the name of J.K. Rowling’s character Harry Potter.

Rowling has explained that she chose the surname Potter after a childhood friend’s family name, while Harry was a name she had liked from childhood. King’s Cross is also central to the books because Harry travels from the station to Hogwarts by boarding the Hogwarts Express at the fictional Platform 9¾.

The station is in London, beside St Pancras railway station. In the novels, the magical platform is hidden between platforms 9 and 10, although the real station’s tracks are arranged differently from the book’s description. A Platform 9¾ photo location and shop were later created for visitors.

The station’s importance has made it one of the best-known real-world locations associated with Harry Potter. It should not be confused with the London Underground station of the same name, which forms part of the wider King’s Cross St Pancras transport complex.