Why was Voldemort's true identity as Tom Riddle not common knowledge?

[ModernInkling]

Originally Posted by rigdoctorbri

I know one can't really compare apples to oranges, but here in the Muggle World, you want to get the word out with as accurate of information as possible.

For those of you who are familiar with American Old West History, then the name Billy The Kid probably rings a bell. On his Wanted Posters they had HENRY McCARTY, ALIAS, HENRY ANTRIM, ALIAS BILLY THE KID, ALIAS WILLIAM H. BONNEY, ALIAS WILLIAM H. KIDD. They wanted people to know by what names he went. Especially, they wanted people to know his real name (still a question of debate, but that is another story).

I see what you mean, but I think there's too big a difference for it to be a workable comparison: Voldemort was not at all likely to start going by Tom Riddle again, so people didn't need to know the name. (And he's kind of a recognizable dude himself, wouldn't you say? I doubt it would matter what name he used)

Also, I think the level of fear made a big difference too - people were so afraid of Voldemort that they wouldn't even say his chosen name; I don't think anyone (except Dumbledore and possibly other Order members) would want to find out about his past. And we've seen how much help the Ministry is at times like that...

[DarkDaysAhead]

Ah, here we go.

The Heir of Slytherin, Chamber of Secrets "You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even when I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry - I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

Sounds like he was disgusted by his birth name and wanted rid of it. He didn't want any ties between himself and his father to remain so he fashioned himself a new name he thought would strike fear into the hearts of his enemies.

It also sounds like he was not only ashamed of his father's blood but also angry that he'd abandoned him and his mother before he was even born. I'm not sure which bothers him the most...

[halfbloodsnape]

If I remember it correctly, Dumbledore said to Harry that Tom Riddle dissapared for a while before becoming "known" as Lord Voldemort, so unless somebody wanted to dig up something on him it is not necessary to make a connection between a "once student who's not really around", and a newly appeared dark force. Those who have been his schoolmates and became Death Eaters probably knew, as well as some of the teachers of his time, or other students of his time who liked him not, but then again, who knew Tom Riddle in the first place? He had no relatives, and his "friends" were those who remained in his service.
On the other hand, I don't really think that too many have had the chanse to do researches on Voldemort. They either knew who he was, like some of his Death Eaters, Dumbledore, and some of his teachers, or they had no idea, in which case I can't really think of a scenario they could have found it out.

[dobbysocks]

Olivander seemed to know. It was obviously an 11 year old Tom Riddle that bought the Phoenix feather wand, and he told Harry that "It's brother gave you that scar" So it seems like at least some people do know, even if it is no common knowledge

[gradstudent08]

But what bothers me about those theories is that in OotP, the DE's didn't believe that Voldemort was a half-blood. I think he has kept his blood status very closely hidden. You would still think that the original DE's, the ones he met in school, would know. Who knew about Tom Riddle in school and why none of them have made the connection is a mystery to me. It doesn't seem like a wizard with the impressive abilities he had would just drop off the face of the earth and no one would wonder what happened to him.

[dobbysfriend]

Originally Posted by DarkDaysAhead

Ah, here we go.



Sounds like he was disgusted by his birth name and wanted rid of it. He didn't want any ties between himself and his father to remain so he fashioned himself a new name he thought would strike fear into the hearts of his enemies.

It also sounds like he was not only ashamed of his father's blood but also angry that he'd abandoned him and his mother before he was even born. I'm not sure which bothers him the most...

You are right, he hated the name of Tom Riddle and lost it as soon as possible as he reinvented himself as Lord Voldermort.

[Terrance]

Voldemort despised the name Tom because it was too common and boring for him. Also he didn't want that name because it reminded him of his no good father who left his mother and him. That's why he hates the name

[Kimagine]

Can you imagine how the conversation might go, though?

"I wonder where He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named might have come from before he ended up the bane of all decent wizards' existence?"

"Shhhh, Oswald, you might draw attention to yourself."

"But, You-Know-Who did not just fall from a tree, I mean -- who were his parents? When was he at Hogwarts? Or is he a foreign wizard?"

"Who are you? Are you my husband? Is this a trick? Is this a test by the Ministry? I assure you, we have no interest in this house whatsoever in things having to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

[PotterFreak0515]

I think it's because he kind of sank into secrecy after graduating Hogwarts. I mean, he went to work for Borgin and Burkes and probably wouldn't have been easily recognized. I'm sure he didn't keep up with his friends because he didn't have any. He lost contact with everyone, expanded his knowledge of Dark magic, etc. before rising up as The Dark Lord. And even then, I was under the impression he kept quiet at first. Rumors abound about an Dark wizard trying to eliminate Muggles, unexplained disappearances or deaths, nothing more. Until the last few years leading up to the 1981 Halloween.

I also think that the only one who knew him as 'Lord Voldemort' were his closest "friends." Didn't Dumbledore say that? And those he was "friends" with would have probably joined the Death Eaters or been killed. Otherwise, I don't know who else would recognize him. I mean, he's almost disfigured. His features are melted and twisted so it's hard to tell who he is. Besides, who would suspect that Tom Riddle - young, handsome, talented, Muggleborn (I'm guessing that most don't know his mother was a witch) Tom Riddle - would grow up to start killing Muggleborns and Muggles?

And for those who knew and recognized him, they'd be too scared to spread the word, terrified of offending the person who was responsible for so many deaths. Sorry if my thoughts are a bit disconnected; I've been averaging about five hours of sleep a night and can't concentrate well.

[PotterGurl08]

In HBP, doesn't Dumbledore tell Harry that not many people knew the charming boy Tom Riddle grew up to be Lord Voldemort? Dumbledore obviously knew. So that makes me wonder why would he let Riddle's trophy for 'services to the school' stay on display at Hogwarts, knowing what Riddle had become? I know he wasn't headmaster at the time Tom got the trophy, but once Riddle became Voldemort and Dumbledore became headmaster, why didn't he do away with the trophy? Why let a person like Voldy continue to have this 'honor' at the school?

After COS, the truth that Hagrid did not and had never opened the chamber of secrets came out, so did Riddle's trophy get taken out? (Did Harry get a trophy?)

And correct me if I'm wrong (book 2 is a bit cloudy for me in some points), but wasn't it Snape who gave Ron detention, making him clean the trophies by hand. Surely Snape knew Tom Riddle was Voldemort, right?

Pettigrew knew, as he took the bone for Voldemort's father to ressurect him in GOF. And Slughorn knew, which is why he was so ashamed of his memory where he told Tom about the horcruxes. But how many others knew?

[LudwigVan]

Just a little portion of the wizarding community, in Britan, knew about it. I think that nobody who "knew" him would belive that Voldemort was Tom, I mean, he was a very handsome boy, very polite and i think he never showed any hint of how he loved the dark arts.

[General_Ridley]

Originally Posted by gradstudent08

But what bothers me about those theories is that in OotP, the DE's didn't believe that Voldemort was a half-blood. I think he has kept his blood status very closely hidden. You would still think that the original DE's, the ones he met in school, would know. Who knew about Tom Riddle in school and why none of them have made the connection is a mystery to me. It doesn't seem like a wizard with the impressive abilities he had would just drop off the face of the earth and no one would wonder what happened to him.

he'd have lied to them. He suspected by the time he started that he was half-blood, and I'm sure one of the first Slytherins he met, probably one of the first he recruited, would have had something nasty to say about Muggles. Young Tom would not have wanted to reveal anything about his suspicions then. He would have lied, saying that he was an orphan, never knew who his parents were, and the orphanage gave him the surname Riddle because his true surname was a mystery.

All anyone would have to know was that he was an orphan stuck in a small Muggle village with no family. But he had greatmagic, so everyone would assume his blood was pure.

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

I imagine Tom Riddle to be infamous at Hogwarts, but only as Tom Riddle. Only in his close ring of supporters/friends/servants would know him as Voldemort. The people who knew, like possibly teachers and students, probably would be afraid to tell anyone, or would be ashamed they ever liked or taught him. Either way, when Voldemort came out as the new Dark Lord, he was known as Voldemort, or You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or the Dark Lord or stuff like that. He didn't like that Tom was a common name, and wouldn't like if people to know that about him. The more someone knows about you, the more weaknesses they can find in you. Anyways, if everyone knew Tom Riddle and knew how he thought, Voldemort would be much more vunerable.