Possible Origins of "Raven"

First published online Nov 26, 2014.

Non-fictionally speaking, where did Raven get her name? The answer almost definitely starts with Marv Wolfman and/or George Perez (the creators of the Raven from the comics that inspired the show), but how did they pick it? Through my own readings I have come up with some theories. Perhaps the true answer's already been stated somewhere before, but nonetheless I hope this will be an interesting read.

Theory 1: Edgar Allen Poe

In 1845, Edgar Allen Poe wrote a poem called "The Raven" which first appeared in a New York newspaper in January of that year. It went on to become very well known, and is probably what Poe is now most associated with. The poem shares the same dreary and dark tones that Raven herself displays, and, in addition, Poe is best known as a writer of the mysterious and grim: terms Raven could be considered. This one seems like the most likely candidate to me for its non-obscurity if nothing else. 

Theory 2: The Bird and Folklore

The bird known as the raven has long been a part of various folklore. In many cases, they are linked to magick, omens, divination, and other such things. This sort of foreboding and supernatural element can be seen as tied to Raven, particularly when noted that she's both a magick user and an integral part of an apocalyptic prophecy. In some cultures, ravens are also associated with Satan, which connects to Raven being part demon. Conversely, other cultures see ravens as possessing healing powers and wisdom, two things Raven has. For the most part, though, these birds seem to generally be thought of as gloomy creatures, which could be partially why Poe chose the bird for his poem... and maybe partially how Raven got her name, too.

Ravens within Raven's mind. Episode: Nevermore

Theory 3: Dr. Faustus
Dr. Faustus was a magician with, to say the least, a cloudy history. Allegedly, he wrote a grimoire (a book of magick) called "The Black Raven". Evidence suggests that the book was actually written by someone else at a later time just trying to cash in on Faustus' name, but seeing as it's been hundreds of years since Faustus' time, it's hard to know for sure. In addition to being a practitioner of magick and writing a book with "Raven" in the title, Faustus (well, the legend he inspired, at least) also sold his soul to a demon, which brings in another connection to Raven -- her demonic heritage. This particular theory is a long shot, but with three correspondences, it's worth listing.

Conclusion
And there we have it. There's also obviously the chance that the name was picked out without inspiration, but I won't bother listing that as a theory as it goes without saying. I'm glad I had a chance to get my thoughts organized and down somewhere. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.