Harry Palmer and Harry Potter

What can possibly be the connection between these two very different main characters?

Harry Palmer
In 1962, British writer Len Deighton (1929) published his first spy story, 'The IPCRESS File'.

The story was written as a first-person narrative, and introduced a working-class protagonist, who was both cynical and tough. Deighton did not want to invent a name for the character and later explained that 'some people felt that a contrivance, but I kept putting off inventing a name for him until I got to the end of the book and realised I could finish the book without giving him a name'. Deighton then went on to write 'Horse Under Water' (1963) and 'Funeral in Berlin' (1964), also with the (still unnamed) intelligence officer.

But when it was decided that the trio of spy novels would be made into a movie, it became a problem that the main character was nameless. Actor Michael Caine was contracted to star in the main role, and the co-producer of the (early) James Bond movies, Harry Saltzman, would produce these three movies.

Michael Caine and Harry Saltzman sat together and discussed the problem. Michael Caine mentioned to Harry Salzman that he once knew a dull kid at school called 'Palmer', with Harry Saltzman saying 'good, and what about a first name?', to which Caine innocently remarked 'Harry', not immediately realising his gaffe until seeing Saltzman's icy stare.

Harry Potter
Joanne Rowling once commented of her choice of 'Harry Potter' as the name of the wizard: 'The joy of Harry Potter’s name was that it seemed like one so delightfully ordinary for someone who achieved so much.[1]'

This contrast emphasizes Harry's everyman quality—he starts as an unremarkable boy in a cupboard under the stairs before becoming the extraordinary 'Boy Who Lived.' The plainness helps make him relatable, not because Rowling wanted 'dull' per se, but to ground the fantasy in something familiar and humble.

It's a bane for all Harry's that two separate instances their name would be seen as 'ordinary'.

[1] Rowling: Discover the fascinating etymology behind Harry Potter character names! Published on PotterMore on May 10th, 2018. See here.