Draco Malfoy Is a ‘Lucky Horse’ for CNY Now, Apparently

By Danial Martinus • 05 Feb 2026 in News

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Draco Malfoy, of all people, is going through a bit of a redemption arc right now in China. It’s not because of a surprise Harry Potter reboot, but because his name happens to sound incredibly lucky.

More specifically, it sounds like a horse. And in the Year of the Horse, which is just around the corner, that’s apparently all it takes.

How lucky a name can be

Draco’s unlikely resurgence hinges solely on his Mandarin name, which is Mǎ Ěr Fú (马尔福).

The first character, Mǎ, literally means “horse”, which Chinese culture closely associates with energy, momentum, and success. The final character, Fú, represents good fortune, happiness, and blessings, making it even more auspicious.

Fú is also famously plastered across homes during Chinese New Year on red, diamond-shaped paper called fú zì.

Put it all together and you’ll get something along the lines of “Horse Blessings”, which this writer imagines is especially great in 2026. Plus, it’s a much better brand than a name like “pointy-haired school bully” or something.

Of course, once Chinese netizens caught wind of his name, he was essentially transformed into a hilarious good luck charm for the Year of the Horse. He’s since been Photoshopped onto traditional red decorations, placed on people’s windows, fridges, note books, and even phone cases.

But Draco isn’t the only character from the Harry Potter universe to have found a new life in Chinese homes during CNY. His Vileness Lord Voldemort, or Fú Dì Mó (伏地魔) in Mandarin, happens to share the same pronunciation as the blessing fú, despite it using a different character.

That small coincidence has inspired a parody of the traditional phrase, “five blessings arrive at the door”. Instead of five blessings, though, you have five Voldemorts. Cursed as hell, yet very blessed.