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Meaning & History
A fictional name created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for the popular cartoon series Batman: The Animated Series. The name was given to a new character, Dr. Harleen Quinzel "Harley Quinn", as a play on the word 'harlequin'. The play on the word 'harlequin' refers to her manner of dress, that of a traditional harlequin jester, a theme meant to reference that of her partner-in-crime, Batman's arch-nemesis Joker. The name itself can be seen as a combination of 'har' from Harley, from the Old English hara "hare", and the popular name suffix lene, or leen.