Elven Naming Traditions of Valinor

The First Name

The first name an Elf receives in his/her life is the "Father-Name." We don't know the Quenya term for this name, but we can guess that it is "Ataressë." It is one of the "Anessi" or "Given-Names" that the Elf will receive in their life. It is as close as the Elves get to a surname.

• It is given soon after birth.
• It's announced by the father in a ceremony called "Essecarmë" or "Name-Making".
• The name itself is usually made from one of the parent's names. If the child is a boy, it will be fashioned after one of his father's names; if it's a girl, it will be fashioned after one of her mother's names. It is not unheard of for girls also to have names fashioned after their fathers'.
• The name can be modified later to better fit the personality of its bearer, though it will still be modeled after the parent's name.
• There are three ways that this name is formed.
  1. Simply using a parent's name. This sort of father name didn't last long, and would be changed to better match the child's personality.
  2. A patronymic suffix (-iel "daughter of" or -ion "son of") added to the parent's name. This also often ended up changed.
  3. The most common way is to use a different name suffix or only part of the parent's name.
• It is the first name listed when telling someone his/her full name.
• This name was considered a public name. Anyone could address the Elf by it.

The Second Name

The next name an Elf has could either be his/her "Mother-Name" or the "Chosen-Name." It's more likely that the Mother-Name would come first, as often they are given right away after the Father-Name. The Mother-Name is called "Amilessë" in Quenya, and it is one of the Anessi. There are two types of Mother-Name.

• This sort of name may come from a vision the mother receives in the hour of birth. This sort of vision isn't all that common, so these names are rare and important gifts.
• The most common is the "Amilessë Tercenyë," a "name of insight." "Insight" refers to insight into the child's personality.
• The second type is the "Amilessë Apacenyë," or "name of foresight." She names her child from a vision of the future.
• The last type comes from getting to know the child as his/her personality develops, which means it could come after the Chosen-Name. It is also called an Amilessë Tercenyë.
• This name is also considered a public name, and it is listed after the Father-Name when giving one's full title.

The Chosen-Name, or "Cilmessë," is a name that a child chooses for him/herself, once he/she is capable of "Lámatyávie." This basically means that the child is fluent in their mother tongue and knows how to make beautiful sounding names. It also means that the child's personality has developed to the point that the child knows and can name his/herself. The age that the child reaches this fluency and understanding is somewhere between 7 and 10 years of age. Since gaining individuality is an important achievement in the child's life, there is a ceremony to go with announcing it, called "Essecilmë," or "Name Choosing."

• The name has something to do with the child's personality or talent(s).
• It can be changed as time passes, as the person's personality and interests change over time, but this is very rare.
• This name is a private name. The only ones allowed to address someone by their Cilmessë are close family members, one's closest friends, and one's spouse. To address someone you aren't in an intimate relationship with by this name is extremely rude.
• It also is one of the names listed when telling someone his/her full name. It can come before or after the Mother-Name.
• Adopting the Mother-Name as the Chosen-Name is a common practice. In fact, if there was a Mother-Name, it most likely would be the Elf's Chosen-Name as well.

The Third Name

The last type of name, called the "After-Name," or "Epessë," is one of the Anessi. Most of the time, it is little more than a nickname, though its making differs quite a bit from our own version of nicknames. It is a name that can be given by anyone; and sometimes the person being referred to is unaware of this name.

• It has meaning, and it isn't based off of any of the Elf's other names. It can be a title of admiration or honor, referencing an accomplishment or deed done by the Elf. It also can be descriptive of an odd or out-standing physical or mental trait.
• This name can be adopted into the Elf's full title, and therefore is listed last.
• Due to the nature of the creation of this name, it is public, but not considered one of the Elf's actual names until he or she adopts it.
• If it is adopted, it is more likely to be used in lore.
• One type of Epessë is the name given by newlyweds to each other. It is the most often adopted Epessë.
• Some Epessi are names based on the names of places where the events occurred from which an Elf could earn a new name. Take the case of Elrond and Elros. They were abandoned in the woods and found in a cave with a waterfall over its entrance. "Elrond - Starcave" was found inside the cave, and "Elros - Starrain" was found playing in the water.

General Facts About Elven Names

• The Father-Name is as close as the Elves get to taking each other's names. While someone can reference another's name in their own, they will never copy it exactly. If two unrelated elves end up with the same name, it is a coincidence, and not on purpose.
• Elves don't share their Father-Names when they marry. They just gain new Epessi from their spouses.
• Elves never use or reference the names of Eru, the Valar, or Maiar in their own. It's considered trying to become or impersonate a god.
• Elves' names change as the language around them changes. This is why Galadriel is known as Galadriel in the Third Age. Her name was originally Alatáriel. Though the language changed, the name's meaning is still important, so it was translated into Sindarin.
• The names are listed like this: "Ataressë Amilessë/Cilmessë, also known as Epessë."

For an example, here are Galadriel's and Fëanor's names.

• When he was born, his father, Finwë, named him "Finwion - Son of Finwë." When his talent for metallurgy started to show, his name was changed to "Curufinwë - Skill of Finwë." His mother, who passed away soon after giving birth to him, had insight into his character in the hour of his birth, and named him "Fëanáro - Spirit of Fire." He adopted this name as his Chosen-Name out of love and respect for the mother he never knew. When he was exiled from Valinor, his name had to be changed into Sindarin, thus he was known as "Curufin Faenor." However, his Noldorin followers preserved the sound of his original name slightly, making the Fëanor that we recognize in the stories.
• When she was born, her father, "Arafinwë - Noble Finwë" gave his daughter the name "Artanis - Noble Woman." Her mother gave her an Amilessë Tercenyë, "Nerwen - Man-maiden" because she would grow to be as tall and fond of sports and hunting as a man. She adopted this as her Chosen-Name. The Epessë she received from Celeborn was in Telerin, "Alatáriel - Woman Garlanded with Radiance" in reference to her hair. She adopted this name into her full title, and translated it into Quenya: Altáriel. When she came to Middle-earth, she translated it to Galadriel, and thus we know her by this name.

Where to go for names of the Elves of Valinor:

• Quenya Name List
• Exilic-Sindarin Name List (with Quenya equivalents)

Sources

The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, Appendix F - The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age-Of the Elves
Morgoth's Ring by Tolkien, Laws and Customs of the Eldar - Of Names
Unfinished Tales by Tolkien, Appendix E - The Names of Celeborn and Galadriel

Last edited: March 21th, 2010

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