Now We Have All Got Elvish Names

       It seems that almost everyone interested in Tolkien's invented languages wants to have an own Elvish name. Some choose names of his or her favorite Tolkien's characters as their nicknames, while the others wonder how their names would look like in Elvish languages if the meaning is translated. But not having much knowledge about these languages yet, they ask.
       Once Helge Fauskanger wrote an article for Lisa Star's nice journal Tyalie Tyelleliéva called Now We Have All Got Elvish Names (follow the link to get more information). He tried to translate a few names of contributors to the journal.
       As interest of Tolkien's languages (mainly about Quenya) grew, my-name-in-Elvish demands increased and some started to discuss about writing a Quenya Name Babybook which would contain renderings of actual names.
       I, inspired by this and by Helge's article, decided to write such a Babybook. I took The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names by E. G. Withycombe (ISBN 0-19-281213-0) and A Concise Dictionary of First Names by Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges (ISBN 0-19866190-8) to get meanings of first names and tried to translate them into Quenya. Since meanings of some names are speculative or obscure, and we do not have a sufficient number of Quenya words, it was often difficult. I had to exclude many names. And some renderings are doubtful.
       If sometimes we do not have any Quenya word for an English counterpart, then from time to time there are more possibilities. I tried to usually write them all. Since Quenya distinguishes the sex of names, it gives us a number of masculine and feminine endings to choose. The main problem is with the masculine -o and -on; they seem to be interchangable, so it means that if the masculine is given only as o-like or on-like, the other ending may be possible as well.
       Usually, every entry contains a real name, its sex, a meaning of it translated to English, then Quenya word(s) and finally a Quenya rendering. Some Quenya words are marked as taken from the Qenya Lexicon. Qenya was a real-life ancestor of Quenya as we know it from LotR. Words from QL may be compatible with LotR-style Quenya, but on the other hand they need not.
       This Quenya Babybook is an open project. It means that it might grow and you are highly encouraged to add more names. Just let me know. (Corrections and suggestions are gladly welcomed as well.)
       Note: Asterisked words are not attested in published Tolkien's manuscripts. New made-up words are usually explained in newwords.

[ *Addendum i., 21th oct. '00* Recently I was told about the www.behindthename.com site whereupon there is a list of the first, given, names with their brief history and etymology. I used these etymologies and rendered a few more names. From time to time new names are added. ]

[ *Addendum ii., 13th sept. '01* During the existence of this Babybook (and even before it) there arose a demand for Sindarin conterparts of the real-life names. Since my knowledge of Sindarin is not very well yet, I cannot provide these names for the time being. I would like to encourage you to help me with this. Some Sindarin names were already added. ]

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[ A ]

ABDULLAH (m.) - Arabic 'servant of God'; Eru "God, the One", -ndul "servant of", thus Erundul

ABEL (m.) - Heb. 'breath'; hwesta "breath, puff of air", súle "breath, spirit", so Hwesto or Súlio, also possible may be Súlimo ("wind/breath person", Manwe's title)

ABIGAIL (m.) - Heb. 'father's joy'; atar "father", alasse "joy", so Ataralas (Ataralasso)

ABNER (m.) - Heb. 'father of light'; cala "light"; atar "father", thus Calatar

ABRAHAM (m.) - probably Heb. 'father of multitude'; úve "abundance, great number"; atar "father", thus Úvatar

ABRAM (m.) - Heb. 'high father'; tára "high, tall, lofty" or ar- "high, noble"; atar "father", thus Taratar or Aratar

ABSALOM (m.) - Heb. 'the [divine] father [is] peace'; another (though hypocoristic) word for "father" than the one mentioned above is atto; sére "peace", thus Attoséro (Atasséro with the assimilation of rs to ss would also be possible)

ADAM (f.) - maybe Heb. 'red earth'; carne (carni-) "red", cemen "earth", so Carnicemen(o); in Heb. ADAM is simly used for 'man', so Atan (cf. Sindarin cognate Adan!)

ADELA (f.) - Old Ger. 'noble'; *arna "royal", arta "high, lofty, *noble", thus Arne or Arte

ADELAIDE (f.) - Old Ger. 'noble kind/sort'; ar- "noble"; nostale "kind, species", thus Arnostale; the second part of the name might mean 'person', which would be easier to translate into Quenya: -quen "person", -wen "maiden", hence Arquen or Arwen (a well-known name); alternatively, arta "noble" might be used instead of ar- and nis "woman", hence Artanis (which is nothing but one of Galadriel's names)

ADINA (f.) - Heb. 'slender'; ninde "slender", Ninde itself

ADLAI (m.) - Heb. 'God is just'; Eru "God"; faila "just, fair-minded, generous", thus Erufailo

ADOLF (m.) - Old Ger. 'noble wolf'; ar- "noble"; narmo "wolf", thus Arnarmo

AGATHA (f.) - Greek 'good, honorable'; mane "[morally] good" can work as the feminine, thus Mane

AGLAIA (f.) - Greek 'beauty, splendor'; vanesse, váne "beauty" can serve as the feminines, thus Vanesse or Váne

AGNES (f.) - Greek 'pure, chaste'; poica "pure", thus Poice

AIDAN (m.) - diminutive of Gaelic 'fire', náre "fire"; -lle a diminutive ending, thus Nárello

AINE, AITHNE (f.) - diminutive of Gaelic 'fire', probably the feminine form of AIDAN above; náre "fire"; -lle a diminutive ending, thus Nárelle

AIMÉE (f.) - French 'beloved'; melda "beloved", thus Melde

ALAN (m.) - possibly diminutive of Celtic 'rock'; *ondolle "little rock" (ondo + dim. ending -lle), thus Ondollo

ALANA (f.) - the feminine form of ALAN (q.v.), thus Ondolle

ALARD (m.) - Old Ger. 'noble + hard'; ar- "noble"; tulca "strong", thus Artulco

ALARIC (m.) - Old Ger. 'all + ruler'; ilya "all"; -tur "ruler", thus Ilyatur

ALBERIC (m.) - Old Ger. 'elf + ruler'; Elda "Elf, Elda" or Quende "Elf [generally]"; -tur "ruler", thus Eldatur or Quentur (contracted Quendetur)

ALBERT (m.) - Old Ger. 'noble + bright'; ar- "noble"; calima "bright", thus Arcalimo or Arcalimon

ALBERTA, ALBERTINE (f.) - the feminine of ALBERT (q.v.), thus Arcalime

ALBINA, ALBINIA (f.) - from Latin 'white'; fána/fáne, ninque, losse "white", thus Fáne or Ninque or Losse

ALEXANDER (m.) - Atanvarno - see NWHAGEN under Alec (also see a note below the entry)

ALEXANDRA, ALEXANDRINA (f.) - the feminine of ALEXANDER (q.v.), thus Atanvarne

ALEXIA (f.) - the female variant of ALEXIS (q.v.), thus Varne

ALEXIS (m.) - Greek 'helper, defender', *varno "defender" (cf. ALEXANDER), thus Varno itself

ALFRED (m.) - Old English 'elf + counsel'; Elda "Elf, Elda" or Quende "Elf [generally]"; *restale "helping, aiding" (resta- "help, aid, from QL) thus Eldarestalo or Querrestalo (< Quenrestalo < Quenderestalo)

ALGAR, ALGER (m.) - Old English 'elf + spear'; Elda "Elf, Elda" or Quende "Elf [generally]"; ehte, ecco "spear", thus Eldehto or Quendehto or Eldecco or Quendecco

ALICE, ALICIA (f.) - arisen from ADELAIDE (q.v.), thus Arnostale or Arquen or Arwen or Artanis

ALINDA (f.) - Old Ger. 'noble + soft'; ar- "noble"; for "soft" we have musse from the very late course, however, the early source Qenya Lexicon lists a word linda (cf. Old Ger. lind "soft, tender"!) "gentle, kind, soft", thus Allinde or Allinda (rl assimilates to ll) or even Alinda would be possible!

ALISHA (f.) - probably a feminine variant of ELISHA (q.v.), thus Erufaile

ALMA (f.) - Latin 'loving, kind'; méla "loving, affectionate", thus Méle

ALTHEA (f.) - Greek 'healer'; envinyatar "he-healer" (Aragorn's title), so feminine Envinyatare

AMABEL (f.) - from Latin 'lovely, lovable, friendly'; melwa "lovely", thus Melwe

AMADEUS (m.) - Latin 'love of God'; melme "love", Eru "God", so Erumelmo

AMANDA (f.) - Latin 'lovable, fit to be loved'; melima "lovable, fair", thus Melime

AMANDO (m.) - masculine of AMANDA (see above), so Melimo

AMARYLLIS (f.) - Greek 'to sparkle'; tintina- "sparkle", hence Tintinalle (cf. Tintalle "Kindler", Varda's title)

AMBROSE, ABROISINE (f.) - Latin 'immortal, divine'; valaina "divine, belonging to Valar, so Valaine

AMINA (f.) - from Arabic 'truthful' (amin); anwa "real, actual, true", hence perhaps Anwe; or from Arabic 'safe' (amina); varna "safe, protected, secure", hence Varne

AMOS (m.) - probably Heb. 'carried'; colla "borne", thus Collo

AMY (f.) - Old French 'loved, beloved'; melda "beloved", thus Melde

ANASTASIA (f.) - Greek probably 'resurrected'; *ortaina "risen", thus Ortaine or lit. Greek 'ana' "up" + 'stasis' "stand": ama "up" tyulta- "stand up", hence Amatyultare

ANDREA (f.) - the fenime equivalent of ANDREW (q.v.), thus maybe [?] Vé or Veasse (with another feminine ending -sse)

ANDREAS (m.) - variant of ANDREW (q.v.), thus Veon

ANDREW (m.) - Veon, see NWHAGEN under Anders, Andy

ANGEL (m.) - Greek 'a messenger' (or simply adopted 'angel'); maybe just Ainu (= "angelic power") would serve

ANGELA (f.) - the feminine of ANGEL (q.v.), thus maybe just Aini (as the feminine counterpart of Ainu)

ANGELICA (f.) - Latin 'angelic'; aina "holy, *angelic", thus Aine

ANGELINA (f.) - diminutive of ANGELA (q.v.), thus maybe Ainince (Aini + dim. ending -ince)

ANGUS (m.) - Old Irish 'one choice'; cilme "a choice", thus Cilmo

ANIMA (f.) - Latin 'soul'; fea "soul", so maybe Fea itself

ANNA (f.) - Latinized form of HANNAH (q.v.), hence Almie or Almare

ANTHEA (f.) - Greek 'flowery'; *lótea "flowery", thus may be Lótea itself or Lótie

ANTONIA, ANTOINETTE (f.) - Lóte, Lóta, Lótiel, see NWHAGEN under Anthony

ANTHONY, ANTONIO, ANTONIN (m.) - Lóto, Lótu, Lótion. see NWHAGEN under Anthony

APRIL (f.) - a month name; thus maybe Víresse or Ertuile (= "April"); or derived from Latin 'to open'; panta "to open", thus Pante

AQUILA (m.) - Latin 'eagle'; soron "eagle, thus Soron itself

ARCHIBALD (m.) - Old Ger. 'genuine/simple + bold'; er- "single, lonely"; verya "bold", thus Erveryo [cf. Old Ger. ercan "single, genuine" and Q. er!]

ARDEN (m.) - Úruvon, see NWHAGEN under Addendum I

ARIA (f.) - It. 'song, melody'; linde "song, tune", so Linde itself

ARIADNE (f.) - Greek 'most holy'; anaire "holiest", so Anaire itself

ARIEL (f.) - probably Heb. 'lion of God'; Eru "God"; ravenne "she-lion", thus Eruravenne

ARNOLD (m.) - Old Ger. 'eagle + ruler'; soron "eagle"; -tur "ruler", thus Sorontur

ARPAD (m.) - Hungarian 'seed'; erde "seed", so Erdo

ARTHUR (m.) - maybe derived from Celtic 'a bear', thus Morco (i.e. "a bear"); or from Irish 'a stone', thus Sardo (from sar (sard-) "stone")

ARVID (m.) - Scandinavian 'eagle + tree'; sorne "eagle", orne "tree", so Sornorno

ASTRID (f.) - maybe Old Norse 'god + fair'; Eru "God"; vanya "fair", thus Eruvanye

ASHER (m.) - Heb. 'fortunate'; herenya "fortunate", hence Herenyo

ASHLEY (f.) - Old Eng. 'ash + wood'; apparently litse "ash" (this word is in Etym glossed as "sand", the Noldorin/Sindarin cognate is given as lith, however in SA this lith is glossed as "ash"); taure "wood, forest", thus Litsetaure

AUDREY (f.) - probably Old Eng. 'noble + strength'; ar- "noble"; tuo "[physical] strength", thus Artue

AUGUSTA (f.) - a feminine of AUGUSTUS (q.v.), thus Alcarinque (actually a name of Jupiter)

AUGUSTINE, AUSTIN (m.) - Latin diminutive of AUGUSTUS (q.v.), thus Alcarinquallo or Alcarillo

AUGUSTUS, AUGUST (m.) - Latin 'venerable, consecrated, magnificent'; alcarinqua or stort alcarin "glorious", thus Alcarinquo or Alcarin (actually the title of king Atanatar II.)

AUREA (f.) - Latin 'golden'; laurea "golden", thus Laurea itself (just for very similar sound)

AURORA (f.) - Latin 'dawn'; ára "dawn", thus Ára itself or Áre

AVA - Persian 'water'; nén "water", so Nén itself or Nene

AVIV - Heb. 'spring'; tuile "spring-time", so Tuilo

AYLWIN, ALWYN (m.) - both from Old Eng. 'noble friend', thus Ardil; and Old Eng. 'elf-friend', thus Quendil or Quendendil, or Eldandil, or even in Númenorean usage Elendil

[ B ]

BALDRIC (m.) - Old Ger. 'bold + ruler'; verya "bold"; -tur "ruler", thus Veryatur

BALDWIN (m.) - Old Ger. 'bold friend'; verya "bold"; -ndil "friend", this Veryandil

BARBARA (f.) - Greek 'foreign [woman]'; in Etym we find ettelen maybe (Tolkien' handwriting was illegible) "foreign", but it is possible that it is a misreading of *ettelea, thus Ettelie or Ettelewen ("foreign-maiden")

BARNABAS (m.) - Heb. 'son of consolation'; tiutale "consolation" (from Qenya Lexicon, maybe not valid!); -ion "son", thus Tiutalion

BASIL (m.) - Greek 'royal, kingly'; arna "royal", thus Arno or Arnon

BEATA (f.) - Latin 'happy [woman]'; *alassea "joyful", thus Alassea itself (at least it sounds nicely) or Alassie

BEATRICE, BEATRIX (f.) - maybe Latin 'bringer of joy'; alasse "joy"; ante "[she] giver", thus Alassante

BENEDICT (m.) - Latin 'blessed'; laitaina "blessed", thus Laitaino/Laitainon

BENEDICTA (f.) - feminine of BENEDICT (q.v.), thus Laitaine

BENJAMIN (m.) - Heb. 'son of the right hand' and also 'son of the south'; unfortunately Quenya word for "south" hyarmen is related to hyarya "left", while Hebrew word for "right hand" is related to "south", but Hyarion (-ion "son") would be good

BERENGER (m.) - Old Ger. 'a bear + a spear'; morco "a bear"; ehte "a spear", thus Morcehto or Morcehton

BERENICE (f.) - Greek 'bringer of victory'; túre "victory"; ante "she-giver", thus Túrante

BERNARD (m.) - Old Ger. 'a bear + hard'; morco "a bear"; tulca "strong, firm, steadfast", thus Morcotulco or Morcotulcon

BEARTHA (f.) - Old Ger. 'bright'; calima "bright", but Calime is already used for CLARA (q.v.), maybe another feminine ending to make difference as -ie, thus Calimie

BETHIA (f.) - Heb. 'daughter of Jehovah'; Eru "God"; -iel "daughter", thus Eruiel

BIANCA (f.) - Italian form of BLANCHE (q.v.), thus Fánie or Lossie or Ninquie

BLAIR (m. and f.) - Gaelic 'plain, field'; latin, latina adj. "open, free, cleared [land]", maybe n. *"field, open", thus masculine Latino or Latinon, and fenimun Latine

BLAKE (m.) - from Old Eng. 'black'; morna "black", thus Morno or Mornon

BLANCHE (f.) - French 'white [woman]'; fána/fáne or losse or ninque "white (as clouds - as show - chill, palid)", but as Fáne, Losse and Ninque is translated ALBINIA (q.v.), thus maybe another feminine ending - Fánie or Lossie or Ninquie

BLODWEN (f.) - Welsh 'flowers + white/fair'; lóti "flowers"; losse "white", thus Lótilos

BLOSSOM (f.) - losse "blossom", thus Losse itself or Lossie

BONAMY (m.) - French 'good friend'; mane "good"; -ndil "friend", thus Manendil or contracted Mandil

BONAVENTURE (m.) - Italian 'good luck'; mára "good [of things]"; lanqua "luck" (from Qenya Lexicon, maybe not valid), thus maybe Máralanquo

BONIFACE (m.) - Latin 'good-doer'; mára "good"; tyaro "doer", thus Máratyaro

BONNIE (m.) - either from Latin 'good' or Celtic 'pretty'; mára "good, useful" (normally applied to things) or mane "[morally] good" (it is however from Qenya Lexicon), so Máre or Mane; vanya "beautiful, fair", vanima "beautiful", hence Vanye or Vanime

BRADLEY (m.) - Old Eng. 'broad + wood'; palla, landa "wide"; taure "wood, forest", thus Pallatauro/Pallatauron or Landatauro/Landatauron

BRENDA (f.) - maybe derived from Old Norse 'sword'; macil "sword", thus maybe Macile or Macilie or Macilme

BRENDON (m.) - Úrambo, see NWHAGEN under 'Addendum I'

BRENT (m.) - maybe derived from Old Norse 'sword' (cf. BRENDA); macil "sword", maybe Macilo or Macilon or Macilmo

BRIAN (m.) - uncertain, however NWHAGEN gives Poldon

BRIANNA (f.) - a feminine of BRIAN (q.v.), thus Polde

BRIDGET (f.) - Celtic 'the high/exalted one'; tára "high", thus Táre or Tarie or Tarwen ("high-maiden")

BROOKE (f.) - 'brook'; nelle "brook", thus Nelle itself or Nellie

BRUNO (m.) - Ger. 'brown'; varne "brown", thus Varno or Varnon (maybe Varnion, cf. Morion "The black one")

BURTON (m.) - Old Eng. 'fortress + enclosure; arta "fortress"; peler "walked house or village, 'town'", thus Artapel

[ C ]

CALEB (f.) - Heb. 'bold one'; verya, canya "bold", so Veryo or Canyo; or Heb. 'dog'; huo "dog", huan "hound", so Huo and Huan

CANDY (f.) - "candy, sweets"; lisse "sweet", thus Lissie or Lisse itself

CAREY (m.) - from Irish 'descendant of Cairdha', 'Cairdha' is said to mean 'dark', thus 'descendant of dark'; mor, móre, lóme; -ion "son, descendant of", so Morion or Lómion (I would recommend using the latter, since Morion is a title of Morgoth)

CAREY (f.) - see above; -iel "daughter of", so Moriel or Lómiel

CARMEL, CARMEN (f.) - Heb. 'the garden'; tarwa "garden" (from QL, maybe not valid), thus Tarwe

CAROLINE (f.) - Mirime, a feminine of CHARLES (q.v.) see NWHAGEN;

CASPER (m.) - a variant of JASPER (q.v.), thus Harwe or Harmar

CASSANDRA (f.) - Greek 'inflaming men with love'; perhaps Meltintalle ("love-kindler": stem MEL- "love", tintalle "kindler")

CATE, CATHERINE (f.) - Vendea or Vénea or Vendie or Vénie, see KATHERINE