Posted: June 06, 2000 at 17:37:52: by David Freitag
Below is my list of names Tolkien has used for more than one character. The first mention is the most well known usage, usually a character we meet in the LR, Silmarillion or Hobbit, or someone mentioned by a character or used to describe him (e.g Aragorn son of ARATHORN). I used these three books, the appendicies, and Unfinished Tales to compile this list. I did not go into any of the volumes of the HoMe, nor did I use names repeated in the King and Stewards lists of Appendix A, only those appearing in the texts mentioned.
Why do this? Mostly, it was a response to my surprise at finding an earlier, and much less wise Faramir in UT. I wondered about other such reuses, since Tolkien is usually so inventive, and am wondering about patterns: what are they, what do the say about the naming conventions of the various peoples of M-e, how do they provide contrast and insight to characters?
LR=Lord of the Rings, S=Silmarillion, H=Hobbit, U=Unfinished Tales, A=Appendicies
Amandil 1. LR Numenorean, Lord of Andunie, father of Elendil 2. A (Tar-) 3rd King of Numenor, father of Tar-Elendil, 4th King
Anarion 1. LR Son of Elendil, 2nd King of Gondor 2. A (Tar-) 8th King of Numenor Aragorn 1. LR "Strider" the Ranger (16th chieftain), member and leader of Fellowship, King Elessar of Reunited Kingdom 2. 5th Chieftain of Rangers of Eriador Arathorn 1. LR Father of Aragorn, 15th Chieftain of Rangers of Eriador 2. A 12th Chieftain Barahir 1. S Father of Beren 2. A 8th ruling Steward Beleg 1. S Elf, archer of Doriath 2. A 2nd King of Arthedain Beregond 1. LR Guard of Minas Tirith, friend of Pippin 2. A 20th ruling Steward Beren 1. S,LR Edain warrior, hero of quest of Silmaril, husband of Luthien 2. A 19th ruling Steward Boromir 1. LR Member of Fellowship, son of Denethor 2. S Edain chieftain, grandfather of Barahir 3. A 11th Steward of Gondor Celeborn 1. LR Lord of Lothlorien, husband of Galadriel 2. S Silver tree of Tol Eressea Dain 1. H,LR Dwarf, King of Erebor 2. A 7th King of Durin's folk in post-Moria exile Denethor 1. LR 26th ruling Steward of Gondor 2. S Nandorin elf chieftain 3. A. 10th Steward Dior 1. S Son of Beren and Luthien, Thingol's heir 2. A 9th ruling Steward Durin 1. H,LR Eldest and first king of Longbeard dwarves 2. LR,A -VI Last King of Moria, it was this Durin for whom the Balrog was the bane 3. A -VII 4th Age, last king of the dwarves of the line of Durin Earendil 1. S,LR "the Mariner," messenger of elves and men who obtained aid of Valar in overthrow of Morgoth 2. A 5th King of Gondor Ecthelion 1. S Elf of Gondolin, slew Gothmog the Balrog 2. LR Father of Denethor, 25th ruling Steward 3. A 17th Steward Elendil 1. LR Last lord of Andunie, 1st King of Arnor and Gondor 2. A (Tar-) 4th King of Numenor Eomund 1. LR Father of Eomer of Rohan 2. U Captain of Eotheod under Eorl Faramir 1. LR 2nd son of Denethor, 27th and last ruling Steward, 1st Prince of Ithilien 2. U 2nd son of King Ondoher of Gondor 3. A Took, son of Peregrin Finduilas 1. S Elf, daughter of Orodreth, beloved of Gwindor and Turin 2. A "of Dol Amroth," wife of Denethor, mother of Boromir and Faramir Fortinbras 1. A Thain of the Shire, father of Gerontius, "the Old Took" 2. Non-Tolkien, King of Norway in "Hamlet." Is this Tolkien's only use of a name from Shakespeare?
Galdor 1. LR Elf, Cirdan's rep. at Council of Elrond 2. S Edain chief, father of Hurin and Huor Gildor 1. LR Elf, leader of wandering company of Eriador 2. S Adan, one of the companions of Barahir and Beren in Dorthonion Gloin 1. H,LR Dwarf, companion of Bilbo, father of Gimli 2. A 4th King of Durin's folk in post-Moria exile Gothmog 1. S Lord of balrogs 2. LR Orc? Leader of forces of Mordor at Pelennor after fall of Witch King Hador 1. S Founder of the House of Hador, edain rulers of Dor-Lomin 2. A 7th ruling Steward Haldir 1. LR elf of Lothlorien 2. S Edain chief of House of Haleth, grandfather of Brandir the Lame Hurin 1. S Father of Turin and prisoner of Morgoth 2. LR Warden of the Keys 3. A Founder of the House of Hurin, the Stewards 4. A 4th ruling Steward 5. A 14th Steward Lorien 1. LR (Loth-) placename, elf country, "the Golden Wood" 2. S. By name of one of the Valar Mablung 1. LR Ranger of Ithilien 2. S Elf of Doriath, hunter, friend of Turin Miriel 1. S 1st wife of Finwe, mother of Feanor 2. A Daughter of Tar Palantir, forced wife of Ar Pharazon Morwen 1. S Wife of Hurin, mother of Turin 2. LR "of Lossarnach," mother of Theoden Oin 1. H,LR Dwarf, companion of Bilbo, accompanied balin to moria, slain there 2. A 5th King of Durin's Folk in post-Moria exile Orodreth 1. S 2nd son of Finarfin, 2nd ruler of Nargothrond 2. A 16th ruling Steward Thorin 1. H "Oakenshield," leader of the dwarves attempt on Erebor, claimant of title "King Under the Mountain," 10th king of Durin's folk in post-Moria exile 2. 3rd king of Durin's folk in post-Moria exile 3. A "Stonehelm," son and heir of Dain of Erebor Thrain 1. H,LR Dwarf, father of Thorin, died in Sauron's dungeons, 9th King of Durin's folk in post-Moria exile 2. H,A dwarf, 2nd king of Durin's folk in post-Moria exile, founded kingdom of Erebor Turambar 1. S Pseudonym used by Turin 2. A 9th King of Gondor Turgon 1. S Elf, King of Gondolin 2. A 24th ruling Steward Turin 1. S Edain warrior, tragic hero 2. A 6th ruling Steward 3. A 23rd Steward Voronwe 1. S,U Elf, guide of Tuor 2. A 2nd name of Mardil, 1st ruling Steward Well that's it. I may have missed a few. Some points: intersting that the 3rd Age elves Galdor and Gildor share the names of 1st Age Edain minor figures. Faramir Took made sense (did he have a brother named Beregond?), I'd expect Meriadoc's children, had they been given, to have names from Rohan. Interesting, none of Sam's children have non-Shire names.
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