Lord of the Rings Baby Names: Girl and Boy Names from Every People
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Quick Answer: The Lord of the Rings names come from several peoples, and each follows its own rules. Hobbit names are English translations, many of them flowers (Rose, Primrose, Daisy, Elanor); Rohan's names are Old English (Éowyn, Éomer, Théoden); Gondor's and the Elves' names are Sindarin or Quenya in form (Faramir, Arwen, Idril); and Dwarf names such as Gimli and Thorin come from Old Norse. Tolkien gives a meaning for only some of them, and this guide shows a meaning only when a Tolkien text or a standard Old English word supports it.
People searching for Lord of the Rings girl and boy names are usually after one of two things: a name that is recognisably from Middle-earth, or one that sounds natural on a real child. The first group is large, the second is smaller, and the two overlap less than you would expect. Éowyn and Rose are both "from Tolkien", but only one of them needs explaining at a playground.
Our existing guide to Elvish baby names covers only the Elvish names, in depth. This post is the wider map. It goes through the Hobbits, Rohan, Gondor and the Dwarves, then points back to the Elvish guides for the Elves themselves.
How Lord of the Rings Names Work
Before the tables, one fact explains almost everything. Tolkien presents The Lord of the Rings as a translation of a Hobbit manuscript written in Westron, the Common Speech, and he translated nearly all of it into English. Appendix F spells out the consequences:
- Hobbit names are mostly English because they stand in for Westron. A few "real" Westron forms are given, for example Sam's true name Banazîr and Frodo's Maura.
- Rohan's names are Old English because Tolkien rendered the language of Rohan, an older relative of Westron, as Old English. Our guide to the Rohirric language of Rohan explains the trick.
- Elvish names are genuinely Elvish, Sindarin and Quenya, and are built from words Tolkien glossed.
- Dwarf names are outer names borrowed from Men; the Dwarves kept their real names secret (see Dwarves of Middle-earth).
So when a "meaning" is given below, it always comes from one of those four layers, and the table says which.
Girl Names from the Hobbits
"Mae govannen" — want to actually speak Elvish?
Try It Free →Hobbit girls in the Shire are very often named after flowers and gems. Sam Gamgee's own children, listed in the family trees of Appendix C, include Rose, Daisy and Primrose, and Frodo's mother is Primula Brandybuck. These are ordinary English words and names, which is exactly why they work as real first names.
| Name | Character | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rose | Rose Cotton, Sam's wife, and also the name of one of Sam's daughters | English flower name |
| Primula | Frodo's mother, Primula Brandybuck | From Latin primula, the primrose; a flower name in the Hobbit style |
| Primrose | One of Sam's daughters (Appendix C) | English flower name |
| Daisy | One of Sam's daughters (Appendix C) | English flower name |
| Ruby | One of Sam's daughters (Appendix C) | English gem name |
| Goldilocks | One of Sam's daughters (Appendix C) | English; a nickname-style name for fair hair |
| Belladonna | Belladonna Took, Bilbo's mother | Italian "beautiful lady", also the plant name |
| Lobelia | Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, the family's sharp-tongued relative | Flower name; a character name most parents will skip |
| Elanor | Sam's eldest daughter | Elvish plant name, see below |
Elanor: the Hobbit name that is Elvish
Elanor is the one Hobbit girl's name on the list that is not English. Sam gives it to his first daughter, and The Return of the King explains that it is named for the little golden star-shaped flower that grew in Lothlórien (Book VI, Chapter 9). In our vocabulary database the Sindarin elanor is glossed as a small golden star-shaped flower, literally "sun-star". It is short, easy to spell, and one of the most usable names in this whole guide. For its Lothlórien setting, see Lothlórien Explained.
Boy Names from the Hobbits
Hobbit boys' names split in two. The ordinary Shire families, the Gamgees and Cottons, have plain names such as Hamfast and Hamson. The grand families, the Tooks and Brandybucks, have a taste for large, old-fashioned names. The main characters sit on both sides.
| Name | Character | What Tolkien says |
|---|---|---|
| Samwise | Sam Gamgee | Appendix F gives his Westron name as Banazîr and renders it as Samwise. The Old English-style samwís ("half-wise") is the form behind it |
| Frodo | Frodo Baggins | Appendix F gives his Westron name as Maura; Frodo is the English-style rendering. The related Old English frōd means "wise" |
| Bilbo | Bilbo Baggins | No meaning given in the text |
| Peregrin | Peregrin Took, "Pippin" | Tolkien's translated name; also a real English given name, from Latin peregrinus, "traveller" |
| Meriadoc | Meriadoc Brandybuck, "Merry" | Tolkien's English rendering of the Hobbit name Kalimac (Appendix F); Meriadoc is also a real, rare given name |
| Hamfast | Sam's father, the Gaffer | English; plain Shire naming |
Two cautions. First, the philology around Frodo and Samwise comes from Old English words, not from anything Tolkien states in a single sentence of the novel, so treat the meaning as a reading rather than a definition. Second, a long name like Meriadoc is easier to carry if you know the short form is a real part of the tradition: Merry and Pippin are how their friends address them throughout the book.
For more on the Hobbit peoples and their Westron names, see Hobbits of Middle-earth and Frodo's Elvish name and meaning.
Girl Names from Rohan
Rohan has two women that most readers remember, and a few more in the Appendices. All of their names are Old English, so a meaning is only as certain as the Old English words behind it.
| Name | Character | Old English source |
|---|---|---|
| Éowyn | Shieldmaiden of Rohan, niece of Théoden | eoh "horse" + wynn "joy", usually read as "horse-joy" |
| Théodwyn | Théoden's sister and the mother of Éomer and Éowyn (Appendix A) | þēod "people" + wynn "joy"; the -wyn ending matches Éowyn |
Éowyn is the strongest-looking name of the group, and a real given name. The accent matters, as the next section explains. For how the Rohirrim names fit together, with the full table of Théoden, Éomer, Éored and others, see the Rohan name table in the Rohirric guide.
Boy Names from Rohan
Rohan's men carry names built from the same few Old English roots: horse, people, helmet, king.
| Name | Character | Old English source |
|---|---|---|
| Théoden | King of Rohan | þēoden, "lord, prince, king" |
| Éomer | Third Marshal of the Riddermark, later king | eoh "horse" + mǣre "famous" |
| Théodred | Théoden's son, killed at the Fords of Isen | Old English in form; Tolkien gives no gloss |
| Háma | Doorward of Meduseld | hama, "covering, garment" |
| Éorl | The first king of the Mark, Éorl the Young | Old English eorl, "nobleman, warrior" |
| Helm | Helm Hammerhand, for whom Helm's Deep is named | Old English helm, "helmet" |
| Éothain | A rider of the Rohirrim | Old English name; no gloss given by Tolkien |
Éomer is the easiest of these to use: short, with a real Old English meaning, and not tied to a single dramatic moment in the story. Théoden means "king" in plain Old English, so it is a bold choice for a baby.
Girl and Boy Names from Gondor
The men and women of Gondor have Sindarin-looking names, but they are not Elves. They are Men descended from the Númenóreans, and they inherited Elvish naming fashions. This is where careful sourcing matters most, because Tolkien rarely glosses these names in the novel itself.
| Name | Character | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Faramir | Captain of Gondor, Denethor's younger son, later Prince of Ithilien | Meaning not given in the novel |
| Boromir | Faramir's brother, a member of the Fellowship | Meaning not given in the novel |
| Denethor | Steward of Gondor | Meaning not given in the novel |
| Imrahil | Prince of Dol Amroth | Meaning not given in the novel |
| Beregond | Guard of the Citadel, friend of Pippin | Meaning not given in the novel |
| Aragorn | Heir of Isildur, later King Elessar | A Sindarin name; see Aragorn's Elvish names and meanings for the full discussion |
| Elessar | Aragorn's royal name | Quenya in form; the Sindarin equivalent is Edhelharn |
| Eldarion | Aragorn and Arwen's son (Appendix A) | Elvish-style name given to a King of Gondor's heir |
We have left the meanings blank on purpose. Many fan sites print confident translations for Faramir, Boromir and the rest, but these are not stated in Tolkien's published novel, and we do not want to repeat an etymology we cannot source. If a name's sound matters more than a gloss to you, these are among the most elegant on the list.
A note on Gondor girls' names
Gondor has far fewer named women than men, and Tolkien rarely glosses their names. The clearest Elvish-flavoured girl names tied to Gondor's royal story are not Gondorian at all but Arwen's, covered below. If you want a girl name from the Gondor-and-Rohan side of the story, Éowyn is the natural choice, and she ends the book as the wife of Faramir and the White Lady of Ithilien.
Names from the Dwarves
Dwarf names are the easiest group to describe and the hardest to give a baby. Most of the Dwarves in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings carry names borrowed from the Old Norse poem Völuspá, and in Tolkien's frame they are outer names, not the Dwarves' real ones, which were never told to anyone outside their race (see Dwarves of Middle-earth).
| Name | Character | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gimli | Member of the Fellowship, son of Glóin | Old Norse-style outer name |
| Thorin | Thorin Oakenshield | Old Norse-style outer name |
| Balin | Dwarf of Thorin's company, later Lord of Moria | Old Norse-style outer name |
| Dáin | Dáin Ironfoot, King under the Mountain | Old Norse-style outer name |
| Dís | Thorin's sister | The only named Dwarf-woman in the Lord of the Rings (Appendix A) |
| Durin | The name of the Dwarves' greatest ancestor, and a recurring royal name | Appears in the title of the Doors of Durin |
If you like the sound of the Dwarf names but want a plain English option, Balin and Dáin are the least likely to be mispronounced. Dís, short and strong, is the only female Dwarf name in Tolkien, which is a good reason to take it seriously.
Elvish Names: the Short Version
The Elves of Middle-earth have by far the largest set of named characters, and they are the names most searchers ask about. Because we already cover them in detail, here is just the shortlist, with the guides that give the full meanings, pronunciation and sources.
| Name | Character | Where to read the meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Arwen | Arwen Undómiel, Elrond's daughter | Arwen name meaning: Sindarin for "noble maiden"; Undómiel is Quenya for "Evenstar" |
| Galadriel | Lady of Lothlórien | Galadriel name meaning |
| Lúthien | The Elf-maiden who chose mortality | Elvish names for girls: "enchantress" |
| Idril | Daughter of Turgon in the First Age | Elvish baby names |
| Legolas | Prince of the Woodland Realm | Legolas name meaning |
| Elrond | Lord of Rivendell | Elrond name meaning |
| Eärendil | The mariner whose star rides the sky | Elvish names for boys |
Arwen Undómiel boy names. Searchers sometimes ask for "Arwen Undómiel boy names". Arwen is a girl's name, and there is no male version of it, but several of the men in her family are good boy-name candidates: Elrond (her father), Elladan and Elrohir (her twin brothers, named in Appendix A), and Eldarion (her son with Aragorn).
For a longer list of names in Quenya and Sindarin with their sources, see Elvish Names for Girls, Elvish Names for Boys and Elvish Baby Names.
Practical Notes for Parents
Spelling and accents. Tolkien's names use acute accents (Éowyn, Théoden, Éomer, Lúthien) and circumflexes (Banazîr, Khazad-dûm). Many official systems, such as passports and some birth registrations, do not store accents. Éowyn becomes Eowyn on a form, and either is fine, but decide before you register the name. Without the accent the pronunciation does not change in everyday use.
Which names are easiest day to day. Names that are already common English words work best: Rose, Daisy, Primrose, Ruby, Robin. Short Tolkien-only names such as Elanor, Arwen, Éomer and Frodo are easy to spell and say. Longer names with unusual spellings, such as Théodwyn, Meriadoc or Lobelia, are better as middle names.
Meanings. Where a name above has a gloss, the table says whether it comes from Tolkien, from Old English, or from ordinary English. Where there is no gloss, we have left it empty rather than guess. If you see a different meaning on a name site, check whether it names a source.
Film versus book. Some of the best-known names are in both. A few things are film-only: the "Evenstar" pendant, for example, is a film addition, while the title Undómiel is Tolkien's own. If you want a name that appears in the books, check it against the characters above.
People Also Ask
What are good Lord of the Rings girl names?
Éowyn, Arwen, Galadriel, Elanor, Rose, Primula, Idril and Lúthien are the most-used choices. They come from different peoples: Éowyn is Rohirrim, Rose and Primula are Hobbits, and Arwen, Galadriel, Idril and Lúthien are Elvish.
What are good Lord of the Rings boy names?
Faramir, Boromir, Éomer, Théoden, Aragorn, Frodo, Samwise, Peregrin, Meriadoc, Gimli, Elrond and Legolas are all attested in The Lord of the Rings. Éomer, Faramir, Elladan and Eldarion are quieter options than the title characters.
Is Arwen Undómiel a girl name or a boy name?
Arwen is a girl's name, Sindarin for "noble maiden", and Undómiel is her Quenya title, "Evenstar". There is no boy form of it, but boys in her family have names such as Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir and Eldarion.
Do Lord of the Rings names have real meanings?
Some do. Elvish names are built from words Tolkien glossed, Rohan's names are Old English, and Hobbit names are English translations of Westron. For many Gondor and Dwarf names Tolkien published no meaning, so this guide leaves them blank.
If a Name Made You Curious About Elvish
Names are the easiest way into Tolkien's languages, because a name like Arwen already contains two Sindarin elements you can recognise elsewhere. If you want to read the Elvish in The Lord of the Rings rather than just borrow its names, the free Learn Elvish course starts with attested Quenya and Sindarin from the first lesson. And if you would like to see a name written in Tolkien's own script, the Tengwar name tool does that in a few seconds.
Related Reading
People Also Ask
What are good Lord of the Rings girl names?
Éowyn, Arwen, Galadriel, Elanor, Rose, Primula, Idril and Lúthien are the most-used choices. They come from different peoples: Éowyn is Rohirrim, Rose and Primula are Hobbits, and Arwen, Galadriel, Idril and Lúthien are Elvish. Elanor, Sam Gamgee's daughter, is an Elvish plant name given by a Hobbit.
What are good Lord of the Rings boy names?
Faramir, Boromir, Éomer, Théoden, Aragorn, Frodo, Samwise, Peregrin, Meriadoc, Gimli, Elrond and Legolas are all attested in The Lord of the Rings. Quieter options that are not in the film title roles include Éomer, Faramir, Elladan and Eldarion. Hobbit boys' names are usually the gentlest to wear in daily life.
Is Arwen Undómiel a girl name or a boy name?
Arwen is a girl's name. It is Sindarin for "noble maiden", and Undómiel is her Quenya title, "Evenstar". There is no boy form of Arwen in Tolkien, but boys in her family have names such as Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir and, in Aragorn's line, Eldarion.
Do Lord of the Rings names have real meanings?
Some do and some do not. Elvish names are built from words Tolkien glossed, so Arwen is "noble maiden". Rohan's names are Old English words, so Éowyn reads as "horse-joy". Hobbit names are translations of Westron, and Appendix F gives a few. For many Gondor and Dwarf names Tolkien published no meaning at all.
Are there Dwarf girl names in Lord of the Rings?
Only one. Appendix A names Dís, the sister of Thorin Oakenshield, and says Dwarf-women are few and rarely named. Dwarf names in Tolkien are Old Norse outer names, because the Dwarves' real names were never told to other peoples.
Which Lord of the Rings names are most usable as real first names?
Hobbit names such as Rose, Primrose, Daisy, Ruby and Robin are ordinary English names. Elanor and Arwen have become real given names and are easy to spell. Names with accents, like Éowyn and Théoden, are usable but you will have to decide whether to keep the accent on legal documents.
