Lord of the Rings presents a magical and complex fantasy world on the brink of disaster as an old enemy rises from the darkness to threaten Middle-earth once again. Many iconic characters take up the charge of fighting the burgeoning darkness, becoming heroes throughout the events of the trilogy. Among these most memorable heroes is Sir Ian McKellan’s Gandalf the Grey, a wizard whose intervention is essential to the salvation of Middle-earth.
With many different languages and cultures present in Lord of the Ringssome characters have multiple names depending on who they interact with. Of these characters, however, few are as polyonymous as Gandalf. The mysterious wizard is given several intriguing names throughout the six installments of Peter Jackson’s franchise, although the meaning of each title is not always explained in the films themselves.
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Gandalf the Gray is how the men of Middle Earth knew the wizard
Gandalf’s name comes from men’s misconception that he was associated with elves
Gandalf is the name by which the Gray Wizard was best known in Middle-earth.. The name comes from the fact that some men mistakenly believed that Gandalf was an elf, giving him a name that indicated his friendship with that race. The name Gandalf comes from Poetic Eddaa series of poems and stories that make up the vast majority of Norse mythology. In Dwarven speecha dwarf is given the name Gandálfr, which loosely translates to “staff-elf”. It is from this character that JRR Tolkien derived the name Gandalf.
Gandalf is also sometimes known by the family name Greyhame, which can generally be translated as “gray coat” or “gray covering”. Although “Gandalf Greyhame” is not technically the wizard’s first name, it is the title most commonly used to refer to the character and is the closest he has ever gotten to a full name. The name “Gandalf” is also sometimes associated with other titles, notably “Stormcrow”, which is used by Theoden to indicate that the wizard is a bringer of trouble.
The Elves knew Gandalf as Mithrandir
Elves named Gandalf because of his wanderings
In some cases, Gandalf was known as Mithrandir. It is a word from the Sindarin Elvish language which translates to “Grey Pilgrim” or “Grey Wanderer”. This is the name by which Gandalf was most commonly known to the Elves of Middle-earth, as well as in some circles of Men. The people of Gondor sometimes referred to the wizard by this name, although most of their relatives would have known him as Gandalf. In Peter Jackson’s films, Lady Galadriel usually refers to Gandalf by this name.
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The name “Mithrandir” is a perfect indicator of Gandalf’s life, as he wanders from place to place, never really calling anywhere home. There is a certain sadness in this name, as it indicates that Gandalf would never settle down as long as he was in Middle-earth. It is possible that individuals like Lady Galadriel used this name to remind Gandalf that his true home would never be in Middle-earth, but rather in Valinor, with the other Maiar and the Valar. In this case, Mithrandir might be Middle-earth’s most accurate name for the sorcerer, who was on a thousands-year pilgrimage, always seeking to return home one day in the distant future.
Gandalf was known as Incánus in the South
There is a mystery associated with this name
Many characters in Lord of the Rings have different names depending on where they are found. The elves of Middle-earth are known by many names, which emphasize different aspects of their character or appeal to a different social group. Gandalf followed this pattern in that he was known by a specific name depending on where he was at any given time. In southern Middle-earth, the wizard was sometimes known as Incánus.
Incánus turns out to be one of Gandalf’s most mysterious names. It is never used in the films and is only briefly mentioned in JRR Tolkien’s original books. Originally, this seemed to be a derogatory title given to Gandalf by the men of the South, who referred to him as a “spy of the North”. thus giving it its new name. However, it appears that Tolkien changed the meaning of Incánus several times over the years, with some writings indicating that it meant “Grey Mantle”. Other writings suggest that Incánus is an archaic Quenya word derived from the Elves meaning “ruler of the spirit”.
The dwarves knew Gandalf as Tharkûn
Dwarves’ name for wizard is similar to men’s
Like the Elves and Men of the Third Age, Gandalf was also known to the Dwarves of Middle-earth by a different name. Although the Dwarves knew the wizard’s other titles, many of their inhabitants called him Tharkûn. This name derives from the Dwarf language Khuzdul and translates as “Stick Man” or “Grey Man”.
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Tharkûn appears to be a more or less direct translation of Gandalf, describing a similar aspect of his personality as his more common name. Although Gandalf is not seen interacting much with the Dwarves during the events of Lord of the Ringsthe fact that they know him by name suggests that he continued to maintain relations with them after helping to reconquer the kingdom under the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit.
Olórin is Gandalf’s original name
Gandalf was known as Olórin in Valinor
Although he may be known as Gandalf, Mithrandir, Incánus, or Tharkûn in Middle-earth, none of these titles are the gray wizard’s true name. Gandalf’s story is not directly addressed in Lord of the Ringsbut JRR Tolkien’s writings make it clear that he is not a mere mortal, nor is he from Middle-earth. Gandalf and the other four wizards are Maiar, powerful beings enlisted in the service of the divine Valar who shaped Middle-earth itself under the watchful eye of Eru Ilúvatar, the Almighty. The Valar and Maiar who dwell in the physical world dwell in Valinor, and there Gandalf is known by his true name: Olórin.
Olórin is a Quenya word meaning “dream”, “vision” or “spirit”. It is by this name that Gandalf is known to the Valar and other Maiar. When sent to Middle-earth in the Third Age, Olórin took many different names during his wanderings. However, when Gandalf returned to Valinor at the end of Lord of the Ringshe was finally able to reclaim his original name, having achieved his goal of saving Middle-earth from Sauron’s darkness.
Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a series of epic fantasy adventure films and television series based on the novels by JRR Tolkien. The films follow the adventures of humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits and more in Middle-earth.
- First film
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- Cast
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Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Bean, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Miranda Otto, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Martin Freeman, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Richard Armitage
- Where to stream
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M, Prime Video, Hulu