Explore the diverse names Gandalf goes by in The Lord of the Rings universe, uncovering their origins, meanings, and connections to his multifaceted character.
Gandalf is one of the most memorable names in The Lord of the Rings. Even those who aren't fans of Tolkien's works are likely to be familiar with the character. However, Gandalf isn't the wizard's only—or even first—name. He spent centuries of Middle-earth's history wandering the land and becoming acquainted with different kingdoms, regions, and people, many of which used a variety of other languages. As Gandalf did this, different titles and names began to stick.
This is why names like Mithrandir, Olórin, Tharkûn, Incánus, and more are used to describe Gandalf throughout The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books and Peter Jackson's movie adaptations are only the tip of the iceberg for Gandalf's character. He is seen to be an old wizard in Bilbo and Frodo's stories, but, in truth, he is a shapeshifting, angel-like being known as a Maia. Gandalf was created before the universe itself by the Lord of the Rings god Eru Ilúvatar to assist in the creation and maintenance of the world. It's unclear what a being like Ilúvatar would have called Gandalf. However, once this important character came into contact with Elves, Men, and more, he began collecting names.The name Gandalf came from the Men of Northern Middle-earth and is what the wizard used to introduce himself to the Hobbits of this region. The word literally means'Wand-elf' in the language used in Dale. The Men here recognized that Gandalf wasn't human, and his immortality and use of magic led them to associate him with Elves. Still, his agedness made it clear that he wasn't quite one of these people either, so his staff became the differentiator within his name. The'Grey' part of Gandalf's name came from the color of his cloak. Istari wear cloaks to symbolize their order—it's not necessarily an official system, but more something these wizards fell into. Saruman wore a white cloak, Radagast wore brown, and Gandalf wore grey. These became the colors their characters were associated with in The Lord of the Rings until Saruman cast aside his white cloak for one of'many colors,' and their order shifted.After Gandalf the Grey died during his fight with the Balrog of Moria, he was resurrected into a new form. While his soul or essence (called fëa in Lord of the Rings) was the same, Gandalf was technically a new person. It took him a moment to remember Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli when they found him in Fanghorn Forest and had forgotten that he had been called'Gandalf the Grey.' Once he remembered, he introduced himself as Saruman before referring to himself as Gandalf the White. Gandalf hadn't really become Saruman. Rather, upon his resurrection, the wizard took Saruman's place as the White Wizard. He was'Saruman as he should have been.' With his white cloak, Gandalf the White was now the leader of the Istari—a role which had previously been Saruman's. Olórin is often considered Gandalf's true name. It's the title associated with his true form: the Maia of Valinor. Maia are angel-like shapeshifters, and before coming to Middle-earth in the form of an old grey-cloaked wizard, Gandalf would have been a beautiful being capable of taking any form he chose. It was given to him by the Elves that migrated from Middle-earth to Valinor in the earliest of days. The name Olórin isn't technically what Gandalf would have been'born' with. It was given to him by the Elves that migrated from Middle-earth to Valinor in the earliest of days. These Elves spoke the language Quenya, and the name Olórin comes from the root'olor,' which means'dream.'Mithrandir is another name commonly used in The Lord of the Rings to refer to Gandalf. Legolas and Aragorn can be heard calling Gandalf Mithrandir, which makes sense since this is the name given to the wizard by Middle-earth's Sindarin Elves. It was adopted by the Men of Gondor, who often used variations of the Sindarin language. Mithrandir comes from the Sindarin words'mith,' and'rhandir,' which translate to'grey' and'pilgrim,' respectively. This is why Gandalf is sometimes called'The Grey Pilgrim' by Elves and Men alike, as this is the English interpretation of Mithrandir.The name Incánus is used far less often in The Lord of the Rings, and it's not particularly friendly toward Gandalf. It's not clear precisely where or what language this name came from. Tolkien himself seemed to change his mind about where Gandalf picked up this title. In one version, Incánus comes from the Haradrim and literally means'Northern Spy,' implying significant distrust for the wandering wizard. Gandalf mentioned the name Incánus when discussing his many titles, but never said precisely where this name was use
GANDALF NAMES MIDDLE-EARTH TOLKIEN MAIA
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