Introductory Topics

 

First and MOST IMPORTANT: What is Quenya?

Quenya is one of several languages used by the variety of Elves in Tolkein's world.  It is used almost exclusively by the Noldorin and Vanyarin Elves living in Aman.  Sindarin Elves do not speak Quenya.  Let me repeat that.  SINDARIN ELVES DO NOT SPEAK QUENYA.  They speak Sindarin.  Therefore it is completely inappropriate for a Sindarin (or Nandorin, Silvan, etc.) Elf to have a Quenya name.
 

When would a Quenya name be appropriate for my character?

A Quenya name is appropriate when your character is a Noldorin or Vanyarin Elf living in Aman, generally in the Years of the Trees.  In the First Age, many of the Noldor who returned to Middle-earth had Quenya names and still spoke Quenya in their own homes, but Sindarin quickly took over as the language of general use among the Noldor.  In Gondolin, though, because it was isolated from the rest of the world, Quenya remained more popular.  In the Second and Third Ages in Middle-earth, Quenya would be used for ceremonial purposes and formality, and not for naming.  In the Second Age, Quenya was known to the Men of Númenor, and many of them had Quenya names (Elendil, Amandil, Almáriel, Fíriel, and so on).  However, toward the end of the Second Age, all things Elvish fell out of favour in Númenor, and only the Faithful continued to use Quenya names.

So to paraphrase, if your character is Vanyarin, Noldorin in the Years of the Trees, or one of the Faithful from Númenor, a Quenya name would be appropriate.

Quenya names are not appropriate to Elves of Middle-earth after the early years of the First Age.  So if you're making up an original female Elven character who will be a love interest for, say, Legolas, please name her in Sindarin.   It would be better for everyone involved.
 

But Quenya sounds so much prettier than Sindarin!


Then write about bloody Númenorians or Valinorian Elves.
 

I want to write a blatant Mary Sue.  What's my own name in Quenya?

There is an excellent site available, the Quenya Lapseparma (literally, Quenya Baby Book), where there are many names listed with their possible Quenya equivalents.
 

What qualifies you to write this page?


I have endless free time on my hands, and I sensibly use it to study a language that will be of no use to me whatsoever in the real world.

However, I would like to take this opportunity to point out that I am NOT an expert on Quenya.  I am just some sketchy individual who wanted to know how to say dirty things in Quenya for slash purposes, and now I've gone too far and can't go back...  So while I do know a thing or two about the language, there are bound to be a few mistakes here and there.  Therefore please don't take everything I say as the complete truth.  Also do not take this page to be any semblance of an academic source at all. I am only doing this for fun, primarily for fanfic purposes. So if you're writing an academic paper on Quenya or Quenya names, I can't recommend that you use this site as a resource.  But if you're just trying to find a reasonable-sounding Quenya name for either yourself or your original character, then you've come to the right place.

On this topic, if you know Quenya better than I do and notice something I'm doing wrong, please let me know.  My email is listed at the bottom of this page.
 

Where can I go to learn Quenya for myself?


A good place to start is this Quenya course, found at the Ardalambion website.  But if you're really serious about Quenya, or Tolkien's other Elvish languages, I highly suggest you purchase The Lost Road, which is volume five of the Histories of Middle-earth.  It contains a section called "Etymologies", which is invaluable to anyone half-serious about these languages.
 

Where can I go to ask questions about the names I've made?

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If you're really stuck, and need advice on whether or not your name is structually sound or even just appropriate in any given situation, you can contact me and I'll try my best to help you.  My email is listed at the bottom of this page.
 
 

Enough of this crap; I want to do the name thing now!



Email me: il_perfido@yahoo.co.uk