Randomly generated name:

gwenir
chain weeping


Chances are, that name up there is pretty silly.  The randomly generated names are created by combining any two words from the list, without taking meaning into consideration.  But, in the event that the randomiser accidentally creates something useable and you want to keep that name, the same rules and adjustments apply as would to a name you chose on your own.  Here are a few things that Pixellated Fëanor is too lazy to check for:

Length.  This is an important one.  Pixellated Fëanor can't count.  Nor can he read.  He is a GIF.  GIFs are not good at math, and they are worse at languages.  Count the syllables in your name.  Are there more than four?  It's too long. Sindarin names can be two (Arwen), three (Elladan) or four (Galadriel) syllables long.  Five is pushing it.  Shorter is better.

Accents.  There are only a few ways it can happen here, but it is possible to make a name with too many acute accents.  According to Pixellated Fëanor, Túrúan is a valid name.  According to common sense, it's not.  Accents are fairly rare in Sindarin names.  Usually you'll see none, occasionally you'll find one (Celebrían), but two is too many.  Think about how you want to pronounce your names (consult the guide below if necessary), and drop the accent that doesn't fit.  Most of the time, it will be the second one.  I'd turn Túrúan into Túruan.

Repeated Syllables.  This is a Quenya rule that we may want to import over to the Sindarin side to help in the war against dumb-sounding Elf names.  In Quenya, a name with a repeated syllable (such as lala or arar) can be condensed down to a single occurrence of that syllable (la or ar).  Because Sindarin names with repetitive syllables sound just as dumb as their Quenya counterparts, I wouldn't hesitate to use this rule in cases where it would make an improvement.  A Sindarin name like Ecthelellon sounds silly.  Ecthellon is far better.

Repeated Diphthongs.  This is another Quenya rule that may be applicable to Sindarin.  In Quenya, a name like Ainairon is simplified to Ainaron, with the second AI becoming a single A.  I would see nothing wrong in also using this rule on Sindarin names in the case of a double AE, UI, IE, etc.where keeping the repetition sounds silly.  A name like Maevaethor I would shorten to Maevathor.

Sounding Stupid.  Does it sound stupid?  If so, it's wrong.  Elves do not want stupid-sounding names.  If it's funny-sounding, weird, hard to pronounce, or awkward, even if Pixellated Fëanor says it's fine, take a pass and try again.  Look for synonyms, or change the order of the words.  Pixellated Fëanor can adjust letters, pick out common errors, and smite impossible combinations, but he has no common sense.  Only you can properly name your Elf. 

How to Pronounce the Names (that is, which syllable is stressed)


Generally (and by generally I mean about half the time), the stress falls on the second-last syllable. Two-syllable names, such as Arwen, are always the easiest, because the stress is always on the first syllable.  AR-wen. Three- or four-syllable names are a bit trickier.

If the second-last syllable contains an accented vowel (í, ó, ú), then it will be stressed, as in "Celebrían" : ce-leb-RI-an.  Also, if the second-last syllable contains a diphthong or a consonant cluster, it will be stressed, as in "Glorfindel": glor-FIND-el

If the second-last syllable has only one unaccented vowel followed by one or no consonants, it is a weak syllable and cannot be stressed.  The name "Elrohir" has an unaccented "o" followed by a single "h".  In this case, the stress is shifted back to the third-last syllable, and the pronunciation is EL-ro-hir.  The same goes for "Thranduil", in which the second-last syllable, the "u", has no consonant cluster following it.  The pronunciation is therefore THRAN-du-il.  Note that the "u" and "i" here are two separate syllables.

Some examples of second-last syllable stress:
Erestor = e-REST-or
Mithrandir = mith-RAN-dir
Imladris = im-LAD-ris

Some examples of weak second-last syllables with displaced third-last-syllable stress:
Galadhon = GAL-adh-on (the DH counts as a single letter, not a consonant cluster)
Elladan = ELL-a-dan
Lothiriel = loth-IR-i-el
Eregion = er-EG-i-on

Back to Sindarin Name Generator
Back to Names
Back to Main


This Randomiser, like the Generator, was created by the glorious talent of Lenine, because my website skills are limited to sucky basic HTML.