Highlights
- Gandalf, also known as Olorin, was a wise and kind-hearted wizard who played a crucial role in Middle Earth's fight against Sauron.
- He went by various names such as Gandalf the Grey, Gandalf the White, Greyhame, and Mithrandir, each representing different aspects of his character and his relationships with different races.
- Olorin was his original name, given to him by the Valar, and it signifies his role as a visionary and dreamer who inspires the free people of Middle Earth.
J.R.R. Tolkien created such a rich and meaningful world in Lord of the Rings. From creating the Elvish language to devising each god that helped create Middle Earth along with their backstory, there isn't an aspect of Lord of the Rings that Tolkien didn't think about. It's who a great many authors emulate and gain their inspiration from. One of the richest characters Tolkien created and who became an instant hit with readers and audiences alike was Gandalf.
Throughout the franchise, fans hear many people refer to the wizard by different names. From Mithrandir to Greyhame, everyone in Middle Earth seemed to know the old man as something different. It's likely that Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will explore his character further in the future, expanding on what everyone knows (if the man who fell to Middle Earth is in fact Gandalf). The one name audiences never hear spoken in any of the movies is Gandalf's original name.
Who is Gandalf?
The wizards, also known as the Istari, of Middle-Earth might have looked like humans in their golden years, but they were not as frail as their form suggested. That was a shape they took in order to gain the trust of the free people of Middle Earth because they were there to help against the Dark Lord Sauron. Gandalf and the other wizards were primordial spirits known as Maiar who helped shape the world. Gandalf was the wisest of the Maiar and favored by many, including the world's creator Eru.
When he came to Middle Earth, the Elves befriended him and knew him as the wisest of the wizards. However, the wizard observed the Elves for many years before he allowed them to see him. Throughout that time, he sent them visions of motivation. Unlike Saruman who took refuge in his great tower of Orthanc, Gandalf never took a permanent residence. He took his role on Middle Earth seriously, which required a nomadic lifestyle. While he restricted his travels to the western lands of the continent, never traveling farther east than the Lonely Mountain, he met a great many people and races. This gained himself a vast many friends and names.
Gandalf was more than a wise entity, he was a kind soul. He gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, except maybe Pippin. He never corrected anyone when they gave him a new name, proudly wearing each one like a badge of honor.
Gandalf's Many Names
To truly understand Gandalf, one must know his names, of which he goes by many. He is an ancient entity that wandered all of Middle-Earth, calling nowhere home. In fact, his eternal existence and use of magic earned him the name Gandalf as it means "wand elf" in the common tongue. The first name readers and audiences come to associate with him is Gandalf the Grey. The color represents more than his shade of robes. It represents his place in the order of Istari.
When he returned to the land of the living, Gandalf referred to himself as Gandalf the White, but that's more of a title than a name. The kingdom of Rohan referred to Gandalf as Greyhame. It's a fitting name since "hame" means cloak, so the horse riders are calling him Grey Cloak. The Dwarves, on the other hand, called him Tharkun, which means "Staff-man" in the ancient language of the Dwarves. A simple name. The Elves, whether Gandalf garbed himself in grey or white, knew him as Mithrandir, meaning "Grey Pilgrim." Mithrandir was Gandalf's first name in Middle Earth because the elves were the first people he befriended. However, before he left the Blessed Lands and took the form of an elderly man, Eru Illuvitar gave him the name Olorin.
The Meaning Behind Gandalf's Real Name
Olorin was the name the shapers of the world knew Gandalf by. The shapers being the Valar, Maiar, and the one creator Eru Illuvitar. While on Middle Earth, it was Gandalf's role to inspire the free people to fight the rising darkness. In his early years on the continent, he accomplished this by sending visions to the people, especially Elves, while he walked among them unseen. Before he ever stepped foot in Middle Earth, Eru and the other Valar recognized Olorin as a visionary or dreamer. In fact, in the language of Tolkein's gods, Olorin meant dream or vision.
In his youth, Olorin served Irmo, the Valar responsible for creating dreams, desires, and visions. It was through Irmo that Olorin learned to inspire and dream of a bright future. Olorin quickly became the second wizard chosen to travel to Middle Earth because along with his inspiring nature, he learned patience and pity through the Valar Nienna. At first he didn't want to go as Sauron frightened him, but Manwë convinced Olorin that going would help him conquer that fear.