Kilmessë, Quenya for "self-name", was a name that some of the exiled Elves gave to themselves as a disguise, or to refer to deeds or to their personal history.[1]
In early ages, an Elf's "coming of age" when reaching physical maturity (quantolië), was a matter of ceremony, at which their essekilmë or personal ‘chosen-name’ was announced.[2]
Other versions of the legendarium
In an account in "Laws and Customs Among the Eldar" in Morgoth's Ring, the kilmessë is a name chosen by an Elf-child once she or he is capable of lámatyáve, that is once they gain fluency in their mother-tongue and find pleasure in the sounds and forms of words. It is a private name, used only by family members and close friends, and reflects the child's personality or talents. It is announced in a ceremony called Essecilmë (name-choosing).[3]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", Note on Mother-names, p. 339
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), “Part One. Time and Ageing: V. Natural Youth and Growth of the Quendi,” in The Nature of Middle-earth (HarperCollins, 2021) , p. 41
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (II) The Second Phase: Laws and Customs among the Eldar, Of Naming", p. 216