This is perhaps the perfect subject for language/name obsessed me. (Note that not all of this is serious)
Celeborn/Teleporno
It means, depending on what time frame in Tolkien’s writings we are looking at, “silver, tall” or “silver tree”. In a paper I once wrote for English class, the internal explanation I gave for this discrepancy was that while language is an ever evolving thing, names aren’t. Therefore an elf who’s name originally meant silver tree might find himself with a name meaning silver tall.
The thing I am more curious about is the fact that this name clearly invokes Teleperion, one of the two trees. However, this name would be largely incompatible with Tolkien’s history of Celeborn as set in LotR where Celeborn is clearly not from Valinor, if we assume that it is his original name. Therefore Celeborn must be an epesse, given to him by somebody who had seen the two trees - either Melian, Elwe, or one of the returning Noldor.
However if this is the case, what was his original father-name or mother name?
Luckily for us, Tolkien gives us in HOME two possible alternatives (note at no time were all three of these names in use at the same time) Galdaran and Arafain.
Galadaran of course reminds of Galadriel, but also of Galadhon (Celeborn’s father) and Galathil (his brother). Because of which I humbly submit the possibility that the root of the Galad part of Galadaran comes from Galadh (tree) and not Galad (light). Aran means king. On is not a word, and could be a form of either onneth (giver) or onna (born). It could also be related to onod (ent). Thil could be related to thilia (to glisten).
Therefore here are the possible meanings of Galadaran, Galadhon, and Galathil:
Galadaran - Tree King - Shouldn’t Thranduil be jealous?
Galadaran - Light King -it’s the shiny silver hair, it lights up the room. You’re the dancing king, only seventeen....(Mamma Mia!)
Galadhon - Tree Giver - conspiracy theory 100909098676 Celeborn’s father is really Yavanna’s secret lover and therefore the one responsible for all the trees in M-E
Galadhon - Tree Born - because he’s one of the Sindar, I suppose.
Galadhon - also simply the plural of galadh so trees. Historically this would fit, if the elves started with names that were just one word with no conjugating.
Galadhon - Tree, Ent - possibly related to why Treebeard appears to be such good friends with Celeborn and Galadriel. If Celeborn’s father was one of the ones to awaken the ents.
Galathil - Tree, to glisten - so glistening trees - not sure about what this could possibly mean. Unless it is related to the fact that his daughter married the King of Doriath (Dior) and became shiny with the Silmarils.
Arafain reminds me of Galadriel’s father, Arafinwe, however Arafinwe is Quenyan and not Sindarin. However in Sindarin, ara is a form of aran which as mentioned above means king. Ara is used to mean high, noble, and royal. Fain means white or cloud. This could possibly be referring to his hair, as I have heard white and silver used interchangeably. Or he could be a Royal Cloud.
That was FUN!
I will most likely be back later with more musing on this oft neglected group of Sindar royalty - the family of Elmo, youngest brother of Elwe. (And no accents won’t show up on my computer.) So next will be Nimloth, Elmo, possibly after that throw in Oropher and Thranduil (who seem to be relatives of some degree.)