Daur

A translation of the name Frodo into Elvish, used by the people of Gondor when they sang praises of Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee after the destruction of the One Ring and the Fall of Sauron. The intended meaning of Daur is not absolutely clear, but it seems to mean 'wise' (which would fit well with the fact that the original Hobbit-name Frodo is interpreted as 'one who becomes wise through experience'). However, it might also be translated as 'high' or 'noble', which might relate to Frodo's description as a prince of the west.

As first written, the song of praise for the Hobbits used their original names, though cast into Old English form (representing the language of the Rohirrim). In the original text, then, the name Frodo was given as Fróda, only later being translated into an Elvish equivalent. Daur is not in fact the only Elvish translation of the name Frodo. In the epilogue to The Lord of the Rings (which was not ultimately included with the book) Frodo¹ is translated as Iorhael. That version of the name means 'old-wise', which actually represents a slightly closer translation of the meaning behind the name Frodo.