The Hobbit-name Halfred clearly reflects the real name Alfred, and Alfred can be interpreted as 'Elf counsel' or 'Elf wise'. Indeed, in Tolkien's story Smith of Wootton Major, there is a character named 'Alf' for whom this source of the name is meant literally. By changing 'Alf' to 'Half' in Halfred, though, the result is a name meaning something like 'half-wise', the same meaning as the name Samwise. Samwise Gamgee was a distant relative of Halfred Greenhand, and followed his tradition of gardening in the town of Hobbiton.