Isengrim Took II

The correct pronunciation of the initial i in Isengrim is unclear. In Old English, the root word was īsen, with a long initial vowel, so the pronunciation would be something like 'ee'zen'. Since Isengrim's name lacks a macron to emphasise a long vowel, however, a short 'i' (as in whizz) might be preferred instead. Alternatively, given that Old English īsen gave rise to modern 'iron', the same initial vowel might reasonably be preferred (equivalent to the English word 'eye'). An argument could be made for any of these approaches.

In Old English grim has a meaning much stronger than its modern usage. It implied fierceness, or even savagery or blood-thirstiness, so Isengrim 'iron grim' would originally have been a warrior's name. Historically, the name Isengrim appears in medieval literature, where it belongs to a greedy and foolish Wolf in various beast fables; this may have been the ultimate source from which Tolkien selected the name.