Title apparently used to denote the head of the Wizards in Middle-earth, originally borne by Saruman, but taken up instead by Gandalf after his return.

I	Saruman	The original White Wizard, and the acknowledged head of the Istari from the time they arrived in Middle-earth in around the year III 1000. He was known as 'the White' until the beginning of the War of the Ring more than two thousand years later, but he ultimately abandoned the title in favour of 'Saruman of Many Colours'.
II	Gandalf	A little under seven months after Saruman's giving up the title 'White', Gandalf the Grey fought the Battle of the Peak against the Balrog known as Durin's Bane. Gandalf defeated his foe, but his spirit passed out of his body. Nonetheless, he was sent back, and he returned to life as Gandalf the White. From this time he became the most powerful of the Istari, and when he next met Saruman, Gandalf broke the staff of his former leader and cast him out of the Order of Wizards.

The two White Wizards aside, the title of 'the White' was also used for various other people, places and things across the history of Arda:

Aredhel	Aredhel the White was the sister of Turgon, who settled with him in Gondolin and later became the mother of Maeglin. She was titled in Elvish as Ar-Feiniel the 'White Lady' from her pale skin and the white and silver clothing she habitually wore.
Celebdil	One of the three Mountains of Moria, on which the fabled Durin's Tower stood before its destruction in the Battle of the Peak. Each of the three Mountains of Moria had its own colour, and this snow-capped mountain (called the Silvertine by Men and Zirakzigil by Dwarves) was known as Celebdil the White (the other two peaks being Caradhras the Redhorn and Fanuidhol the Grey).
Elwing	The daughter of Dior and thus a descendant of Thingol of Doriath, Elwing wedded Eärendil the Mariner. While her husband was sailing the Great Sea, Elwing's home at the Mouths of Sirion was attacked by the Sons of Fëanor, who were seeking the Silmaril that was held there. Elwing cast herself into the Sea with the Jewel, but was transformed into a white bird by Ulmo, and so brought the Silmaril to Eärendil. Her taking of the form of a white bird perhaps lies behind her otherwise unexplained title of Elwing the White.
Telperion	The Two Trees of Valinor shone with Light of different colours. Telperion, the elder tree, cast a silver-white Light across the land of Valinor, and was thus known as Telperion the White. The younger of the Trees, Laurelin, shone with a Light of a golden colour, and was known as the Golden Tree. Both Trees stood for millennia in the land of the Valar, but after their destruction, the last flower of Telperion the White was raised into the heavens by the Valar, to shine down on the world as the Moon.

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Updated 18 February 2023
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The White

The colour of the chief of the Istari

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