Turin

Turin is a name from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, originating in his constructed Elvish language Sindarin. The name is a compound of tur- ("master, power, victory") and ind ("mood, heart"), thus meaning "victory mood". In the Silmarillion (1977), Turin is the tragic hero of the "Children of Húrin" tale, a cursed man who slew the great dragon Glaurung but ultimately met a sorrowful end. His story includes several epithets: Turambar ("master of doom"), Mormegil ("black sword"), and others.

Coincidentally, Turin is also the Anglicized name of the Italian city Torino, capital of Piedmont. This city, with ancient origins, was the first capital of a united Italy from 1861 to 1865. However, the name's prevalence in fantasy contexts is almost entirely due to Tolkien's character.

Turin is primarily a literary name, rarely used as a given name in real life due to its tragic associations and its place within fiction. Its strong built-in meaning and mythological weight have a minor presence in neo-pagan and fan cultures.

Notable Bearers

• Turin Turambar (Second Age of Middle-earth): Hero of The Silmarillion, son of Húrin, cursed by Morgoth, slayer of Glaurung.