Q: What Does Kingly Valour Mean?
ANSWER: In October 2011 I answered the question “What does ‘Aragorn’ mean?, and provided a citation that shows J.R.R. Tolkien had translated it as “Kingly Valour”. Some readers, however, want to know what the significance of the name is.
Aragorn’s name appears to have been given as a sign of faith that he would be a great leader, bringing great courage in the face of terrible danger. There was an element of foresight associated with the naming of royal children among both the Eldar and the Dunedain.
Aragorn’s name was thus similar to that of Arvedui’s, who was named “Last King” because Malbeth the Seer foretold that in his day the Dunedain would make a choice that would either restore the High Kingship of Arnor and Gondor or lead to the end of Arthedain/Arnor. As it turned out the Council of Gondor, led by the Steward Pelendur, rejected Arvedui’s claim upon the vacant throne of the south, thus depriving Arthedain of vital resources. Arthedain was eventually destroyed by Angmar, and Arvedui was the last king until Aragorn II restored the kingdom.
The fact that the stem Ara- is used in the name implies that Aragorn’s courage would be comparable to that of the great kings of legend and history such as Elendil and Isildur. He was destined to face the greatest challenge of any Dunadan king of the Third Age, for Aragorn would ultimately lead the united armies of the West against Sauron’s forces.
Hence, we should infer that Tolkien associated considerable significance with the name, even though Aragorn was the second to bear it. All that we know of Aragorn I is that he was slain by wolves in Third Age year 2327. The only date in the “Tale of Years” that falls close to this is 2340, when the Thainship of the Shire passes from the Oldbucks to the Tooks with the founding of Buckland; however the narrative of “The Line of Isildur” in Appendix A says that “even before the Watchful Peace ended [in 2460] evil things again began to attack Eriador or to invade it secretly….” It would appear that the evil began around 2319, when Aragorn I’s father Aravir died.
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