Atanes Blog

Galadriel his sister went not with him to Nargothrond, for in Doriath dwelt Celeborn, kinsman of Thingol, and there was great love between them. In Doriath she met Celeborn, grandson of Elmo the brother of Thingol. For love of Celeborn, who would not leave Middle-earth [...] she did not go West at the Downfall of Melkor, but crossed Ered Lindon with Celeborn and came into Eriador.

Ohhhhhh feanor what did the plot did to you

Portrait of Melkor

And I remembered a post I made some time ago with a realization that many people born in the last 50 years of Numenor's existence (and we know people were being born then because Meneldil son of Anarion was born year before the fall and was the last child born on the island) when Morgoth worship was the official state religion, would have names like "Melkor's Jewel", "Melkor's Gift" and generally something-Melkor.

So what if in the Faithful circles --- who would not want to even say that --- an euphemism was used for all these names, and what's the more natural and neutral root than "the Sea"? What if the people who survived (turned Faithful, or were in the colonies and later after the fall came into a more Faithful-adjacent regions) changed their names, and everyone knew at that time that "of the Sea" probably meant "it was a Morgoth reference"?

I know there were many names even before referencing the sea, but if they came out of use for some reason (culture works like that), the above scenario would make sense.

...I went to check the meanings of the names of the kings to see how popular was the sea, and while there are some sea-related roots, the sea itself is not there. But also: What do you mean Gimilzor named himself after Elros. The sheer audacity.