5th son of Fëanor, called “the crafty” (S/60). His Sindarin name is adapted from his Quenya father-name Q. Curufinwë “✱Skilled-Finwë” (MR/217, PM/343). This name is a combination of S. curu “skill” and the Sindarized form S. fin of his grandfather’s name Q. Finwë (VT41/10), also seen in the name S. Finarfin.
Conceptual Development: This character was named G. Curufin when he first appeared earliest Lost Tales, already with the sobriquet “Crafty” (LT2/241). The name N. Curufin appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as a combination of N. curu “cunning” and a suffixal form of ON. phinya “skillful” (Ety/KUR, PHIN). The derivation from his Quenya name did not emerge until after Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/217).
prop. n.