A river in western Beleriand flowing past the haven of Eglarest (S/120). The meaning of this name is unclear, but it appears to contain nen “water” (SA/nen).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this river first appeared as Eldor, later revised to Eglor (SM/227). In The Etymologies, the name Eglor was designated Ilkorin and translated “Elf-river” (Ety/ELED), and was given as the basis for the name Ilk. Eglorest (Ety/RIS²), the earlier form of S. Eglarest. In the map revisions for the Silmarillion from the 1950s-60s, Eglor was replaced by S. Eglahir and later still by Nenning (WJ/187), which was the form used in the later Silmarillion narratives (WJ/117).

Note that the name Nenning first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as a rejected name for the rivers N. Crandir “Redway”, which itself was an earlier name for the river Celebrant (RS/433).

A name for a river in Beleriand, replacing earlier Ilk. Eldor/Eglor (SM/227) and replaced in turn by the name S. Nenning (WJ/117). It appears to be a combination of the prefixal form Egla- of Eglan “Forsaken (Elf)” and the lenited form -hir of sîr “river” also appearing in names such as Linhir and Nanduhirion.

See S. Nenning for further discussion.

An earlier name for S. Nenning, the river flowing past the haven of Eglorest, marked Ilkorin and translated “Elf-river” in The Etymologies (Ety/ELED). It is likely an elaboration of Ilk. Egla “Elf”. Earlier still the river was named Eldor (SM/227), perhaps containing the earlier (rejected) Ilkorin word Ilk. Eld “Elf”.

See S. Nenning for further discussion.