Chief settlement of Angmar (LotR/146). The language and meaning of this name is unclear, but it is often suggested this it is Sindarin, a combination of caran “red” and a lenited form of tum “valley” (as suggested by David Salo, GS/371). The name may be debased Elvish, like the name of its kingdom Angmar, since a noun would not ordinarily be lenited in this position. The name also resembles an early (rejected) name N. Caron-dûn or Carndoom “Red Valley” found in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, and could be a re-emergence of that name (RS/419, 433).

Earlier name for Nanduhirion in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s that matched the river name Crandir “Red Way” (RS/419). It appeared in a variety of forms: Carndoom, Doon-Caron and Dûn Caron (RS/433), all apparently rearrangements of the same elements. It seems to be a combination of caran “red” and a variant or lenited form of tum “valley”. This etymology was suggested by Roman Rausch, along with several other possibilities to explain why the initial d was retained when it appeared in the initial element (EE/1.13). This name strongly resembles later S. Carn Dûm in Angmar, and might be a precursor to that name.

Earlier name for Nanduhirion in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s that matched the river name Ruinnel “Red Way” (RS/464). It seems to be a combination of a variant form of tum “valley” and a variant or lenited form of gruin “ruddy”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/1.13).

Earlier name for Nanduhirion in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s that matched the river name Narosîr “Red Way” (RS/433). It seems to be a combination of naru “red” and a lenited form of tum “valley”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/1.6).