The name by which the first chief of Beorians was known, meaning “Vassal” in the language of his people (S/142). His true name was Balan.

Conceptual Development: The name (ᴱN.?) Beor first appeared in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/187). The name remained N. Beor in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/274) and was explicitly marked Noldorin in The Etymologies, where it was simply beor “follower, vassal” used as a name (Ety/BEW). The name fit poorly even with the phonology of the earlier Noldorin language (as discussed in the entry for beor), and so in later writings Tolkien reconceived the name as being in the Bëorian language (WJ/218).