J.R.R. Tolkien's Dwarves Were Inspired From Norse Mythology

As I wrote in a separate article on The Dockyards early this year, the dwarves' names in J.R.R. Tolkien's most distinguished high fantasy works, namely 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy, were actually inspired from the Norse mythology. This should come as no surprise after all, given the fact that Tolkien was a scholar of Germanic history and mythology, being Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford for as much as 20 years.

The primary sources of documentation with respect to the dwarves' name which appear recurrently in 'The Hobbit' are represented by the work of a medieval Icelandic poet and historian named Snorri Sturluson and an Old Norse poem entitled 'Völuspá' (i.e. 'Sybil's Prophecy'). 

Snorri Sturluson's high medieval 'Prose Edda' (or 'Younger Edda' as it is alternatively known) is an Icelandic manuscript dating to the 13th century which revolves around poetry and the Norse mythology while the Old Norse poem 'Völuspá' is the first and most well known poem of the 'Poetic Edda' (the counterpart of the 'Prose Edda').

So it is that in the first part of the Prose Edda (which is titled 'Gylfaginning' - i.e. 'Tricking of Gylfi') narrates the journey of King Gylfi of 'the land that men now call Sweden' to Asgard, one of the nine realms in Norse cosmology that is home to the Æsir branch of Norse divinities. In chapter 14 of 'Gylfaginning', the names of the dwarves from 'The Hobbit' can be found under almost identical forms. Furthermore, another interesting aspect related to this chapter is that the very name of Gandalf was also 'borrowed' from it. 

Below you can read the entire translated and quoted passages where the 'Dwarvish' names are mentioned in the Völuspá (note that the name of both the dwarves and of Gandalf are highlighted in bold):

10. There was Motsognir | the mightiest made
Of all the dwarfs, | and Durin next;
Many a likeness | of men they made,
The dwarfs in the earth, | as Durin said.

11. Nyi and Nithi, | Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri, | Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain, | Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bofur, | Bombur, Nori,
An and Onar, | Ai, Mjothvitnir.

12. Vigg and Gandalf | Vindalf, Thrain,
Thekk and Thorin, | Thror, Vit and Lit,
Nyr and Nyrath,– | now have I told–
Regin and Rathsvith– | the list aright.

13. Fili, Kili, | Fundin, Nali,
Hepti, Vili, | Hannar, Sviur,
(Billing, Bruni, | Bildr and Buri,)
Frar, Hornbori, | Fræg and Loni,
Aurvang, Jari, | Eikinskjaldi.

14. The race of the dwarfs | in Dvalin’s throng
Down to Lofar | the list must I tell;
The rocks they left, | and through wet lands
They sought a home | in the fields of sand.

15. There were Draupnir | and Dolgthrasir,
Hor, Haugspori, | Hlevang, Gloin,
Dori, Ori, | Duf, Andvari,
Skirfir, Virfir, | Skafith, Ai.

16. Alf and Yngvi, | Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalar and Frosti, | Finn and Ginnar;
So for all time | shall the tale be known,
The list of all | the forbears of Lofar.

Documentation sources and external links:

• Snorri Sturluson (Icelandic writer) on www.britannica.com
• Edda (Icelandic literature) on www.britannica.com
• Völuspá on www.britannica.com
• Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
• The Historian's Hut: Most Of The Names J. R. R. Tolkien Used For His Dwarves In His Books Were Actual Names Of Dwarves In Norse Mythology on www.blogspot.com
• Völuspá on www.tolkiengateway.net 
• Image source Commons Wikimedia (Public Domain work)