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In the J. R. R. Tolkien work The Lord of the Rings, Celeborn (pronounced with a hard "C") is the Elven husband of Galadriel. He was a kinsman of Thingol, the Lord of Lórien and father of Celebrían. Celebrian was the wife of Elrond.

It is not exactly made clear who Celeborn was in The Silmarillion, as Tolkien never truly answered the question during his life. Celeborn is described as a "kinsman" of Thingol, and in one text is mentioned as the grandson of Thingol's brother Elmo (who never appears elsewhere). Elmo was also linked to Círdan, making Celeborn and Círdan akin.

Tolkien's last writings indicate that Celeborn was not a Sindarin Elf, but rather a Telerin Elf from Valinor, then named Teleporno in Telerin, and travelled with Galadriel to Middle-earth, during the First Age. They left at the same time, but not as part of, the rebellion of the Noldor. Teleporno was "Sindarized" as Celeborn: Telerin teleb (silver) (Quenya tyeleb) was translated to Sindarin keleb. Teleporno/Celeborn was given a backstory where he and Galadriel left Valinor at the same time as Fëanor's rebellion, but not as part of it. Alas this story never was developed further.

If Celeborn's Aman origin is adopted, he must have been a part of the Telerin king Olwë's family, to be counted as a kinsman of the Sindarin king Thingol, Olwë's brother Elwë. However, this descent provides a problem in that it would make him Galadriel's first cousin. This problem does not exist with the 'Elmo' story.

Celeborn remained behind after Galadriel left Middle-earth, but eventually, some time during the Fourth Age, left for Valinor. It is said with him passed the last memory of the Elder Days from Middle-earth.

• Middle-earth elves