Varda

Varda is an Ainu, one of the mightiest of the Valar and one of the Aratar, the spouse of Manwë, with whom she lives in Ilmarin on the summit of Taniquetil. An ancient enemy of Melkor, Varda aids Manwë in the rule of Arda and the watching of Middle-earth. Varda is concerned with light. She made the stars, filled the Lamps of the Valar with light, collected the dews of the Two Trees in her Wells, fashioned the newer stars and constellations in preparation for the awakening of the elves, hallowed the Silmarils, established the courses of the Moon and Sun, and set the star Eärendil in the sky.

Because of her creation of the stars, Varda was the dearest of the Valar to the elves, who called to her for aid from Middle-earth. It is said that when Manwë sits beside her upon their throne on Taniquetil she is able to hear more clearly than any other ears, the prayers and laments of those in need from the furthest east even unto the west. At times she answered their prayers, and also those of Men. During the War of the Ring, for example, she aided Sam through the Phial of Galadriel (which contained the light of Eärendil) during his struggle against Shelob. Varda was the most beautiful of the Valar. Varda is said to be too beautiful for words. Within her face radiates the light of Ilúvatar. When Melkor first began to create his discord, Varda saw his mind, and hated him. Melkor fears and hates Varda the most out of the Valar.

Literary Connection
The Valar are divine beings below a greater, more ultimate Creator, Ilúvatar. Thus some equate the Valar of Middle-earth with saints and angels; thus Varda, in her role as the most loved and prayed-to Vala, may be an equivalent of the Virgin Mary in Tolkien's own Catholic faith.

Names
Varda means sublime or lofty in Quenya, and Elentári means Star-queen. An epithet of her is Tintalle which means Star-kindler.

She is probably best known by her Sindarin name, Elbereth Gilthoniel, as Frodo uttered that name at Weathertop to drive away the Ringwraiths.

In Sindarin she is also known as Elbereth (Star-queen), Gilthoniel (Starkindler) and Fanuilos (Ever-white). In Telerin she is called Baradis.

She is also referred to by the epithets The Kindler, Lady of the Stars, Queen of the Stars, Snow-white. They are translations of her Elvish names.

In NetHack and some other Roguelike games, the name Elbereth is used as a protective charm. For more, read the NetHack Elbereth FAQ; for a wiki page, try Elbereth.

"Varda" (ורדה) is a Hebrew name meaning "Rose", and is a common female first name in contemporary Israel. It is unknown whether Tolkien was aware of and influenced by this, or whether he created a similar name independently. For the influence of Hebrew on Tolkien's languages, see: 'Jewish Influences in Middle-earth' by Zak Cramer in Mallorn, The Journal of the Tolkien Society, #44, August 2006.