A great Dwarven smith (S/94), the meaning and language (Sindarin or Khuzdul) of this name is unclear.

Conceptual Development: The name Telchar first appeared in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/115), and it also appeared in the Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/118, LR/319). Since Tolkien invented the name before he invented Khuzdul, this indicates that it was a Gnomish/Noldorin/Sindarin name, at least initially. However, his master’s name Zirak also appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s and is clearly not Sindarin (LR/319), so perhaps this name is (or became) Khuzdul with an unusual spelling: “ch” is normally written “kh” in Khuzdul.