What was Gandalf called before becoming Gandalf the White in Tolkien’s legendarium?

Before becoming Gandalf the White, Gandalf was known as Gandalf the Grey.

In The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf confronts the Balrog in Moria and falls with it into the depths. After the battle, he returns transformed and takes the title Gandalf the White, replacing Saruman in the order of the Istari. The change symbolizes renewed authority and a different role in the struggle against Sauron.

Gandalf’s colors are titles, not ordinary clothing descriptions. Tolkien’s wider mythology also includes the Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallando, and Radagast the Brown. Saruman was originally Saruman the White, but his betrayal damaged that status. These overlapping color titles make the wizard order easy to confuse, especially when comparing The Lord of the Rings with later notes and drafts.