Tolkien’s early name for the fictional language later called Quenya was Qenya.
Tolkien developed the language over many years, and its spelling and terminology changed as his linguistic ideas evolved. In early stages, he commonly used the form Qenya. Later, the form Quenya became standard in descriptions of the language and in much of the published material associated with his mythology.
Quenya is one of Tolkien’s Elvish languages. It was inspired partly by Finnish, alongside influences from other languages, and Tolkien designed it with detailed sound patterns, grammar, and vocabulary rather than as a few decorative words. In the mythology, it is associated especially with the High Elves and with the ancient traditions of the Eldar.
Qenya should not be confused with Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Tolkien’s linguistic history also includes terms such as Valarin and Eldarin, but those refer to different languages or language groupings within the legendarium. The spelling change reflects Tolkien’s continuing revision of his invented languages.