Qenya was the early form of Tolkien’s invented fairy language that developed into Quenya.
Tolkien began constructing his Elvish languages long before The Lord of the Rings was published. In his early linguistic work, he used the spelling “Qenya” for a language inspired chiefly by Finnish, with additional influences from Welsh and other languages. Over time, the language’s form, vocabulary, and fictional history changed.
The later spelling “Quenya” became the standard name for the High-elven language associated with the Noldor and other Elves. Tolkien’s language-making was not merely a collection of replacement words: he developed sound patterns, grammar, historical stages, and relationships among languages.
Qenya should not be confused with Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Adûnaic was associated with Númenor, Khuzdul with the Dwarves, and the Black Speech with Sauron. The answer refers specifically to the early form and spelling, not the mature language’s best-known name.