A minor issue: to elf or not to elf

So I'm working on a story set in a fantasy world, specifically, right now, the races within it. Aside from humans and ghuls (eight-foot tall hyena folk), I have a pair of races who are essentially my version of elves and dwarves. The "dwarves" are short and stout, of course, but have more adaptations to their underground environment, including large eyes that are somewhat weaker in sunlight than humans, and curved digging claws. The "elves" are small and fragile looking, with diamond shaped ears and eyes that black all the way around. They are also covered in a thin layer of either all white or dappled white and brown fur, and also have short, leaf-shaped tails. Their nails are black, and the men also have small antlers. I am wondering if it would be better to keep the names elves and dwarves for these beings, or think of new ones. Thoughts?

Well, dunno about the dwarves but the elves surely look different enough to be something completely else.

Maybe you can have it both ways, like in Elder Scrolls. The words 'elves' and 'dwarves' are just slangs used by other races, while the two races themselves prefer to use an official name to refer to themselves.

Or 'elves' and 'dwarves' could be common names, while there exists a separate academic terminology. Like 'humans' and 'Homo Sapiens Sapiens'.

'Dwarf' and 'Elf' have so much baggage in our world, that using those names for races that have clearly followed such a different evolutionary - and more importantly cultural - path would require a very compelling justification.

It feels like needless dumbing down for the reader's sake, to use those names for your races, like it's telling them that Race A and Race B can be assumed to have these attributes. If it were me, I'd gamble on readers who don't need it spelled out for them, and go ahead and make up new names.

The dwarves sound reasonably dwarvish to my mind; I think that I'm ambivalent regarding their name: either "dwarf" or something else would work for me, I feel.

The elves, on the other hand, really do seem rather different to what one thinks of at the word "elf": while I doubt that I'd object to their being named "elves", I'm inclined to vote for a different name for them.

edited 10th Aug '14 8:56:35 AM by ArsThaumaturgis

If you want yet another reason to go with something other than "elf," here's my take:

Years ago, I had a fantasy story where there were regular elves in a place I called "Nimikor." The story/setting itself was crap, but I kept the name of the place they lived.

Now, in a completely different fantasy world, I've developed a race called the "Naimar." I know they're elf-like, but having a different name helps me because it doesn't weigh me down with cultural baggage of "what does an Elf do?"

Today, my (formerly) "Elves" are more cat-like (both anatomically and in their mannerisms) and less about trees, seclusion, and holier-than-thou cultural purity (as is the stereotype). Some of them still hide away and act high-and-mighty (there's even one ancient city built out of a tree), but it's more of a patriotic Libertarian attitude, and less about preservation. But the "Naimar" are much more varied as a whole. I have three distinct cultures and plenty of room for growth.

In other words, renaming the "Elves" to something else has let me experiment more with what I can do with them.

To be fair, this is a common problem with lots of Fantasy, not just the "Elf" trope. Just... experiment. Please. You're on the right track.