[Mithalwen]

I suppose if they are translated really well, with serious consideration of the rationale Tolkien expressed in the appendices, then it would be better to translate than not - unless you believe that the Shire has to retain it's English "feel" . Many of the hobbit names (but not Bilbo or Frodo) are similar to English names even if Toby is short for Tobold not Tobias and most of the surnames are clearly English, albeit slightly silly English.

Well the point I am trying to make is that the hobbit names are familiar to English reader in the way that the names of elves, dwarves, Gondor and even Rohan are not. It seems reasonable that the hobbit names should be rendered into things that are familiar in the translated language.

Certainly it should be done with care - the HP one that upset was making Prof Dumbledore Prof Silencio in Italian. Dumbledore is an old word for bumblebee and was chosen to suggest constant activity and a buzzing mind. Silencio picked up on the "dumb" bit only. I have the French versions of HP and I am not too keen on some of the names. I would be intrigued to see what they did with LOTR.