Note: The following biographies are short and concise for the most part. If you want more detail, go to lotr.wikia.com which provides more insights on Gandalf, or to Wikipedia. Or better: read the books yourselves! We're here for those people who feel like getting a broad overview of Gandalf without having to read a whole bunch. Enjoy! -LJ
Gandalf: Olorin
Gandalf was actually a Maia, one of the lesser gods of the Valar. It is told in the Silmarillion that he was the wisest of these lesser gods, and that he went often to the house of Nienna, one of the Aratar, the eight most powerful Valar, the Lady of pity and mourning, the where he learned empathy and patience. He was not known in the early days of Middle-earth, because he went among the elves in a disguise, puting beautiful thoughts and ideas into their heads. He was sent to Middle Earth tasked with fighting the evil of Melkor (First called by Feanor, Morgoth) that lived and thrived there. Later, when Melkor's servant Sauron rose to power he was the one who sent people to battle, who told Frodo about the ring and was the leader of that company called the Fellowship of the Ring. Only Faramir, son of Denethor, is known to have known Gandalf's real name and homeland, for he spoke the following quote of Gandalf's to Frodo son of Drogo and Samwise Gamgee while they were held "captive" in his outpost in Ithilien:
Many are my names in many countries...Mithrandir among the Elves, Tharkun to the Dwarves; Olorin in the West that is forgotten, in the South Incanus, in the North Gandalf; to the East I go not. --The Two Towers, The Window in the West, pg 655.
Olorin means "dreams". It comes from the Quenya high-elven word "olori". To explore more about Olorin, continue on to Gandalf the Grey.