I wonder if that author supposes the Malaysians, or whoever, thought orangutans (reported to mean "men of the forest") were humans? Or that those naming sea-cows thought that manatee were actually cows?

Surely his name having "modifier+elf" in it shows that he's recognised as distinctly not an elf, nor recognisable as one, but is considered to have elf-like characteristics. I don't think it tells you anything about whether it's strange for an elf to have a beard.