Sigurd

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Protector of victory.”

Pronunciation: (SEE-gur); (SIH-gur)

Nicknames: Sig, Sjur

Detail: From the Old Norse name Sigurðr, which was derived from the elements sigr “victory” and varðr “guardian”.

Sigurd is a hero in Norse legend, which tells how his foster-father Regin sent him to recover a hoard of gold guarded by the dragon Fafnir. After slaying the dragon, Sigurd tasted some of its blood, enabling him to understand the language of birds. By listening to the birds Sigurd learned that Regin was planning to betray him.

4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

Fenrir

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Old Norse

Pronunciation: (FEHN-rir)

Nicknames: Fen, Fenno

Detail: The meaning Fenrir is disputed on is thought to be the Old Norse “fen-dweller”. Another idea is the short form of Fenrisúlfr. Which means “Fenris-wolf”, derived from the name Fenris combined with Old Norse úlfr “wolf.” The etymology of the name Fenris is uncertain; it is thought that it is derived from Old Norse fen “moor, marsh, swamp” and Old Norse hris “brushwood, shrub.”

In Norse mythology, Fenrir is a monstrous wolf and is foretold to kill the god Odin during the events of Ragnarök (the end of the world).

J. K. Rowling also uses the name for one of her werewolf characters, Fenrir Greyback, in the popular Harry Potter series.

Embla

Posted on May 1, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Elm tree.”

Pronunciation: (EM-blah)

Nicknames: Emb, Emmie

Detail: According to Norse mythology, the first humans were carved from trees by Odin and his brothers Vili and Ve. They cut down an Ash tree and from it made the first man, Ask. From an elm tree they carved the first woman, Embla.

Freyja

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Lady.”

Pronunciation: (FREY-yah)

Nicknames: Frey, Fay, Reya, Ray

Detail: Freyja is a goddess in Norse mythology associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr (witchcraft), war, and death.

In most Germanic languages the day is named after Freyja, such as Frīatag (Old High German), Freitag (Modern German), Freyjudagr (Old Norse), Vrijdag (Dutch), Fredag (Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish)

Variations:

Freia
Freja
Freya
Freyja

Finn

Posted on April 4, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Old Norse

Meaning: “Fair; Wanderer.”

Pronunciation: (fin)

Detail: Huckleberry Finn is the title character of the Mark Twain novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

In the Prose Edda, Finn is of the lineage of Thor.

Male Variations:

Finn
Finnr (Old Norse)
Finnur
Fionn (Gaelic)

Female Variations:

Finn
Finna

Idunn

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Alla

Idun by Arthur Rackham

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Ever young; rejuvenator.”

Pronunciation: (EE-doon) [“oo” short like in “book”]

Detail: In Norse mythology Idunn is the goddess of spring and wife of Bragi. She is the keeper of the apples of the gods. Whoever eats of these apples will be granted eternal life and youth.

Variations:

Idonea
Idonia
Idony (ID-uh-nee)
Idun
Idunn
Ithun (EE-thoon)
Ydun

Lokasenna

Posted on March 14, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Loki’s flyting; Loki’s quarrel.”

Pronunciation: (LOK-a-SEN-na)

Nicknames: Loka, Lok, Loki, Senna

Detail: Lokasenna is one of the poems of the Poetic Edda. In this poem the gods exchange insults with Loki.

Frigga

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Beloved lady; to love.”

Detail: Old Norse Frigg, Old Saxon Fri, and Old English Frig are derived from Germanic Frijjō. The root also appears in Old Saxon fri which means “beloved lady”, in Swedish as fria “to propose for marriage” and in Icelandic as frjá which means “to love.”

TGIF TFIF (Thank Frigg It’s Friday!) 😉

Yes, Friday came from the Old English frīgedæg, meaning the day of Frigg. In most Germanic languages the day is named after Freyja, such as Frīatag (Old High German), Freitag (Modern German), Freyjudagr (Old Norse), Vrijdag (Dutch), Fredag (Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish)—but Freyja and Frigg are frequently identified with each other.

Frigg is a major Norse goddess, queen of Asgard (Norse God Headquarters). Frigg appears mainly in mythological stories as wife of Odin and a mother of Baldur. She is also has the power of foresight, yet she never reveals what she knows to anyone.

Ask

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: “Of the ash tree.”

Pronunciation: (ahsk)

Detail: From the Germanic element ask meaning “ash-tree”

According to Norse mythology, the first humans were carved from trees by Odin and his brothers Vili and Ve. They cut down an Ash tree and from it made the first man, Ask. From an elm tree they carved the first woman, Embla.

Skula

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: Debated “Skull; future.”

Pronunciation: (SKOO-lah)

Nicknames: Sku, Suki

Detail: One suggestion is that it is derived from Old Norse, there are a few possibilities: From the word skàli, meaning hut or shed, or from scala, meaning skull.

Skuld means “future” in Old Norse. She was one of the three Norns, or goddesses of destiny, in Norse mythology. She was also one of the Valkyries.

Groa

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Alla

Photo: Signe Vilstrup; Model: Charlotte Fogh Høyer

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Icelandic

Meaning: “Grow.”

Pronunciation: (GROH-ah)

Nicknames: Gro

Detail: A Scandinavian goddess of healing

Fulla

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “The Filler; Bountiful.”

Pronunciation: (FOO-lah)

Nicknames: Fu, Ulla

Detail: In Norse mythology she was a goddess of abundance who acted as Frigga‘s attendant and messenger.

Variations:

Folla
Volla (A German goddess of healing.)

Himinglava

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Heaven-Gleaming.”

Pronunciation: ()

Nicknames: Himi, Himla, Glava

Detail: “Heaven-Gleaming” interprets this as referring to “that through which one can see the heavens” or “transparent Wave”.

One of the nine wave daughters of Ægir (eh-geer) and Ran (rawn), a giant and goddess who both represent the sea in Norse mythology. Each of their names are poetic terms for different characteristics of ocean waves.

The Nine Wave Daughters:

Blodughadda

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Bloody Hair.”

Pronunciation: ()

Nicknames: Blod, Bloda, Hadda

Detail: “Bloody Hair” interprets this as referring to “reddish foam atop a wave”.

The Nine Wave Daughters:

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Alla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Frothing Wave.”

Pronunciation: (OON-nur)

Nicknames: Unn

Detail: One of the nine wave daughters of Ægir (eh-geer) and Ran (rawn), a giant and goddess who both represent the sea in Norse mythology. Each of their names are poetic terms for different characteristics of ocean waves.

The Nine Wave Daughters: