List of Names

Here is a reference list of deities, places and important animals and objects that can be found in the Norse Mythology.

Aegir – A giant; god of the sea; married to the giantess Ran; father of nine daughters; famous for his beer and drinking parties.

Aesir – One group of gods, most of them live in Godheim.

Alfheim – One of the nine worlds, home of the Light-Elves, ruled by Frey.

Amsvartnir – The lake in which the islet where the Fenrir wolf is bound is located.

Andvari – A dwarf; forced by Loki to surrender all his treasures to pay a blood-debt.

Angrboda – A giantess; mistress of Loki; mother of the Fenrir wolf, the Midgard serpent and Hel.

Asgard – The dwelling of the Aesir gods and goddesses, situated in Godheim.

Ask – The first male human, created from an ash tree.

Audhumla – A cow created from melted ice in Ginnungagap. She fed Ymir and licked Buri into creation.

Baldur – An Aesir god; son of Odin and Frigg; brother of Hermod; half-brother of Thor, Vali, Vidar and Hodir; married to Nanna; father of Forseti. The most handsome and well-liked of all gods. Killed by mistake by his half-brother Hodir. Resurrected after Ragnarok.

Baugi – Brother of the giant Suttung, helped Odin to steal the mead of poetry.

Bergelmir – Ancestor of the new generation giants after Ymir was killed.

Bestla – A giantess, wife of Borr. Mother of Odin, Vili and Ve.

Beyla – Servant of Frey.

Bifrost – The bridge between Godheim and Mannheim; the rainbow.

Bilskirnir – The largest building in all the worlds, located in Thrudvang.

Boltorn – The giant who taught Odin the nine magic songs that gave the runes power.

Borr – Son of the first god Buri. Father of Odin, Vili and Ve.

Bragi – An Aesir god; married to Idun; father of numerous un-named children. God of poetry.

Breidablik – The dwelling of Baldur and Nanna.

Brisingamen – Freya’s famous necklace.

Brokk – A dwarf, one of the creators of Draupnir, Gullifarni and Mjolnir.

Buri – The first god, created from salty stones in Ginnungagap.

Byggvir – Servant of Frey.

Dag – The young man driving his cart across the sky during day. Son of Natt.

Draupnir – Odin’s golden ring which produces eight equal rings every ninth night.

Dwarves – Creatures that are sometimes called Dark-Elves, the best blacksmiths in the world.

Einherjar – The fallen warriors that have been taken to Valhalla.

Eir – An Aesir goddess; goddess of healing.

Eldir – A servant of Aegir.

Embla – The first female human, created from an elm tree.

Fafnir – Son of Hreidmar; brother of Otr and Regin. Killed his father and turned into a serpent to guard his stolen treasure.

Fenrir – A giant wolf; son of Loki and Angrboda; brother of the Midgard serpent and Hel; half-brother of Vali, Nari and Sleipnir. Bound by the gods until Ragnarok, when he will kill Odin and then be killed by Vidar.

Fensalir – The dwelling of Frigg.

Fimbulwinter – “the mighty winter” which will announce the beginning of Ragnarok.

Fire-giants – Creatures living in Muspelheim, evil enemies of gods and humans.

Firmafeng – A servant of Aegir.

Fjalar – One of the dwarves who killed Kvasir.

Folkvang – The dwelling of Freya, where she takes her share of fallen warriors.

Forseti – An Aesir god; son of Baldur and Nanna. The judge among the gods and humans.

Freki – One of Odin’s wolves in Valhalla.

Frey – A Vanir god; son of Njord; twin brother of Freya; married to the giantess Gerd. Ruler of Vanaheim. God of fertility. Will be killed by Surt during Ragnarok.

Freya – A Vanir goddess; daughter of Njord; twin sister of Frey; married to Od (who left her); mother of Hnoss and Gersemi. Dwells in Folkvang where she welcomes fallen warriors. Goddess of fertility.

Frigg – An Aesir goddess; daughter of Fjorgyn; married to Odin; mother of Baldur and Hermod. Goddess of wisdom.

Fulla – An Aesir goddess; goddess of confidentiality; servant of Frigg.

Galar – One of the dwarves who killed Kvasir.

Garm – Hel’s watchdog, guarding Helheim. Will kill and be killed by Tyr during Ragnarok.

Gefjon – An Aesir goddess; married to Skjold; mother of four sons. Goddess of virgins.

Gerd – A giantess; daughter of Gymir and Aurboda; married to Frey. One of the fairest of all women; owner of Frey’s sword that can fight by itself.

Geri – One of Odin’s wolves in Valhalla.

Gersemi – Daughter of Freya and Od; sister of Hnoss.

Giants – Creatures living in Jotunheim, enemies of gods and humans. Violent but wise and not altogether evil.

Ginnungagap – The empty void between Niflheim and Muspelheim.

Gjallarhorn – Heimdall’s horn.

Gjoll – One of the rivers in Helheim.

Gleipnir – The chain that binds the Fenrir wolf until Ragnarok.

Glitnir – The dwelling of Forseti.

Gna – An Aesir goddess. The messenger of Frigg and the other goddesses.

Gnitaheid – The dwelling of Fafnir.

Godheim – One of the nine worlds, home of the Aesir gods and goddesses.

Grid – A giantess; daughter of Geirrod; mistress of Odin; mother of Vidar. Once lent her strength-belt and iron gloves to Thor.

Groa – A sorceress.

Gullfaxi – The horse of Thor; he gave it to his son Magni.

Gullinbursti – Frey’s golden boar which spreads daylight around it and can run faster than any horse.

Gullveig – A sorceress among the Vanir; most likely another name for Freya. Caused the Aesir-Vanir War.

Gungnir – Odin’s spear that never misses its target.

Hati – The huge wolf hunting Mane; brother of Skoll.

Heid – Another name for Gullveig/Freya.

Heimdall – An Aesir god; was born by nine women. Guardian of the bridge Bifrost. Established the social classes of humans. Will kill and be killed by Loki during Ragnarok.

Hel – Daughter or Loki and Angrboda; sister of the Fenrir wolf and the Midgard serpent; half-sister of Vali, Nari and Sleipnir. Goddess of death, ruler of Helheim. She looks like half a living person, half a blueish corpse.

Helheim – The death realm, ruled by Hel and guarded by Garm.

Hermod – An Aesir god; son of Odin and Frigg; brother of Baldur; half-brother of Thor, Vali, Vidar and Hodir. Messenger of the gods; rides Odin’s horse Sleipnir on his missions; welcomes fallen warriors to Valhalla.

Himinbjorg – The dwelling of Heimdall.

Hlidskjalf – The high seat of Odin, from which one would be able to see anywhere in any world.

Hlin – An Aesir goddess; a patron goddess.

Hnoss – Daughter of Freya and Od; sister of Gersemi.

Hodir – An Aesir god; son of Odin; half-brother of Thor, Baldur, Hermod, Vali and Vidar. The blind god; tricked by Loki to kill Baldur. Killed by his half-brother Vali. Resurrected after Ragnarok.

Hoener – Another name for Vili. Sent as hostage to the Vanir together with Mimir. Often travelled with Odin and Loki.

Hofvarpnir – Gna’s horse that can fly.

Hreidmar – Father of Otr, Fafnir and Regin.

Hrungnir – The strongest of the giants, killed by Thor in a duel.

Huginn – One of Odin’s ravens that bring him news from all the worlds.

Hymir – A giant that Thor went fishing with once.

Hvergelmer – A well of poisonous water in Niflheim.

Idun – An Aesir goddess; married to Bragi; mother of numerous un-named children. Owner of the golden apples that gave eternal youth to those who ate them.

Jarnsaxa – A giantess; mistress of Thor; mother of Magni.

Jord – A giantess and Aesir goddess of the Earth and all living things; daughter of Natt and Anarr; half-sister of Dag; mistress of Odin; mother of Thor.

Jormungand – Another name for the Midgard serpent.

Jotunheim – One of the nine worlds, home of the giants.

Kvasir – A wise man created from the spit of some Aesir and some Vanir. Killed by the dwarves Fjalar and Galar; his blood mixed with honey created the powerful mead of poetry.

Lif – The only female human who will survive Ragnarok; the ancestor of the new generation humans.

Lifthrasir – The only male human who will survive Ragnarok; the ancestor of the new generation humans.

Light-Elves – Creatures that are something between gods and humans.

Loki – A giant, but as he is the blood-brother of Odin he is free to dwell in the worlds of the gods and he spends most of his time there and is regarded as a god – the trickster god. Son of Farbauti and Laufey/Nal; brother of Byleist and Helblindi; married to Sigyn; father of Nari, Vali, the Fenrir wolf, the Midgard serpent, Hel and Sleipnir.

Lyngvi – The islet where the Fenrir wolf is bound.

Magni – An Aesir god; son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa; half-brother of Modi, Ull and Thrud. When 3 days old he freed Thor who had been stuck.

Mane – The young man guiding the moon across the sky. Son of Mundilfari; brother of Sol. Captured by the huge wolf Hati during Fimbulwinter.

Mannheim – One of the nine worlds, home of humans.

Midgard – The fortress in Mannheim protecting humans from the giants.

Midgard serpent – Son of Loki and Angrboda; brother of the Fenrir wolf and Hel; half-brother of Vali, Nari and Sleipnir. Encircles the whole world. Will leave the sea during Ragnarok to kill Thor as well as be killed by him.

Mimir – The guardian of Mimir’s Well. Advisor of Hoener, sent as hostage to the Vanir but beheaded, later the advisor of Odin.

Mimir’s Well – The well of wisdom, located in Jotunheim beneath the root of Yggdrasil.

Mjolnir – Thor’s hammer which always kills if it hits its target, and returns to its owner after each throw.

Modi – An Aesir god; son of Thor and Sif; brother of Thrud; half-brother of Magni and Ull.

Muninn – One of Odin’s ravens that bring him news from all the worlds.

Muspelheim – The world of fire. Home of the fire-demons.

Nanna – An Aesir goddess; goddess of sorrow; daughter of Nep; married to Baldur; mother of Forseti. Died of broken heart when Baldur was killed. Resurrected after Ragnarok.

Nari – Son of Loki and Sigyn; half-brother of Vali, the Fenrir wolf, the Midgard serpent, Hel and Sleipnir. Torn apart by his half-brother Vali (forced by the gods) during the punishment of Loki.

Natt – The woman driving her cart across the sky during night. Mother of Dag.

Nidhogg – The serpent in Niflheim that chews on the roots of Yggdrasil.

Niflheim – The world of ice, frost and fog. Home of the shadow-beings and the serpent Nidhogg.

Niflhel – The place where those who die in Helheim end up.

Njord – A Vanir god; father of Frey and Freya; married to the giantess Skadi. God of fishing.

Noatun – The dwelling of Njord.

Norns – Female creatures who control the fates of gods and humans.

Od – Married to Freya, but left her; father of Hnoss and Gersemi.

Odin – An Aesir god; son of Borr and Bestla; brother of Vili and Ve; father of Thor, Baldur, Hermod, Vali, Vidar and Hodir. The chief god; god of wisdom, witchcraft, poetry and war. Will be killed by the Fenrir wolf during Ragnarok.

Otr – Son of Hreidmar; brother of Fafnir and Regin. Killed by Loki.

Ragnarok – The End of the World.

Ran – A giantess, goddess of the sea; married to Aegir; mother of nine daughters.

Ratatosk – The squirrel running up and down Yggdrasil.

Regin – Son of Hreidmar; brother of Otr and Fafnir. Killed his father but fled from Fafnir; talked Sigurd into killing Fafnir.

Rig – Another name for Heimdall.

Rimfaxe – The horse pulling the cart of Natt.

Rind – An Aesir goddess; seduced by Odin; mother of Vali. Many men try to seduce her, but in fact she prefers women.

Roskva – Servant of Thor.

Serimnir – Odin’s boar that is slaughtered and cooked every day, and is resurrected every evening.

Sif – An Aesir goddess; married to Thor; mother of Thrud, Modi and Ull. Famous for her long, golden hair.

Sigmund – Father of Sigurd Fafnirsbane.

Sigurd – Son of Sigmund; killed Fafnir and Regin.

Sigyn – An Aesir goddess; married to Loki; mother of Nari. Sits by Loki’s side to collect the venom from the snake above his head in basin.

Sindri – A dwarf, one of the creators of Draupnir, Gullifarni and Mjolnir.

Skadi – A giantess; daughter of Thjazi; married to Njord. Dwells in Thrymheim in the mountains. Goddess of skiing; a very good huntress.

Skidbladnir – Frey’s ship, which always has tailwind and can fit in a small box.

Skinfaxe – The horse pulling the cart of Dag.

Skirnir – Frey’s envoy. Wooed Gerd for Frey and was given Frey’s sword which could fight by itself as thanks – but he gave it to Gerd.

Skoll – The huge wolf hunting Sol; brother of Hati.

Skrymir – A giant guiding Thor and Loki to the castle of Utgard-Loki. In fact Utgard-Loki himself.

Skuld – One of the three norns at the Well of Urd; she represents the future.

Sleipnir – Odin’s eight-legged horse; son of Loki; half-brother of Vali, Nari, the Fenrir wolf, the Midgard serpent and Hel.

Sol – The young woman guiding the sun across the sky. Daughter of Mundilfari; sister of Mane. Captured by the huge wolf Skoll during Fimbulwinter.

Surt – A fire-giant, ruler of Muspelheim. Will lead the army from Muspelheim in Ragnarok.

Suttung – The giant who killed the dwarves Fjalar and Galar, and stole the mead of poetry.

Svartalfheim – One of the nine worlds, home of the dwarves.

Thjalfi – Servant of Thor.

Thjazi – A giant; father of Skadi; kidnapped Idun and her golden apples. Killed by the gods when he hunted Loki and Idun on their way back to Asgard.

Thor – An Aesir god; son of Odin and the giantess Jord; half-brother of Baldur, Hermod, Vali, Vidar and Hodir; married to Sif; father of Modi, Magni and Thrud.

Thrud – An Aesir goddess; daughter of Thor and Sif; sister of Modi; half-sister of Magni and Ull. Goddess of physical strength.

Thrudvang – The dwelling of Thor and Sif.

Thrym – A giant and master thief. Once stole Mjolnir from Thor.

Thrymheim – The dwelling of the giant Thjazi and his daughter Skadi.

Tyr – An Aesir god; son of the giant Hymir. God of war, the bravest of the gods. Sacrificed his hand when the gods bound the Fenrir wolf. Will kill and be killed by Garm during Ragnarok.

Ull – An Aesir god; son of Sif; step-son of Thor; half-brother of Modi and Thrud. God of winter-hunting, the best of archers and skiers.

Urd – One of the three norns at the Well of Urd; she represents the past.

Utgard-Loki – A powerful man who outsmarted Thor and Loki.

Valhalla – Odin’s golden hall of fallen warriors, where they fight each other to prepare for Ragnarok, and eat and drink as much as they want.

Vali – Son of Loki; half-brother of Nari, the Fenrir wolf, the Midgard serpent, Hel and Sleipnir. Turned into a wolf by the gods, to tear his half-brother Nari apart during the punishment of Loki.

Vali – Son of Odin and Rind; half-brother of Thor, Baldur, Hermod, Vidar and Hodir. Was born to avenge Baldur.

Valkyries – Warrior women who dwell in Valhalla with Odin; they pick warriors who will die in battle and bring them to Valhalla.

Vanaheim – One of the nine worlds, home of the Vanir gods and godesses.

Vanir – One group of gods, most of them live in Vanaheim.

Ve – An Aesir god; son of Borr and Bestla; brother of Odin and Vili.

Verdandi – One of the three norns at the Well of Urd; she represents the present.

Vidar – An Aesir god; son of Odin and the giantess Grid; half-brother of Thor, Baldur, Hermod, Vali and Hodir. Will kill the Fenrir wolf during Ragnarok.

Vili – An Aesir god; son of Borr and Bestla; brother of Odin and Ve. Often known as Hoener.

Vingolf – “the hall of friends” in Valhalla, where goddesses are allowed to visit.

Well of Urd – The well where three norns sit and control the fates of gods and humans. Located in Godheim at the root of Yggdrasil.

Yggdrasil – The world tree.

Ymir – The first giant, created from ice from Niflheim and fire from Muspelheim.