List of Germanic deities and heroes

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A scene from one of the Merseburg Incantations: the gods Wodan and Balder stand before the goddesses Sunna, Sinthgunt, Volla and Friia (Emil Doepler, 1905) In Germanic paganism, the indigenous religion of the ancient Germanic peoples that inhabited Germanic Europe, there were a number of different gods and goddesses. Germanic deities are attested from numerous sources, including works of literature, various chronicles, runic inscriptions, personal names, place names, and other sources. This article presents a comprehensive list of these deities.

Contents
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1 Gods 2 Goddesses 3 Heroes 4 Pseudo-Norse gods and goddesses 5 Notes 6 References

[edit] Gods
Name Name meaning Associations Attested consorts and sexual partners Attested children Attestations Merseburg Incantation, Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Gesta Danorum, Chronicon

Old Norse Baldr (Old form is Norse), contested. Old Light, beauty Bldg (Old English form English) directly

Nanna

Forseti

translates as "shining day".[1] Connected with Bragi (Old Bragr Skaldship Iunn Norse) ("poetry")[2] Possibly "the Dellingr (Old Possibly the dayspring"[3] or Ntt Norse) personified dawn "shining one"[4] Forseti (Old "Chairman"[5] Glitnir, justice None attested Norse) Freyr (Old Norse), Frea (Old English), "Lord"[6] Yngvi (Old Norse), Ing (Old English) Fertility, Gullinbursti, Skblanir, lfheimr, his servants Skrnir, Byggvir, and Beyla

Lethrense, Annales Lundenses, possibly Beowulf None attested Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, skaldic poetry Poetic Edda, Prose Edda

Dagr None attested

Gerr

Heimdallr "WorldGjallarhorn (Old Norse) brightener"[7] Hermr (Old Norse), "War-spirit"[8] Heremod (Old English)

None attested

None attested

Hr (Old Norse)

"Warrior"[9]

Blindness (Prose None attested Edda)

Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum, Poetic Edda, Prose Fjlnir Edda, Heimskringla, (Heimskringla) gmundar ttr dytts, Gesta Danorum, various others Prose Edda, Poetic None attested Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Sceaf (Old Edda, Beowulf, Old English only) English royal genealogies Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Gesta Danorum, None attested Chronicon Lethrense, Annales Lundenses, possibly Beowulf None attested Poetic Edda, skaldic poetry Poetic Edda, skaldic poetry Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Heimskringla, Loka Tttur, Norwegian rune poem, Danish folk tales Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Poetic Edda, Prose

Hnir (Old Norse) Lurr (Old Norse)

Contested

Contested

Creation (Poetic Edda), indecision, None attested swiftness, longlegs Creation (Poetic None attested Edda)

None attested Nari/Narfi, Vli, Fenrir, Hel, Jormungandr, and Sleipnir None attested

Loki (Old Norse)

Contested

Trickery, Psychic Sigyn Vampires

Meili (Old Norse) Njrr (Old

"the lovely one"[10] Contested

None attested The Vanir, the

None attested

Once unnamed Freyr, Freyja

Norse)

Odin: inn (North Germanic), Wden (West Germanic), *Wdanaz "Frenzy"[11] (ProtoGermanic) (see List of names of Odin for more) r (Old Norse) Saxnt (Old Saxon), Seaxnet, Seaxnat, Saxnat (Old English) Thor: rr (North Germanic), unor (Old English), Thunaer (Old Saxon), Donar (Southern Germanic areas) Tr (Old Norse), Tw, Tg (both Old English), Ziu (Old High German) "The frenzied one"[12]

sea, seafaring, wind, fishing, wealth, and crop fertility Creation, death, Einherjar, Geri and Freki, Gungnir, Hugin and Munin, knowledge, place names, poetry, royalty, runic alphabet, sacrifice, the valkyries, Valhalla, warfare, Wednesday, Wild Hunt, wisdom Extended absences

sister, once Skai

Edda, Heimskringla, Egils saga, Hauksbk ring oath, place names

Frigg (consort), Skai See Sons of (Heimskringla Odin only), Gunnl, Jr, Rindr

Most attestations of Germanic paganism

Freyja

Hnoss, Gersemi

Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Old Saxon Baptismal Vow, Old English royal genealogies

Contested

None attested

None attested

None attested

Lightning, Thunder, Mjllnir, Jrngreipr, "Thunder", all Megingjr, names stem Bilskirnir, Sif (consort), from Protorheimr, Jrnsaxa Germanic rvangr, [13] *unraR Thursday, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjstr, Rskva, jlfi "God", derived from ProtoGermanic *Twaz[14] War, Thing (assembly), Fenrir, Tuesday, place names

Mi and Magni, rr, Ullr

Most attestations of Germanic paganism

Unnamed, possibly Zisa

None attested

Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, skaldic poetry, Hadrian's Wall altar Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, skaldic poetry, Gesta Danorum, Thorsberg chape, toponyms in Norway and Sweden

Ullr (Old Norse)

Ydalir, skis, Something like archery, ring "Glory"[15] oaths, hunting, shields

None attested

None attested

Vli (Old Norse) Viarr (Old Norse) V (Old Norse) Vili (Old Norse)

Contested

Vengeance

None attested

None attested

Possibly "wide Vengeance, None attested None attested ruler"[16] silence Creation, brother V (shrine)[17] Possibly Frigg None attested of Vili and Odin Creation, brother "Will"[18] Possibly Frigg None attested of V and Odin.

Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Gesta Danorum (as Bous) Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Edda

[edit] Goddesses
Name Name meaning Badu-, may be cognate to ProtoGermanic *badwameaning "battle." The second portion of the name -henna may be related to henae, which appears commonly in the names of matrons.[1] Possibly "moment"[19] Proposed as related to "cow," "bean," or "bee."[20] "Peace, clemency"[21] or "help, mercy"[22] "East"[23] Associations Attested consorts and sexual partners Attested children Attestations

Baduhenna (Latinized Germanic)

Frisia, sacred grove

None attested None attested

Tacitus' Annals

Bil (Old Norse) Beyla (Old Norse) Eir (Old Norse) Eostre (Old English) Freyja (Old Norse)

Moon Freyr Medical skill

None attested None attested Byggvir None attested

Prose Edda Poetic Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Edda De temporum ratione Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Heimskringla, Srla ttr Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Gesta Danorum, Historia gentis Langobardorum Merseburg Incantations,

None attested None attested

"Lady"[24]

Eostur-mna, None attested None attested Dawn Beauty, Brsingamen, Hnoss, cats, death, r Gersemi Flkvangr, Seid, Sessrmnir Distaff, Fensalir, Odin foreknowledge Golden ribbon, chastity, eski

Frigg (Old Norse) Fulla (Old Norse)

Derived from IndoEuropean root meaning "Love"[25] Possibly "bountiful"[26]

Baldr, Hr

None attested None attested

Prose Edda Gefjun (Old Norse) Related to "giving"[27] Chastity, plowing, Zealand, dead virgins Beauty Beauty Errands, sky travel, Hfvarpnir Skjldr, unnamed jtunn Four oxen Prose Edda, Ynglinga saga, Vlsa ttr, Heimskringla

Gersemi (Old "Treasure, precious Norse) object"[28] Gerr (Old Norse) Gn (Old Norse) "Fenced in"[29]

None attested None attested Freyr

Poetic Edda, Fjlnir Prose Edda, (Heimskringla) Heimskringla Prose Edda

Possibly related to Old Norse Gnfa meaning "to project"[30] Gullveig (Old Possibly "gold Norse) drink"[31] Possibly related to the valkyrie name Hariasa Herja or meaning "goddess with lots of hair"[32] Ultimately "one who Hel (Old covers up or hides Norse) something" Possibly related to the Old Norse term Hln (Old hleinir, itself Norse) possibly meaning "protects"[33] Possibly "the Hretha (Old famous" or "the English) victorious"[34] Hnoss (Old "Treasure"[33] Norse) Kijmahnrealis Iunn (Old Norse) Irpa (Old Norse) Lofn (Old Norse) Nanna (Old Norse) Possibly "ever young"[35] Possibly relating to "dark brown"[36]

None attested None attested

sir-Vanir War, None attested None attested rebirth, seid

Poetic Edda Stone from Cologne, Germany (CIL XIII 8185) Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Ynglingatal Poetic Edda, Prose Edda

Contested

None attested None attested

Hel, death

Dyggvi None attested (Ynglingatal)

Protective guardianship

None attested None attested

Hr-mna (modern month None attested None attested of March) Beauty, treasure None attested None attested None attested None attested None attested

De temporum ratione Prose Edda Prose Edda, skaldic poetry Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Jmsvkinga saga, Njls saga Prose Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Gesta Danorum, Chronicon

Apples, eternal Bragi None attested youth orgerr None attested None attested Hlgabrr Forbidden Potentially related to marriage, female None attested None attested "Praise"[37] kennings Possibly "mother" from nanna, or Death from grief Baldr Forseti potentially related to nan-, meaning "the

daring one"[38] Nerthus (Latinized Germanic) Njrun (Old Norse) Ntt (Old Norse) Rn (Old Norse) Rindr (Old Norse) Sga (Old Norse) Sandraudiga (Latinized Germanic) Sif (Old Norse) Sigyn (Old Norse) Sinthgunt (Old High German) Sjfn (Old Norse) Skai (Old Norse) Snotra (Old Norse) Sl (Old Norse), Sunna (Old High German) Syn (Old Norse) Tanfana (Latinized Feminine, Latinized form of what Njrr Earth, wagon would have looked like around 1 CE.[39] Possibly related to the Norse god Njrr None attested and the Roman [40] goddess Nerio "Night"[41] Night

Lethrense, Setre Comb None attested None attested Germania

None attested None attested Naglfari, once Aur, Jr, Annar, Dagr Delling

Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, skaldic poetry Prose Edda

"Theft, robbery"[42]

Possibly related to *Vrindr[43] Possibly "to see"[44] "She who dyes the sand red."[45] "In-lawrelationship"[46] "Victorious girlfriend"[47] Contested "Love"[46] Possibly related to Scandia.[48] "The clever one"[49]

Poetic Edda, Sea, net, death at Prose Edda, gir Nine daughters sea Frijfs saga hins frkna Poetic Edda, Rape, vengeance Odin Vli Prose Edda, Gesta Danorum Poetic Edda, Skkvabekkr None attested None attested Prose Edda, skaldic poetry None attested Golden hair Assisting the bound Loki Sunna, healing charms Love None attested None attested Thor Loki rr, Ullr Nari, Narfi and/or Vli North Brabant stone Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Edda Merseburg Incantations Prose Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Ynglinga saga Prose Edda Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, Merseburg Incantations Prose Edda Germania, Tamfanae sacrum

None attested None attested None attested None attested Ullr, Odin, once Njrr.

Snowshoes, Smingr snow, mountains Wisdom, grace Hrmfaxi, chariot Locked doors, court defense Autumn

None attested None attested

"Sun"[50]

Glen

"Refusal"[51] Unknown

None attested None attested None attested None attested

Gemanic) rr (Old Norse) orgerr Hlgabrr (Old Norse) "Power"[52]

Literally "orgerr Hlgi's Bride"[53]

Vr (Old Norse)

"Beloved"[54]

inscription Strength, Poetic Edda, chieftain None attested None attested Prose Edda, kennings Karlevi Runestone Jmsvkinga saga, Haakon Hlgi, possibly Njls saga, Sigurdsson, Irpa, None attested others Skldskaparml, Hlogaland Freyinga Saga Hearings on oaths and agreements, Poetic Edda, None attested None attested vengeance upon Prose Edda violation of agreements None attested None attested Prose Edda

Vr (Old Norse) Zisa

Possibly "the careful Wisdom, care one"[55] Augsburg, victory, Related to *Tiwaz September, Suevi

None attested Possibly Tyr

[edit] Heroes
Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2009)
Name Helgi Hjrvarsson (Old Norse) Helgi Hundingsbane (Old Norse) Ingeld (Old English) Sigmundr (Old Norse) Sigurdr (Old Norse) Sinfjtli (Old Norse) Starkar (Old Werewolf Freawaru Signy, Borghild, Hjrds Sinfjtli, Hamund, Helgi, Sigurd Gudrun Werewolf Beowulf, Widsith, Skjldunga saga and Bjarkarmur Name meaning Associations Attested consorts and sexual partners Attested children Attestations

Norse)

[edit] Pseudo-Norse gods and goddesses

Some figures sometimes presented as Norse deities do not occur in the ancient sources:

Astrild (Actually a synonym for Amor and Cupid invented and used by Nordic Baroque and Rococo authors. Might be confused with Freyja.) Jofur (Actually a synonym for Jupiter invented and used by Nordic Baroque and Rococo authors. Might be confused with Thor.)

The following pseudo-deities are presented in Encyclopedia Mythica as Norse:

Brono (Claimed to be the god of daylight and the son of Baldr. Original source unknown. Might be confused with Dagr or Forseti.) Geirrendour (Claimed to be the father of the billow maidens. Original source unknown. Might be confused with gir.) Glaur (Claimed to be the wife of Mundilfari. Original source unknown.) Glm (Claimed to be an attendant of Frigg. Source unknown.) Laga (Claimed to be the goddess of wells and springs. May be the same as Laha, a Celtic goddess of wells and springs.)