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Pronounciation of Old Norse

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Runic Alphabet and Practice of The Alphabet

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English-Old Norse Dictionary for Beginners.

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Gods of The Norse Mythology.

Norse Gods (And Other Deities) List

Having seen various incorrect, incomplete and inaccurate lists of Norse gods circulating Tumblr, I have decided to write my own and also include common terminology alongside. I will also include other beings who exist within the old lore and modern traditions.

I have opted to include the names in Norwegian, with translations in parenthesise after, along with a brief summary of some of the associations given to some of those gods. Be aware that, as an overview, brevity is necessary here and the individuals should not be oversimplified to basic aspects in your practice!

Æser (Æsir, Male Gods)

Balder (Baldr, Baldur) - Light, purity, rebirth

Brage (Bragi) - Poetry, eloquence, wisdom and music

Delling (Dellingr) - The new day, dawn

Forsete (Forseti) - Justice and reconciliation

Frøy (Freyr) - Vaner, virility, fertility, the sacred religious position of royalty, prosperity, good weather and sunshine

Heimdall (Heimdallr) - The senses, premonition or foreknowledge

Hermod (Hermóðr) - Bravery, spirit, possibly a former mortal hero/king elevated to the Æsir

Hjuke (Hjúki) - Man, lunar activity, lunar phases, moon craters, brother of Bil (the Scandinavian children in the moon)

Hod (Höðr, Hodr) - The blind god, darkness, rebirth, second chances

Høne (Hænir, Hœnir) - Survival, sense/spirit, beauty,

Lodur (Lóðurr) - Blood, warmth, life, 

Loke (Loki) - Change, creativity, ambiguity, impulsiveness

Lyter (Lýtir) - Premonition, foresight, prediction, prophecy

Magne (Magni) - Strength, development, son of Tor

Meile - Son of Odin, brother of Tor

Mime (Mímir) - Wisdom, knowledge, memory, advice

Måne (Máni) - The moon, the night sky

Njord (Njörðr) - Vaner, the sea, harbours, ports, seafaring, wind, fishing, wealth/prosperity, and crop fertility

Od (Óðr) - Madness, fury, eagerness, excitement

Odin (Óðinn) - Father, war, battle, victory, death, wisdom, runes, magic, poetry, charms

Tor (Þórr, Thor) - Thunder, lightning, storms, rain, strength, protection, hallowing, healing, fertility

Ty (Týr, Tyr) - Law, sacrifice, heroism, glory, war

Ull (Ullr) - Skiing, archery, hunting, weapons, shields, personal combat, oaths

Vidar (Víðarr) - Vengeance, atonement, preparation, survival, silence

Vilje (Vili) - Will, willpower, moderation, the middle, wit, intelligence, touch, sense, motion

Ve (Vé) - Countenance, appearance, facial expression, speech, hearing, sight

Våle (Váli) - Revenge, bravery, daring, marksmanship, survival, rebirth

Åsynjer (Ásynjur, Female Gods)

Bil - Woman, lunar activity, phases of the moon, sister of Hjuke (the Scandinavian children in the moon)

Eir - Help, healing, protection, mercy, grace, calm

Fjorgyn/Jord (Fjörgyn/Jörð) - Earth, the world, nature, greenery

Frigg - Mother, love, fate, prophecy, marriage, birth, midwifery

Frøya (Freyja) - Vaner, fertility, love, passion, sex, sexuality, beauty, fertility, gold, magic, war, death

Fulla - domesticity, cleaning, housekeeping, listening, confidant, secrecy

Gersemi - Precious, beauty, blonde hair

Gjevjon (Gefjun) - Virginity, plowing, female independence 

Gnå (Gná) - Messenger, errands, crossing planes of existence, travel through land, air and water

Hnoss - Treasure, beauty, brunette hair

Idunn (Iðunn) - Youth, vigour, apples, love

Ilm - Fragrance, aroma, smells

Irpa - Guardian goddess, Hålogaland

Lin (Hlín) - Weddings, domestic sphere, flax, onion, fabrics

Lovn (Lofn) - Benevolence, kindness, gentleness, consolation

Nanna - Loyalty, empathy

Njorun - Soil, the land

Rind (Rindr) - Princess/goddess/giantess, mother of Våle from the East

Rån (Rán) - Sea, protection from drowning, fishing

Sigyn - Loyalty, burden, sadness

Siv (Sif) - Fields, wheat, fertility, family, wedlock

Sjavn (Sjöfn) - Love, sex, desire

Snotra - Wisdom, intelligence, cleverness, appropriate conduct

Sol (Sól) - The sun, warmth, daylight

Syn - Refusal, denial, speaking out, legal defence

Såga (Sága) - Seeress, all-seeing, companionship, drinking partner

Torgerd Hølgebrud (Þorgerðr Holgabrúðr) - Guardian goddess, Hålogaland, heathen shrines

Var (Vör) - Honesty, awareness, caution, carefulness

Vår (Vár) - Oaths (and punishing oath breakers), pledges, agreements, betrothal

Jotner (Jötnar, Elemental Giants)

Aurvandil - Star, planet, Orion & Big Dipper constellations

Bauge (Baugi) - Farmer, money, wages

Dag (Dagr) - Day, light, rides Skinfakse

Fornjot (Fornjótr) - Ancient giant, ancestor, original, owner

Frosti (Jökull) - Cold, winter, frost, ice, icicles, glaciers

Fårbaute (Fárbauti) - Hitting, striking, cruelty, danger, violence

Geirrød (Geirröd) - Entrapment, cruelty, aggression, violence

Gyme - Hills, Mounds

Helblinde (Helblindi) - “Hel Blinder”, “All Blind”

Hyme (Hymir) - Brewing, cauldron, thick skull

Kåre (Kári) - Wind, scathe, howl, sails

Loke (Loki) - Change, creativity, ambiguity, impulsiveness

Loge (Logi) - Fire, wildfire, 

Mime (Mímir) - Knowledge, wisdom, memory, counsel, Mimes Brønn (Mímisbrunnr)

Mokkurkalve - Clay, life, innocence, childishness

Norve (Narfi) - Narrow, oppressive, closed in, difficult birth

Rungne (Hrungnir) - Strength, brawling, fighting, whetstone

Snø (Snær) - Snow

Surt (Surtr) - Fire, heat, burning, blackness

Suttung (Suttungr) - Mead of poetry, orphaned, eagle

Tjaste (Þjazi, Thiazi) - Abduction of Idunn

Torre (Þorri, Thorri) - Black ice, frost, cold, winter

Trym (Þrymr, Thrymr) - Uproar, King of Jotner, 

Vale (Vali) - Unlucky, wolf, murdered his brother Norve

Vavtrudne (Vafþrúðnir) - Riddles, weaver of tales

Utgards-Loke (Útgarða-Loki) - The outer places, magic, illusion, beyond society, an alternate plane

Yme (Ymir) - The big bang, primordial, birth, the ancestor of all, elemental

Æge (Ægir) - Sea, ocean, sea creatures, protector of sailors

Gygrer (Gýgr, Elemental Giantess)

Angerboda (Angrboða) - Grief bringer, sorrow, Iron Wood

Aurboda ( Aurboða) - Gravel, mountains

Bestla - Mother to Odin, Vilje and Ve.

Driva (Drífa) - Snowfall

Fonn - Snowdrift

Gerd (Gerðr) - Beauty, light, fertility, earth

Grid (Gríðr) - Greed, vehemence, violence, impetuosity

Hel - Death, Helheim (the underworld), Náströnd (“Corpse Shore”)

Hyrrokkin - Fire smoked, smoke, strength, wolves, serpents

Jernsaksa (Járnsaxa) - Iron knife, mother to Magne

Lauvøy (Laufey) - Needle, slender, weak

Menglød (Menglöð) - Lives in a castle guarded by Fjölsviðr

Mjoll (Mjöll) - Powdered snow

Natt (Nótt) - Night, darkness, nightfall, counting time, rides Rimfakse

Skade (Skaði) - Damage, archery, hunting, skiing, winter, mountains

Vetter (Vættir, Beings) & Other

Alver (Elves) - Light/Dark/Black, personification of nature

Andvare (Andvari) - Dwarf, “careful one”, waterfall, fish, wealth, magic ring called Andvaranaut

Ask og Embla - The first humans, ancestors of humanity

Diser (Dísir) - Female protective deities/spirits, fate

Dverger (Dvergar) - Dwarfs, metallurgy, wisdom, smithing, mining, crafting

Einherjer (Einherjar) - Honoured dead, fallen in battle, sent to Folkvang or Valhalla

Fenrisulven (Fenrisúlfr) - Death, destruction, rage, the end of times, fen-dweller

Fjolne (Fjölnir) - Swedish king, Vaner, son of Frøy and Gerd

Kvase (Kvasir) - Wisdom, knowledge, skaldship, poetry, mead, blood, juice

Midgardsormen (Jörmungandr, Midgard Serpent) - Sea serpent, poison, self-reflexivity, cyclicality

Norner (Norns) - Weavers of fate, Wyrd, destiny, birth, death

Sigurd Fåvnesbane - Stag, hero, wisdom, prophecy, speak to birds

Starkad (Starkaðr) - Jotun, hero, great warrior, many arms cut off by Tor

Troll - Isolated natural landmarks, strength, slow, dim witted, 

Valkyrjer (Valkyries) - Choosers of the slain, Odin’s maids, spirits, ferocity, death, ravens, wolves

Vanlande (Vanlandi) - Hero, Swedish king, Vaner, “Man from the land of the Vaner”, 

Vedfinn (Viðfinnr) - Father of Hjuke and Bil

Vetter (Vættir) - landvette, skogsvette, husvette, vannvette, sjøvette, havvette, hulder, nøkken, draugen, nisse, troll, huldrefolk, deildegasten, dradokke, trollkatt, basilisk, krake, utburd, lyktemenn, varulv, marmæl, lindorm

Volund (Völundr) - Blacksmith, magical powers, sword maker, hero, alvedrotten (Chieftan of elves)

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I’ve seen this mistake made far too many times by folks in Pagan circles who really should know better, so here goes.

Germanic does not mean German.

Germanic describes a language family which includes Old Norse, Modern English, Anglo Saxon, German, Afrikaans, Icelandic, Swedish, Danish, Scots, Frisian, Gothic, and many others. It’s the group of languages, both extant and archaic, that are derived Proto-Germanic. The term also refers to the cultures which have historically spoken Germanic languages.

Norse is a more specific term than Germanic, the Norse languages are the Germanic languages of Scandinavia, such as Norwegian and Icelandic.

When someone says “Germanic gods” they mean “gods of the same pantheon as Odin/Wotan/Woden, whatever they’re called locally and wherever in Europe they were worshipped” (assuming the person knows what they’re talking about), whereas “Norse gods” refers to “the same pantheon as Odin, from wherever in Viking Era Scandinavia”  (whether or not the Norse Odin is the same being as the Anglo Saxon Woden is a knotty theological question that has no place in this post, maybe later).

Also, despite Finland’s geographical position, Finnish is not Norse, or even Germanic. The Finnish language isn’t even Indo-European (nearly all of Europe speaks Indo-European languages, Finland is a notable exception) but Finno-Ugric (other Finno-Urgic languages include Estonian and Hungarian)

Historically, the Finns did not work with the Norse Pantheon, but had their own system. Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, Louhi, Tapio, and Ahti are a few Finnish deities.

So there, now I have a post to throw at folks who start spouting gibberish about “but it isn’t Germanic ‘cause it’s not from Germany, it’s Norse from like Finland and stuff”. I’ve made this post a bit in depth because I like to be informative, but it really isn’t that hard. Germanic = most of northern Europe, including but not limited to Germany and the present day German language Finnish = not Germanic