The Enigmatic Loki, a Trickster among Gods in Norse Mythology | Ancient Origins 21 December, 2014 - 22:29 Ryan Stone The Enigmatic Loki, a Trickster among Gods in Norse Mythology (Read the article on one page) The Norse trickster god, Loki is undoubtedly the most debated figure from Norse mythology to this day. Though he appears to be a scheming, mischievous deity who has no real loyalties, scholars still explore what his purpose might have been in the ancient stories. Was he merely a plot device, a foil for the AEsir, the pantheon of gods in Norse religion? His character surely meant more to the non-Christian Scandinavians than can be gleaned now, and though that purpose cannot be fully realized due to a lack of sufficient sources, an overview of who Loki was and what he did can loosely be outlined. According to Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda , Loki was the son of Fárbauti, a jötunn (giant), and Laufey, a lesser known female god.

His jötunn heritage does aid in explaining the complexity of his character, as the jötunns once went to war against the AEsir and are considered, in many ways, their enemies. Loki, as the son of a giant as well as a goddess, straddles the two warring factions, a trait which plagues his character throughout his mythology. He marries the minor goddess Sigyn, but has many affairs, his most notable with the giantess Angrboða, by whom he gives birth to Hel, the queen of Niflheim; Fenrir, the oversized wolf who is fated to kill Odin at Ragnarök; and Jörmungandr, the World Serpent banished to the seas. The trickster god also, interestingly enough, is the mother of Odin's great eight-legged steed Sleipnir, as Loki mated with a powerful male stallion while disguised as a mare. As his parentage and his progeny are all outside the normal state of affairs even in the godly world, scholars believe that there must have been pertinence to his connection to so many dark and powerful figures in the Norse pantheon.

Loki's relationship with the other gods is what causes most of the concern and confusion in modern scholarship. Loki is not shown as an outright evil god, though he does appear to take great pleasure in fooling or insulting the AEsir. One of the most notable examples is his fluctuating relationship with Thor, as recorded in two different poems both from the Codex Regius, which houses the Poetic Edda . "Lokasenna" tells of when Thor comes to the great hall of the sea god AEgir and immediately becomes bothered by Loki and his antics. Three times Thor threatens to silence Loki with his hammer Mjölnir, and three times Loki proceeds to insult him and Odin. At the end of the tale, Loki flees the scene, hiding from the AEsir for his harsh words, only to be found and captured, and bound to the rock where he will remain until Ragnarök. A depiction (1895) of Loki quarreling with the gods, as in the Poetic Edda poem Lokasenna. Public Domain For his mischief, Loki is hounded by the gods and bound to a rock where a serpent drips painful venom upon him. There he lies till Ragnarok.

Painting illustrating Loki and Sigyn from Norse mythology. Public Domain "Þrymskviða", contrastingly, details Thor and Loki on friendlier terms, as it is Loki to whom Thor turns for aid when Mjölnir, his powerful hammer, goes missing. Loki is the first person Thor seeks out, and together they work to uncover which god or magical creature has stolen the weapon. Loki goes out of his way to travel to Jötunheimr, the home of the giants, to ask the jötunn Þrymr what he knows, only to uncover Þrymr himself has taken Mjölnir and will only return it if Freyja will agree to marry him. In this tale, Loki and Thor retrieve the hammer with a clever plan of disguise, and Þrymr is punished for his misdeeds. "Thor and Loki in the Chariot". Foster, Mary H. 1901. Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology. Silver, Burdett and Company. Page 41.

( Wikimedia Commons ) Though these are only two of many stories that describe Loki, these tales regarding his association with Thor reveal the wide spectrum of his personality and thus why his portrayals in the ancient Norse sagas constantly conflict. Just as modern scholars do not fully understand Loki's role, the Christian authors who finally wrote down the oral tradition did not seem to comprehend him well enough to know how to describe him either. Although Loki is neither depicted as completely evil nor completely helpful, he will fight against the Æsir during Ragnarök and eventually kill and be killed by Heimdall, the god who guards the rainbow bridge Bifröst which leads to the world of mortals. Loki appears to have no regret of his actions or sympathy for his family members—Hel, Jörmungandr, and Fenrir—thereby emphasizing the anomaly of his relationship with the AEsir.

LOKI - the Norse Trickster God (Norse mythology) LOKI Also known as LOKE, LODER, LOKKJU, LOPTER, LOPTI, LOKI-LAUFEYJARSON The notoriously naughty Norse Trickster Rascal One of the world’s major Trickster Gods, in his early days LOKI was a rascal; crafty, sneaky, silly and malicious — a Loki The Lad. The son of two giants, LAUFEY and FARBAUTI, he was so outrageously mischievous that he even sneaked his way into becoming a God. He was the first anti-hero, quick-witting his way out of the tight corners and confrontations caused by his misdeeds. But as time wore on he became increasingly nasty. His first escapade was a very rampant romp. When the Gods were struggling to build ASGARD , they found they’d run out of funds. Which is not surprising as money and banks hadn’t been invented yet. All the basic construction had been completed but they needed a large protective wall to keep the riff-raff out. LOKI came up with the plan of contracting a Giant to do the job.

As payment, the Giant asked for the Sun and Moon and also the Goddess FREYA if the work was completed to schedule. The Gods were not too sure. "Don’t worry," advised LOKI. "He’ll never manage it on his own, even if he works night and day — and the deal will be off. We’ll let him keep the wheelbarrow or something." Alas, the Giant was not on his own. He had a huge stallion called Svadilfari, which could haul boulders like there was no tomorrow. With three days to go, FREYA was in distress and the Gods aghast. Now LOKI, like fire and smoke, was a shape-changer from the word go. A talent he’d developed to make him the shiftiest transmogrifier of all time — from flea to fish to fast flying feathers in 0.3 seconds. So he changed himself into a mare and seduced the Giant’s stallion. By whinnying and prancing off into the woods, Svadilfari was led far away from the stone pile. With his horse missing, the Giant didn’t quite make the schedule.

Seething with rage, he tried to take FREYA by force — until THOR cracked his skull with his hammer. Meanwhile LOKI was having a fine old time frolicking in the fields. In fact he became pregnant, and decided to sample the joys of motherhood. He gave birth to a fine baby boy stallion with eight legs. He gave this as a gift to ODIN and it was called SLEIPNIR . LOKI was now well in with top God ODIN and his son THOR , with whom he shared numerous adventures. THOR , the perfect fall guy, was persuaded to appear in drag as the prospective bride of a giant and other embarrassments. THOR could always be relied on to supply the muscle when corners became too tight for trickery. LOKI had many run-ins with the dwarves, which he cheated at any opportunity until they stitched him up. Literally. They stitched his mouth shut, which kept him quiet for quite some time. LOKI never missed an opportunity to take advantage of any Goddess, but he already had at least a couple of wives.

The first was ANGRBODA , a giantess who spawned FENRIR the Giant Wolf, JORMUNGAND the Earth-encircling Serpent, and HEL the Underworld Goddess. Next was his wife SIGYN , who produced their ill-fated sons NARVI and VALI(2) . He also managed to sneak himself another wife — or did he? It is only by assiduous research that we have discovered the truth about the mysterious GLUT . For further LOKI adventures, click your way to ANDVARI , FAFNIR , GEIRROD , THIASSI and BALDUR . We are still investigating the mysterious theft of FREYA ’s precious necklace Brisingamen. A flea was seen to flee the scene, and as a well-known god of bed-hopping, fingers of suspicion are already pointing at you-know-who. As the most scandalous God of all time, LOKI was seldom out of the Nordic News or the Sunday Runes. But his tricks came to an end after causing the death of BALDUR . Now he’s trapped in eternal punishment until RAGNAROK rolls around.

Meanwhile, the naughty rascal is as popular as ever, with major appearances in blockbuster movies and superhero comics. He even has his own Gospel of Loki, as told to famed author Joanne M Harris. We are full of admiration. LOKI FACTS AND FIGURES Cite this Link to this page HTML: To link to this page, just copy and paste the text below into your blog, web page or email. <a href="">Godchecker entry on LOKI, the Norse Trickster God</a> BBCODE: To link to this page in a forum post or comment box, just copy and paste the text below: [url= entry on LOKI, the Norse Trickster God[/url] Cite this article Here's the info you need to cite this page. Just copy the text in the box below. Saunders, Chas, and Peter J. Allen, eds. "LOKI - the Norse Trickster God (Norse mythology)." <em>Godchecker</em>. Godchecker.com / CID, 09 Aug. 2015. Web. 20 January 2017. . 09 August 2015 by the Godchecker Team.

Editors: Peter J Allen, Chas Saunders References: Coming soon. Loki | Norse mythology | Britannica.com Norse mythology Balder Loki, in Norse mythology , a cunning trickster who had the ability to change his shape and sex. Although his father was the giant Fárbauti, he was included among the Aesir (a tribe of gods). Loki was represented as the companion of the great gods Odin and Thor , helping them with his clever plans but sometimes causing embarrassment and difficulty for them and himself. He also appeared as the enemy of the gods, entering their banquet uninvited and demanding their drink. He was the principal cause of the death of the god Balder . Loki was bound to a rock (by the entrails of one or more of his sons, according to some sources) as punishment, thus in many ways resembling the Greek figures Prometheus and Tantalus . Also like Prometheus, Loki is considered a god of fire. Loki tricking the blind god Höd into killing Balder. C. G. Qvarnstrom/Myths of the Norsemen by H. A.

Guerber With the female giant Angerboda (Angrboda: “Distress Bringer”), Loki produced the progeny Hel , the goddess of death; Jörmungand , the serpent that surrounds the world; and Fenrir (Fenrisúlfr), the wolf. Loki is also credited with giving birth to Sleipnir , Odin’s eight-legged horse. Loki’s status in pre-Christian Scandinavia remains somewhat obscure. The medieval sources from which came much of what is known of Loki provide no evidence of a cult, unlike for other Norse deities, and the name Loki does not appear in place-names. Learn More in these related articles: Loki - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People Loki An anonymous painting of Loki from an Icelandic illuminated manuscript Loki (pronounced “LOAK-ee;” Old Norse Loki, whose meaning/etymology is unknown[1]) is the wily trickster god of Norse mythology.

While treated as a nominal member of the Aesir tribe of gods in the Eddas and sagas , Loki occupies a highly ambivalent and ultimately solitary position amongst the gods, giants , and the other classes of invisible beings that populate the traditional spirituality of the Norse and other Germanic peoples. His familial relations attest to this. His father is the giant Fárbauti (“Cruel Striker”), and his mother, Laufey (possibly “Tree”), could be a goddess, a giantess, or something else entirely – the surviving sources are silent on this point. Loki is the father, by the giantess Angrboða (“Anguish-Boding”) of Hel , the goddess of the grave, Jormungand , the great serpent who slays Thor during Ragnarok , and Fenrir , the wolf who bites off one of the hands of Tyr and who kills Odin during Ragnarok – hardly a reputable brood, to say the least. As we’ll see below, Loki demonstrates a complete lack of concern for the well-being of his fellow gods, a trait which could be discerned, in vague outline, merely by considering his offspring.

Loki often runs afoul not only of societal expectations, but also of what we today might call “the laws of nature.” In addition to the progeny listed above, Loki is also the mother – yes, the mother – of Sleipnir , Odin’s shamanic horse, whom Loki gave birth to after shapeshifting into a mare and courting the stallion Svaðilfari, as is recounted in the tale of The Fortification of Asgard . In the tales , Loki is portrayed as a scheming coward who cares only for shallow pleasures and self-preservation. He’s by turns playful, malicious, and helpful, but he’s always irreverent and nihilistic. For example, in The Kidnapping of Idun , Loki, by his recklessness, ends up in the hands of a furious giant, Thiazi, who threatens to kill Loki unless he brings him the goddess Idun . Loki complies in order to save his life, and then finds himself in the awkward position of having the gods threaten him with death unless he rescues Idun.

He agrees to this request for the same base motive, shifting his shape into that of a falcon and carrying the goddess back to Asgard in his talons. Thiazi pursues him desperately in the form of an eagle, but, having almost caught up with Loki as he nears his destination, the gods light a fire around the perimeter of their fortress. The flames catch Thiazi and burn him to death, while Idun and Loki reach the halls of the gods safely. Loki ultimately comes to the aid of the gods, but only to rectify a calamity for which he himself is responsible. This theme is repeated in numerous tales, such as in Loki and the Dwarves and the aforementioned The Fortification of Asgard . After Thiazi’s death, the giant’s daughter, Skadi , arrives in Asgard demanding restitution for the slaying of her father. One of her demands is that the gods make her laugh, something which only Loki is able to do. To accomplish this, he ties one end of a rope to the beard of a goat and the other end to his testicles. Both he and the goat squawk and squeal as one pulls one way and the other pulls the other way.

Eventually he falls over in Skadi’s lap, and the giantess can’t help but laugh at such an absurd spectacle. Here, Loki once again comes to the aid of the gods, but simply by being silly and outlandish, not by accomplishing any feat that a Viking Age Scandinavian would have found to be particularly honorable. Loki alternately helps both the gods and the giants, depending on which course of action is most pleasurable and advantageous to him at the time. During Ragnarok, when the gods and giants engage in their ultimate struggle and the cosmos is destroyed and re-created, Loki joins the battle on the side of the giants. He and the god Heimdall mortally wound each other. Loki is perhaps best known for his malevolent role in The Death of Baldur . After the death of the beloved god Baldur is prophesied, Baldur’s mother, Frigg , secures a promise from every living thing to not harm her son. Well, almost everything – no such oath is obtained from the mistletoe, which the gods think too small and safe a thing to harm Baldur.

Upon discovering this omission, Loki carves a mistletoe spear, places it in the hands of the blind god Hod, and instructs him to throw it at Baldur. Hod, not knowing the origin of the weapon, complies, and Baldur is impaled and dies. The god Hermod rides Sleipnir to Helheim and implores Hel to release Baldur, pointing out how beloved he is by all living things. Hel retorts that if this is so, then it shouldn’t be difficult to compel every being in the world to weep for Baldur, and, should this happen, the dead god would be released from the grave. Every living thing does indeed cry for Baldur’s return, with one sole exception: a frost-hearted giantess named Tokk (Þökk, “Thanks”), who is almost certainly Loki in disguise. So Baldur must remain in Hel until Ragnarok. For these and many more crimes against them, the gods eventually forge a chain from the entrails of another seldom-mentioned son of Loki’s and tie him down to three rocks inside a cave. A venomous serpent sits above him, dripping poison onto him.

Loki’s apparently very faithful and loving wife, Sigyn , sits at his side with a bowl to catch the venom. But when the bowl becomes full, of course, she has to leave her husband’s side to pour it out. When this happens, the drops of venom that fall onto him cause him to writhe in agony, and these convulsions create earthquakes. And in this state he lies until breaking free at Ragnarok. A fascinating variant of the tale of Loki’s being bound comes to us from the medieval Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus. In his History of the Danes, Thor, on one of his many journeys to Jotunheim , the homeland of the giants, finds a giant named Útgarðaloki (“Loki of the Utangard “). Útgarðaloki is bound in exactly the same manner as that in which Loki is bound in the tale mentioned above, which comes from Icelandic sources.[2][3] It seems that even the heathen Scandinavians themselves held conflicting views on whether Loki was a god, a giant, or something else entirely.

No traces of any kind of historical worship of Loki have survived into modern times.[4] Is this any wonder, given that his character is virtually the antithesis of the traditional values to which most pre-Christian Germanic people subscribed? Loki’s Role in the Pre-Christian Northern European Worldview Why, then, did the Scandinavians have such a god in their mythology at all? What did he represent to them? To which modalities of life does his character correspond? To answer these vexing questions, we must consider Loki from the perspective of the pre-Christian northern European worldview itself. Only then can we hope to understand what Loki meant to the people who told tales of him around their hearth-fires during the long winter nights. Before the victory of Christianity, the Germanic peoples had no conception of what we think of as absolute moral “good” or “evil.” Some values and actions were appropriate for some people and some situations; others were inappropriate for those people and those situations, but very well might be appropriate for other people and other situations. This was not the free-for-all of moral relativism, however, which is, after all, simply the inversion or denial of the Judeo-Christian perspective of an absolute, universal morality.

In traditional Germanic society, a person who occupied a particular social role and was a devotee of that role’s corresponding god or goddess could rightly be held to the standard of conduct appropriate for that role and its divinity. Thus, while most Viking Age men were held to the standards of honor and manliness exemplified by such figures as Tyr, Thor, or Freyr , for example, not everyone was necessarily held to these standards. Devotees of Odin, for example – a god for whom we have ample evidence of true historical worship – followed a path of ecstatic and creative self-actualization that often seemed fickle, ruthless, irresponsible, and even shameful by the standards of, say, a man of Thor. (See Polytheistic Theology and Ethics .) Thus, Loki can’t rightly be considered a model of moral “evil.” Instead, he’s a model of one of the countless, and often opposing and contradictory, principles and meanings of which life consists. Odin shares many of Loki’s boundary-crossing, trickster-like attributes.

One Old Norse poem even states that the two are blood brothers.[5] Why, then, was Odin the recipient of considerable worship and active emulation, and Loki, as far as we can tell, received hardly any or none at all? If the modality of life to which Odin corresponds were to be expressed in conceptual terms, it would be something like the modern German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s “Will to Power,” a restless, vital force that strives to continually overcome itself and its surroundings, fostering growth through the mastery of subtle, arcane knowledge and abilities. That this could be seen as sacred, worthy of the name of a god, is perfectly comprehensible from the perspective of a worldview that seeks to affirm life unconditionally, which the pre-Christian Germanic worldview, much like Nietzsche’s, certainly does. The principle to which Loki corresponds, however, is the disregard for or hatred of the sacred as such.

For Loki, the gods are “not to be worshiped, but ignored, to be overcome, or in the last analysis mocked.”[6] This perspective certainly had its adherents in the Viking Age, such as Glúmr in Víga-Glúms Saga (not to mention that this perspective has been enshrined as the norm by modern humanism). Why would such people, who place their trust solely in their own might, reverence a god who happens to share their anti-spiritual perspective? Paradoxically, however, in order to affirm life as being inherently and unconditionally sacred, one must affirm even Loki and the principle to which he corresponds as being an embodiment of divinity in and of itself. One embodies Loki whenever one lives in a totally profane manner, without any reference to sacred models – hence Loki’s utter lack of any allegiances to the gods, giants, or anyone else.

Thus, while the animistic and pantheistic Germanic peoples held the sacred to be categorically superior to the merely profane, they recognized that, since, in their perspective, the sacred and the profane are not dualistic, mutually exclusive conceptions (as they are in Judeo-Christianity), all that is profane is – again paradoxically – ultimately sacred as well. The difference lies solely in the mindset with which one approaches any given phenomenon. To a profane mindset such as Loki’s, it will be profane; to a sacred mindset such as Odin’s, it will be sacred. And from a sacred perspective, even the apparently profane is ultimately sacred and worthy of being called a god. Loki features so prominently in the tales of Norse mythology because, from the perspective of the heathen Norse themselves, those tales expressed the inner meaning of the physical world we inhabit. Since most people live most of their lives with the mindset exemplified by Loki, it’s inevitable that the pre-Christian Scandinavians would have had much to say about him, as a way of reminding themselves that everything, even irreverence itself, is ultimately worthy of reverence. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion?

While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books , which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit. References: 101 Most Popular Norse Mythology Names 101 Most Popular Norse Mythology Names November 10, 2016 Image: Shutterstock Norse Mythology, also known as the Scandinavian mythology, is a body of myths of the North Germanic people. The Norse mythology comprises of tales of various gods, deities, and heroes from before and after the Pagan period. Are you looking for some unusual names for your child? Then venture into the realm of Norse folk heroes, fantastical creatures, gods and goddesses for naming your child. Here are 100 names from Norse mythology that you can consider for your baby. Norse Mythology Names For Girls: 1. Hildr: Hildr was the name of a Valkyrie in the Norse legend. It is the Old Norse cognate of Hilda. 2. Astrilde: Astrilde was a Norse Goddess equivalent of Cupid. She was the Goddess of love.

3. Signy: Signy was the twin sister of Sigmund and the wife of Siggeir in the Norse mythology. The name is derived from Norse elements ‘sigr’, which means ‘victory’ and ‘ny’, which means ‘new’. 4. Siv: Norse female names are special. Siv was the wife of Thor in Norse Mythology. Her name means ‘bride’ in Old Norse. 5. Skadi: Skadi was the mountain giant in the Norse mythology. She was the wife of Njord and then of Odin. Her name Skadi means ‘damage’ in Old Norse. 6. Hulda: Huda was the name of a sorcerer in the Norse mythology. It is derived from an archaic name ‘huld’, which means ‘sweet and lovable’. The name means ‘hiding or secrecy’. 7. Nanna: The name Nanna is derived from an Old Norse word ‘nanp’, which means ‘daring and brave’. In Norse mythology, she was a goddess who died of grief when her husband was killed. The norse girl names are exotic and unique. Atla was a minor water goddess in the Norse mythology. The name Atla means ‘water’. 9.

Eir: Eir was a Norse goddess of healing and medicine. Her name means mercy. Eir is pronounced as ire. 10. Eisa: Eisa was the daughter of the trickster god, Loki. The name is pronounced as Ii-sa. 11. Embla: Embla was a goddess equivalent of Eve in Norse mythology. She was created from a tree along with her partner Ask. The name means ‘elm tree’. 12. Freya: Freya was the goddess of love, war, death and beauty in Norse mythology. Her name is also spelled Freya and Freja. The name Freya is very popular in the United States. It means ‘lady’. 13. Idunn: Idunn was the goddess of spring and the guard of the golden apples. The apples were capable of giving eternal youth to anyone who ate them. The name is pronounced as Ih-Dunn. 14. Saga: Saga was a goddess who was mostly depicted drinking with Odin. She was the source of the world saga. 15. Angrboda: Angrboda was the mistress of the trickster Loki.

She was a giantess who spawned three monsters- the Midgard Serpent Jormungand, gigantic wolf Fenrir, and Hel. 16. Sol: Sol was the sun goddess in Norse mythology. The name Sol means ‘bright as sun’. 17. Verdandi: Verdandi was one of the Norns in Norse mythology. She was the goddess charged with determining the destiny. 18. Skuld: Skuld was the goddess of destiny in Norse mythology. She was also one of the Valkyries. The name Skuld means ‘ future’. 19. Svanhild: Svanhild was the daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd in the Norse mythology. The name Svanhild is the Scandinavian cognate of Swanhild. 20. Gerd: Gerd was the goddess of fertility in Norse mythology. She was a frost giantess and the wife of Freyr. The name Gerd means ‘enclosure’. 21. Urd: Urd was one of the three Norns in Norse mythology. She was the goddess of destiny. The name Urd means ‘fate’. 22. Grid: Grid was the frost giantess in the Norse mythology.

She was the mother of Vioarr. Grid also assisted Thor in his fight against the giant Geirrod. The name Grid means ‘peace’. 23. Borghild: Borghild was the wife of Sigmund in the Norse mythology. The name is derived from the old Norse elements, borg, which means ‘fortification’, and hildr, which means ‘battle’. 24. Groa: In Norse mythology, Groa was the name of a Goddess. After his death, she married Atli. The name is derived from the Old Norse word groa, which means ‘to grow’. 25. Heidrun: Heidrun was the name of the goat that would eat tree leaves and provide mead in her udder. The name Heidrun means ‘bright and clear’. 26. Hel: Hel was the name of Loki’s daughter in Norse mythology. She got her name from the underworld called Hel. 27. Gudrun: Gudrun was the wife of Sigurd in the Greek mythology. The name Gudrun means ‘god’s secret love’. [ Read: Baby Names Inspired By Greek Mythology ] 28.

Frigg: Frigg was the goddess of the earth, fertility, and air in the Norse mythology. Her name means ‘beloved’ in Old Norse. 29. Sigrun: Sigrun was the name of a Valkyrie in the Norse mythology. The name comes from Old Norse elements ‘sigr’, which means victory and ‘run’, which means ‘secret’. 30. Vor: Vor was the goddess of wisdom in Norse mythology. Her name means ‘ the careful one’. 31. Weth: [ Read: Wonderful Names Inspired By Roman Mythology For Your Baby ] 32. Nott: Nott was the personification of night in the Norse mythology. She was the daughter of the giant Narfi. 33. Lofn: Lofn was the goddess of forbidden love in Norse mythology. 34. Joro: Joro, also known as Jord, was the goddess of the earth in the Norse mythology. Joro is a beautiful name meaning ‘earth’. 35. Lounn: Lounn was the goddess of youth in the Norse mythology. The name Iounn symbolizes ‘youth’. 36.

Hlin In Norse legend, Hlin was the goddess of protection and consolation. Her name means ‘protection’. 37. Fulla: Fulla was one of the three handmaids of Frigg’s. She is described wearing a gold snood. 38. Gejfun: Gejfun was one of the Aesir in Norse mythology. She is believed to be the goddess of chastity. The name Gejfun means ‘chaste’. 39. Sjofn: Sjofn was the goddess of love in Norse mythology. Along with Yggdrasil, she became a major goddess and helped heal the wounded people. 40. Var: Var was the goddess of agreements and promises in the Norse mythology. The name Var means ‘pledge or beloved’. 41. Syn: Syn was the goddess who guarded the door of Frigg’s great hall. She kept out all the unwanted visitors. The name Syn means ‘refusal’. 42. Snotra: Snotra is worshiped as a high-ranking goddess in the Norse mythology. She was the goddess of wisdom. 43. Bil: Bil was the child who followed Mani across the sky. Her name means ‘inquisitive’.

44. Rindr: Rindr was the daughter of Billing, the King of Ruthenians in Norse legend. She was the mother of Vali and the mate of Odin. 45. Ran: Ran was the Norse goddess of the sea. She was a cruel and greedy goddess who was responsible for waves and storms. 46. Laga: Laga was the goddess of well and springs in the Norse mythology. She was just like Laha, a Celtic goddess of springs and well. 47. Nerthus: Nerthus was the goddess of fertility in the Norse mythology. She was also the goddess of peace as when she visited the island; all the weapons would be locked up. Elli is the personification of old age in Norse mythology. Elli represents eternity. 49. Yggdrasil: Yggdrasil was the Goddess of life. She was responsible for connecting the nine worlds. 50. Eostre: In Norse legend, Eostre was the goddess of spring. It will make a beautiful name for your child. 51. Sigyn: Sigyn was the wife of Loki in the Norse mythology. She was the goddess of fidelity. Her name means ‘victorious’.

Norse Mythology Names For Boys: 1. Mani: Mani is the god of the moon in Norse mythology. He was made by recollecting the sparks of realm of fire. 2. Heimdall: Heimdall was the guardian of Bifrost Bridge. He would guard a rainbow bridge between our world and the realm of the gods. 3. Alf: Alf was the name of a king and the suitor of Alfhild. His name means ‘elf’. 4. Alvis: Alvis was a dwarf who courted Thor’s daughter but was eventually tricked out of marriage. His name means ‘all wise’. 5. Ask: Ask was one of the first humans to be created by the Norse Gods. His name is inspired by the ‘ash tree’. 6. Balder: Balder was the son of Frigg and Odin in the Norse legend. The name Norse means ‘prince’. 7. Gandalf: Gandalf was the name of the dwarf in the Norse mythology. The name Gandalf means ‘wand elf’. 8. Gunnar: Gunnar was the husband of Brynhild.

His name is derived from the Old Norse elements, gunnr, which means ‘war’ and arr, which means ‘warrior’. 9. Jarl: Jarl was the son of God Rig. He was the founder of the race of warriors. His name means ‘nobleman’. 10. Loki: Loki was the trickster Norse God associated with fire and magic. He was eventually chained to a big rock by other gods. 11. Njord: Njor was the God of sailing and fertility in Norse mythology. He was the father of Freya and Freyr. His name means ‘strong’. 12. Odin: Odin was the highest of the Gods in the Norse mythology. He resided in Valhalla, a place where the warriors were sent after they were slain. The norse boy names are culturally unique just like norse girls names. 13. Orvar: Orvar was a legendary Norse hero who was also the subject of 13th century Icelandic saga. The name Orvar means ‘arrow’. 14. Sigurd: Sigurd was a prominent God of the Norse mythology. His name is derived from the Old Norse elements.

‘sigr’, which means victory, and ‘vardr’, which means ‘guardian. 15. Sindri: Sindri was the name of the dwarf who made magical items for the gods. His name means ‘small.’ 16. Thor: Thor was the Norse god of war, strength and thunder. He kept a hammer called Mjolnir as his weapon of destruction. 17. Tyr: Tyr was the Norse god of war and justice. He always carried a spear in his left hand as his right hand was bitten off by a wolf. 18. Vidar: Vidar was the son of Grid and Odin. His name means ‘warrior’. 19. Yngvi: Yngvi was the alternate name of God Freyr. He was also the ancestor of the Swedish royal family. 20. Bragi: Bragi was the god of poetry and eloquence and poetry. He was also the patron of skalds in the Norse mythology. 21. Foresti: [ Read: Mythological Names Of Baby Boy ] 22. Ve: Ve was the brother of Odin. He along with his brother Odin and Vili created heaven and earth for the slain body of Ymir.

23. Borr: Borr was the father of the creation gods, Odin, Vili, and Ve. He was the son of Buri. 24. Buri: Buri was the first Norse God. He was the father of other gods. He was married to Harm. 25. Dagr: In Norse mythology, Dagr was the personification of a day. He was the son of Dellinger and Nott. 26. Dellinger: Dellinger is a god in Norse mythology. He was the personification of the dawn. 27. Andhrimnir: Andhrimnir was the cook of all the gods in Norse mythology. He even killed and cooked the mighty boar Saehrimnir. 28. Vali: Vali is the son of the god Odin and Rindr. He was raised for the sole purpose of killing Hoor. 29. Mimir: Mirmir was the old Norse gods. He died in a war between Vnir and Aesir. 30. Modi: Modi was the son of Thor. His name means ‘angry’. 31.

Magni: Magni was the son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. Magni can be used as a short form of the name Magnus. 32. Hoenir: Hoenir was a warrior god in the Norse mythology. He was an original Aesir god. He was also the god of silence. 33. Hoor: Hoor is a blind god in the Norse mythology. He is the god of winter. 34. Ull: Ull was the son of Sif and the stepson of Thor. He was the god of hunting. The name Ull means ‘glory’. 35. Fitch: Fitch was the God of arbitration and ruling in Norse legend. It will make a cool name for your child. 36. Kvasir: Kvasir was the Norse God of inspiration. He was created from the saliva of the Aesir and the Vanir. 37. Tiki: The norse baby boy names are simple and easy to remember too. Tiki was the Norse god of stone. It is a short and simple name to consider for your child. 38. Hermod: Hermod was one of the sons of Odin.

He was sent down to the underworld to plead for Baldur’s release. 39. Austri: Austri was one of the dwarfs. He was one of the four supporters of the heavens. 40. Andvari: Andvari was the dwarf who guarded the treasures of the god. 41. Baugi: Baugi was the giant who held the mead of inspiration. 42. Fjalar: Fjalar was the fire giant in the Norse mythology. He was the warner of the giants at Rganarok. 43. Garm: Garm was the hound of the underworld. 44. Geirod: Geirod was the giant who was the enemy of all the Norse gods. 45. Harbor: Harbor was a human in Norse mythology. He was the lover of Signy. 46. Hermodr: Hermodr was the messenger of all gods. He was also the god of wind and war. 47. Hler: Hler was the ruler of the underworld. 48. Hreidmar: Hreidmar was a magician in Norse mythology. He was the king of the dwarves. 49.

Hrungnir: Hrungnir was a Norse giant. He was killed in a fight with Thor. 50. Hugi: Hugi was a giant in the Norse legend. He was the personification of thought. Baby names inspired by Norse mythology are not very common. Hence, they will make unique names for your child. Do not forget to share the name you picked for your child in the comment section. Recommended Articles: Norse Mythology While many people are more familiar with Greek myths and legends, Norse mythology is just as, if not even more, fascinating. With complicated family ties, monstrous beasts and prophesies about end of the world, these amazing tales will keep you hooked. After reading just a few, it’s no wonder the Norsemen loved to share these stories during the long and icy winters! The lives of all the Norse gods are very complicated, especially because there are two main branches of gods and goddesses. The first are the Vanir , who are the older group of gods, are thought to be the bringers of health, youth, luck and wealth and were the masters of magic. The most well known are Njord, Freyr and Freyja.

Njord is the god of the wind, sea and fire. He is married to Skadi, a giantess known for her amazing hunting ability. Skadi is also nicknamed the “Snowshoe Goddess” because of her connection with the icy wilderness. She is a courageous goddess who often challenged the Norse male-dominated society. Njord is also known as the god of wealth and prosperity. He and Skadi are the parents of Freyja and Freyr. Freyr is a hugely important deity because his is the god of the sun, rain and bountiful harvests. He is also the ruler of the elves, called the álfar, who live in one of the nine Norse worlds, Alfheim. Along with the older Vanir gods, there is the younger race of gods, the Aesir . This group’s most popular gods are Odin, Balder, Bragi, Forseti, Heimdall, Hod, Loki, Thor, Tyr, Frigg and Idun. Odin is the head of the gods, similar t o the Greek Zeus, who is the god of war and death, but also of wisdom. He is married to Frigg, who is the goddess of marriage and motherhood.

Balder, the son of Odin and Frigg, is the god of light, joy, purity, beauty and innocence. Bragi, the god of poetry, is married to Idun, who is the goddess of eternal youth and is responsible for the golden apples of youth. When he gods started to age, Idun would let them eat one of the golden apples and they would instantly become young again. Forseti, the son of Balder, is the god of meditation and justice. He serves as a judge and solves all legal disputes of the minor and lesser gods. Heimdall is another god of light who was born close to the Norse end of the world. He is also the guard of the only entrance to Asgard, the realm of the gods. Hod, the brother of Balder, is the god of darkness, since he is blind. Hod is later influenced by Loki, who is known as the trickster god. Loki enjoys playing tricks on the gods and goddesses, but would never intentionally cause any of them harm. Thor is the extremely powerful god of thunder and is also the son of Odin. Try was originally the god of war, but had to give up his position to Odin.

After this, he was thought of as one of Odin’s sons. The Norse told tons of myths and legends about their gods. One myth tells of the sons of three sons of a giantess, Angrboda . Her oldest son was Fenrir , a giant wolf-shaped monster. The gods learn of a prophesy that said Fenrir and his family would be responsible for the end of the world. The gods were worried, so they decided to trick Fenrir by challenging him to a game, saying that he was too weak to break through any type of chain. Fenrir agreed to the challenge, but only if one of the gods would place his hand in the wolf’s mouth so that Fenrir could be sure he wouldn’t be permanently chained. After no one volunteered, Tyr bravely sticks his hand in the wolf’s mouth. They try all kinds of rope and chains, but only a thin, magic chain could hold him. Once the wolf realized the point of this “game” he quickly bit off Tyr’s left hand (that is why Tyr is sometimes referred to as the “One-Handed God”). Another story tells about Fenrir’s younger brother, Jormungand.

Jormungand is shaped as a serpent and is known as the “Midgard Serpent” (or “World Serpent”) because of his immense size. When he was young, Odin realized he would be extremely dangerous to the gods and threw him into the sea. Jormungand was large enough to lay coiled around the land in the bottom of the sea. He is later released during the Ragnarök. One other popular myth is about the death of Balder , whose mother, Frigg, predicted his death and asked for oaths from every animate object, inanimate object and force (disease, etc.) so that they would not kill her son, but overlooked the mistletoe. Loki discovered this and guided Balder’s brother, Hod, in throwing a fig from a mistletoe at Balder, which pierced him through the heart and he died. The Norse also tell many tales of the end of the world, or Ragnarök (the word Ragnarök literally means ‘Doom of the Gods’). In these stories, the Norse gods had already seen how Ragnarök would come about and knew every last detail about it, including who would fight and kill who, who would survive the battles, and so on.

The two opposing sides during Ragnarök would be the Aesir’s, who would be on the ‘good’ side, and the monsters and giants, led by the god Loki. Loki was born to two giants, so it makes sense that he chose the side of his family. There would be several signs that Ragnarök was coming, one of those was the birth of three monsters, the wolf Fenrir, the serpent Jormungand and their sister, Hel , who was the Norse Goddess of the underworld. Another sign of the coming Ragnarök was the death of Balder, who was a favorite among the gods. Hod’s half-brother, Vali, killed Hod in revenge for Balder’s death. After the other gods realized Loki was really behind Balder’s death, Loki ran away but was later captured and held in a cave until Ragnarök, when he finally escaped. Ragnarök would be started off by three years of winter and freezing-cold weather. War would break out and families would be torn apart by greed and anger. Then two huge wolves, Skoll and Hati, will swallow the moon and sun. Loki would lead the frost giants, and along with the fire giants would destroy both the gods and mankind.

The gods would fight courageously during the last battle, even though they knew they couldn’t win. Freyr would be the first to die, killed by a fire giant’s flaming sword. Tyr be killed from the wounds of a huge wolf he killed, while Loki and another lesser Norse god battled to the death. Thor would kill Jormungand, but die shortly after from its venom and Odin would be eaten by Fenrir. Odin’s son, Vidar , watched his father die and angrily killed the wolf. One of the fire giants that had survived the battle up until that point set the world on fire with his flaming sword. After Ragnarök ended, the Earth would become new again and life would rise from the seas. Several of the younger gods would survive the battle and take the place of their older relatives. The tales of Norse mythology are definitely dramatic enough to rival even the greatest Greek myths. All it takes is a few stories about the complicated lives of the gods, and even the biggest fans of other mythologies will be hooked. With all the elements of the most captivating stories, it’s really no surprise they were so popular with Norsemen for so long!

The Norse Gods The Norse Gods In Blog The Norse Gods are the mythological characters that, as far as we know, came from the Northern Germanic tribes of the 9th century AD. These stories were passed down in the form of poetry until the 11th – 18th centuries when the Eddas and other medieval texts were written. Norse mythology comprises the pre-Christian beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. Norse mythology not only has it’s gods, goddesses and immortals but also a myriad of other characters and creatures that populate the stories including giants, dwarfs, monsters, magical animals and objects. The Norse Myths A List of The Norse Gods Aegir – Norse God of the sea. Married to Ran and lives under the waves near the island of Hlesey. Aesir – A group of warrior gods led by Odin who inhabit Asgard. Balder – Son of Odin and Frigg. Known as a gentle and wise god. Killed accidentally by his brother Hod. Will return after Ragnarok. Bolverk – The alias Odin adopted when disguised as a giant to win the mead of poetry.

Bor – Son of Buri and father of Odin, Vili and Ve. Bragi – The Norse God of poetry and eloquence. Son of Odin and husband of Idun. Buri – Ancestor of the Norse gods. Created by the cow Audmula licking him from ice. Day – Son of Night and Delling. Said to ride around the earth on his horse Skinfaxi. Earth – Daughter of Night and Annar. Einherjar – Band of dead warriors in Valhalla who await Ragnarok. Eir – Goddess of healing Fjorgyn – Lover of Odin and mother of Thor. Also referred to as Earth. Forseti – God of Justice. Son of Balder and Nanna. Freyja – Main goddess of the Vanir (fertility gods). Daughter of Njord and sister of Freyr. Freyr – Important god of the Vanir. Son of Njord and brother of Freyja. Frigga – Main goddess. Wife of Odin and mother of Balder. Fulla – Goddess servant of Frigga. Gangnrad – Pseudonym of Odin when he visits Vafthrudnir.

Gefion – Fertility goddess. Associated with the plow. Tricked the king of Sweden out of a tract of his land. Grimnir – Pseudonym of Odin when he visits his foster son Geirrod, King of the Goths. Gullveig – A Vanir goddess (probably Freyja) who is burned three times by the Aesir. Harbard – Odin disguised as a ferryman when he wrangles with Thor. Heimdall – Watchman of the Norse gods and owner of the horn Gjall. Son of nine mothers. Often identified with Rig, the creator of three races of men. Hel – ruler of Helheim, the realm of the dead Hermod – Son of Odin. Rode to Hel to try and rescue his brother Balder. Hod – Son of Odin. A blind god who accidentally killed his brother Balder. he will return after Ragnarok. Honir – A long-legged, indecisive god. Sent to the Vanir to seal the truce between them and the Aesir. He will survive Ragnarok. Idun – Guardian of the golden apples of youth and wife of Bragi. Kvasir – the wisest.

Created from the spittle of the gods. Lofn – Goddess of ilicit unions. Loki – The sly, trickster of the Norse gods. Son of two giants. Also known as the Sly One, the Trickster, the Shape Changer and the Sky Traveller. Becomes increasingly more evil. He is responsible for the death of Balder. Bound until Ragnarok. Magni – Son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. Will inherit Thor’s hammer Mjollnir with his brother Modi after Ragnarok. Mimir – Wise Aesir god. Sent to the Vanir to seal the truce between the two groups of the Norse gods. Killed by the Vanir, his head is kept by Odin. Modgud – Maiden guardian of the bridge over the river Gjoll in Jotenheim. Modi – Son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. Will inherit Thor’s hammer Mjollnir with his brother Magni after Ragnarok. Moon – Son of Mundilfari. Guides the moon on it’s course. Nanna – Wife of Balder and daughter of Nep. Narvi – Also known as Nari.

Son of Loki and Sigyn who was killed by his brother Vali. Night – Daughter of Narvi and mother of Day. Rides around the earth on her horse Hrimfaxi. Njord – A Vanir god associated with wind and sea. Husband of Skadi and father of Freyja and Freyr. Norns – Urd “fate”, Skuld “being” and Verandi “necessity”. Three goddesses of destiny. Od – Missing husband of Freyja who she constantly mourns for. Odin – King of the Norse Gods, God of poetry, battle and death. Chief god of the Aesir. Also known as the “all-father”, the “terrible one”, “one-eyed” and “father of battle”. Ran – Wife of Aegir who dragged drowning men down with her net. Rig – Pseudonym of Heimdall and the creator of three races of men. Rind – Goddess and lover of Odin. Mother of Vali. Saga – Goddess and drinking companion of Odin. Sif – Wife of Thor whose golden hair was cut off by Loki. Sigyn – Wife of Loki. Sjofn – Goddess of human passion.

Skadi – Goddess of Winter and of the Hunt Sun – Daughter of Mundilfari and guide of the sun. Syn – Goddess of the accused at trial. Thor – God of Sky, thunder and fertility. Associated with law and order in Asgard and guardian of the Norse gods. Son of Odin and Earth and husband of Sif. Also known as the “thunder god” and “charioteer”. Thrud – Daughter of Thor. Promised to the dwarf Alvis. Tyr – War god. Son of Odin who sacrificed his hand in the binding of Fenrir. Ull – God of archery and skiing. Vali – Son of Odin and the giantess Rind. Conceived to avenge the death of Balder. Valkyries – Beautiful women who carried dying warriors to Valhalla. Who Is Loki, the Norse Trickster God? By N.S. Gill's Ancient/Classical History Glossary Definition: Loki, according to Snorri Sturluson, in his Edda (c. 1220 A.D.), was an Aesir god and the son of Farbauti and Laufey or Nal. His brothers were Byleistr and Helblindi.

Loki is also called a giant. The earliest literary treatment of Loki myths is from the 9th century. His depiction is complicated and contradictory. Many people advanced theories, including linguist and folklorist Jacob Grimm, who thought Loki the god of fire, like Prometheus (who brought fire to man and for his disobedience to Zeus was chained to a rock where his liver was eaten and regenerated each day) or Lucifer (whose name means 'light-bearer'); Jan de Vries, who considered Loki a typical trickster god; and Georges Dumezil, who considered Loki an incarnation of "impulsive intelligence." In the Edda Loki transforms himself into a mare to lure away a stallion and therefore help the gods. As a mare, Loki gives birth to the stallion Sleipnir. Loki also sires the wolf Fenrir. continue reading below our video What are the Seven Wonders of the World Loki tricks the blind god Hod into shooting Balder with the only entity that hasn't sworn an oath not to hurt Balder; that is, mistletoe. As punishment for his role in the permanent death of Balder, Loki is bound to a jagged cliff until world's end, Ragnarok.

Loki is malevolent, cunning, clumsy, magical, and eloquent. He often associates with Thor or Odin. Go to Other Ancient / Classical History Glossary pages beginning with the letter a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | wxyz Examples: Loki is a shapeshifter and gender shifter, a helper, but also the consummate trouble maker. For more, see "The Function of Loki in Snorri Sturluson's 'Edda'," by Stefanie von Schnurbein. History of Religions, Vol. 40, No. 2. (Nov., 2000), pp. 109-124. From Thor to Odin: a guide to the Norse gods | World news | The Guardian Iceland From Thor to Odin: a guide to the Norse gods As Iceland prepares to build its first temple to the Norse gods since the Viking age , we look at the deities that will be worshipped, including an amoral trickster and the blue ruler of the underworld Thor, Freya and Hel.

Photograph: Alamy Iceland From Thor to Odin: a guide to the Norse gods Share on Messenger Close If pushed, most of us remember that almost all the days of the week are named after Norse gods. We might remember that Thor makes thunder with his mighty hammer, and if you’re a Marvel fan you might even know that the hammer is called Mjölnir. But most of us would struggle to recall much more than that about these northern deities. The persisting bias towards a classical education leaves us with a better knowledge of the Greek and Roman myths, and that’s a shame. The Vikings (closer to us in time and space) left a significant mark on the English language, our place names and perhaps our psyche. Their mythology is rich and strange, and well worth discovering. Remarkably, Norse lore covers the entire history of the world; it’s not typical for a culture’s mythology to tell us how the world will end. For the Vikings, that “happened” at Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods, but the start of time is not neglected either. The stories even speak of the great void of Ginnungagap that existed even before the universe was created.

Creation myths are often among the strangest of all stories, and the Norse version is no exception. We learn how the first god was licked into existence from a block of salty ice by a primeval cow called Auðumbla. That god was called Búri, and he was the grandfather of perhaps the greatest of all the gods, Odin. Iceland to build first temple to Norse gods since Viking age Read more Poetry, magic and war Odin, who gave one of his eyes in exchange for wisdom, is, according to most sources, the “Allfather” of the gods; a fascinating shaman-like figure, emblematic of war, battle and death, but also poetry, music, prophecy and magic. He rode across the battlefield on Sleipnir, an eight-legged steed, with the ravens Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory) on his shoulders. Thunderstorms and healing Odin’s most famous son is, of course, Thor. As well as thunderstorms, Thor is associated with oak trees, and is said to protect mankind. It is less well-known that he was also a representative of healing and hallowing (sanctification).

As well as his famous hammer, he possessed a magical belt and iron gloves, all with names of their own, named weapons being common fare for the Norse – something fans of JRR Tolkien will recognise. Summer sun and radiance Baldur, another of Odin’s sons, was a being of great beauty; the god of the summer sun, of radiance. In fact, it was said he was so bright that the light shone from him. Having had a dream foretelling his death, Frigg, his mother, made all the things of the Earth vow never to harm him. They all did, save the mistletoe, and it was a spear made of this innocuous plant that killed him, through the trickery of our next god, Loki. Shapeshifting and amorality Pinterest Shape-shifter Loki. Photograph: Alamy Loki is a trickster god – an amoral figure who managed to inveigle his way into becoming Odin’s blood brother. His crimes against the gods were many, culminating with the beloved Baldur’s death. He was also a shape-shifter, and transformed into various animals. It was he, while in the form of a horse, who sired Sleipnir.

Loki had other (divine) children, including the queen of the underworld, Hel. Death and the underworld Hel, ruler of Helheim, the Norse underworld, like gods of the dead in other cultures, is described as having skin resembling death itself (in this case, a bluish hue). She was sovereign of a realm of vast mansions, and it was Hel’s duty to provide food and lodging to those dispatched to her. There is a pleasing equality about the portrayal of the women of Norse mythology. Each is fully developed; none are mere bit-part players. Love, fertility and seiðr Such is the case with Freyja, another multifaceted figure, and, as with Thor and Odin, one of contradictions. Not only was she a beautiful figure, goddess of love and fertility, she was also associated with war, battle, wealth, death and a particular form of Norse magic known as seiðr. It was in fact she who taught the magic arts to Odin himself, and she is a perfect example of the complex and intriguing nature of the Norse gods.

Question: In Norse mythology who is known as ‘The Trickster God’?
Answer: Loki