Norse Mythology

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

This glossary of Norse Mythology gives brief descriptions of the many characters involved in the stories and legends of Norse mythology.

• Aesir: Chief gods of Asgard.
• Andvari: Dwarf; robbed of gold and magic ring by Loki.
• Angerbotha (Angrbotha): Giantess; mother by Loki of Fenrir, Hel, and Midgard serpent.
• Asgard (Asgarth): Abode of gods.
• Ask (Aske, Askr): First man; created by Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur.
• Asynjur: Goddesses of Asgard.
• Atli: Second husband of Gudrun; invited Gunnar and Hogni to his court, where they were slain; slain by Gudrun.
• Audhumia (Audhumbla): Cow that nourished Ymir; created Buri by licking ice cliff.
• Balder (Baldr, Baldur): God of light, spring, peace, joy; son of Odin; slain by Hoth at instigation of Loki.
• Bifrost: Rainbow bridge connecting Midgard and Asgard.
• Bragi (Brage): God of poetry; husband of Ithunn.
• Branstock: Great oak in hall of Volsungs; into it, Odin thrust Gram, which only Sigmund could draw forth.
• Brynhild: Valkyrie; wakened from magic sleep by Sigurd; married Gunnar; instigated death of Sigurd; killed herself and was burned on pyre beside Sigurd.
• Bur (Bor): Son of Buri; father of Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur.
• Buri (Bori): Progenitor of gods; father of Bur; created by Audhumla.
• Embla: First woman; created by Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur.
• Fafnir: Son of Rodmar, whom he slew for gold in Otter's skin; in form of dragon, guarded gold; slain by Sigurd.
• Fenrir: Wolf; offspring of Loki; swallows Odin at Ragnarok and is slain by Vitharr.
• Forseti: Son of Balder.
• Frey (Freyr): God of fertility and crops; son of Njorth; originally one of Vanir.
• Freya (Freyja): Goddess of love and beauty; sister of Frey; originally one of Vanir.
• Frigg (Frigga): Goddess of sky; wife of Odin.
• Garm: Watchdog of Hel; slays, and is slain by, Tyr at Ragnarok.
• Gimle: Home of blessed after Ragnarok.
• Giuki: King of Nibelungs; father of Gunnar, Hogni, Guttorm, and Gudrun.
• Glathsehim (Gladsheim): Hall of gods in Asgard.
• Gram (meaning “Angry”): Sigmund's sword; rewelded by Regin; used by Sigurd to slay Fafnir.
• Greyfell: Sigmund's horse; descended from Sleipnir.
• Grimhild: Mother of Gudrun; administered magic potion to Sigurd which made him forget Brynhild.
• Gudrun: Daughter of Giuki; wife of Sigurd; later wife of Atli and Jonakr.
• Gunnar: Son of Giuki; in his semblance Sigurd won Brynhild for him; slain at hall of Atli.
• Guttorm: Son of Giuki; slew Sigurd at Brynhild's request.
• Heimdall (Heimdallr): Guardian of Asgard.
• Hel: Goddess of dead and queen of underworld; daughter of Loki.
• Hiordis: Wife of Sigmund; mother of Sigurd.
• Hoenir: One of creators of Ask and Embla; son of Bur.
• Hogni: Son of Giuki; slain at hall of Atli.
• Hoth (Hoder, Hodur): Blind god of night and darkness; slayer of Balder at instigation of Loki.
• Ithunn (Ithun, Iduna): Keeper of golden apples of youth; wife of Bragi.
• Jonakr: Third husband of Gudrun.
• Jormunrek: Slayer of Swanhild; slain by sons of Gudrun.
• Jotunnheim (Jotunheim): Abode of giants.
• Lif and Lifthrasir: First man and woman after Ragnarok.
• Loki: God of evil and mischief; instigator of Balder's death.
• Lothur (Lodur): One of creators of Ask and Embla.
• Midgard (Midgarth): Abode of mankind; the earth.
• Midgard Serpent: Sea monster; offspring of Loki; slays, and is slain by, Thor at Ragnarok.
• Mimir: Giant; guardian of well in Jotunnheim at root of Yggdrasill; knower of past and future.
• Mjollnir: Magic hammer of Thor.
• Nagifar: Ship to be used by giants in attacking Asgard at Ragnarok; built from nails of dead men.
• Nanna: Wife of Balder.
• Nibelungs: Dwellers in northern kingdom ruled by Giuki.
• Niflheim (Nifelheim): Outer region of cold and darkness; abode of Hel.
• Njorth: Father of Frey and Freya; originally one of Vanir.
• Norns: Demigoddesses of fate: Urth (Urdur) (past), Verthandi (Verdandi) (present), Skuld (future).
• Odin (Othin): Head of Aesir; creator of world with Vili and Ve; equivalent to Woden (Wodan, Wotan) in Teutonic mythology.
• Otter: Son of Rodmar; slain by Loki; his skin filled with gold hoard of Andvari to appease Rodmar.
• Ragnarok: Final destruction of present world in battle between gods and giants; some minor gods will survive, and Lif and Lifthrasir will repeople world.
• Regin: Blacksmith; son of Rodmar; foster-father of Sigurd.
• Rerir: King of Huns; son of Sigi.
• Rodmar: Father of Regin, Otter, and Fafnir; demanded Otter's skin be filled with gold; slain by Fafnir, who stole gold.
• Sif: Wife of Thor.
• Siggeir: King of Goths; husband of Signy; he and his sons slew Volsung and his sons, except Sigmund; slain by Sigmund and Sinflotli.
• Sigi: King of Huns; son of Odin.
• Sigmund: Son of Volsung; brother of Signy, who bore him Sinflotli; husband of Hiordis, who bore him Sigurd.
• Signy: Daughter of Volsung; sister of Sigmund; wife of Siggeir; mother by Sigmund of Sinflotli.
• Sigurd: Son of Sigmund and Hiordis; wakened Brynhild from magic sleep; married Gudrun; slain by Guttorm at instigation of Brynhild.
• Sigyn: Wife of Loki.
• Sinflotli: Son of Sigmund and Signy.
• Skuld: One of several Norns.
• Sleipnir (Sleipner): Eight-legged horse of Odin.
• Surt (Surtr): Fire demon; slays Frey at Ragnarok.
• Svartalfaheim: Abode of dwarfs.
• Swanhild: Daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun; slain by Jormunrek.
• Thor: God of thunder; oldest son of Odin; equivalent to Germanic deity Donar.
• Tyr: God of war; son of Odin; equivalent to Tiu in Teutonic mythology.
• Ull (Ullr): Son of Sif; stepson of Thor.
• Urth: One of several Norns.
• Valhalla (Valhall): Great hall in Asgard where Odin received souls of heroes killed in battle.
• Vali: Odin's son: Ragnarok survivor.
• Valkyries: Virgins, messengers of Odin, who selected heroes to die in battle and took them to Valhalla; generally considered as nine in number.
• Vanir: Early race of gods; three survivors, Njorth, Frey, and Freya, are associated with Aesir.
• Ve: Brother of Odin; one of creators of world.
• Verthandi: One of several Norns.
• Vili: Brother of Odin; one of creators of world.
• Vingolf: Abode of goddesses in Asgard.
• Vitharr (Vithar): Son of Odin; survivor of Ragnarok.
• Volsung: Descendant of Odin, and father of Signy, Sigmund; his descendants were called Volsungs.
• Yggdrasill: Giant ash tree springing from body of Ymir and supporting universe; its roots extended to Asgard, Jotunnheim, and Niffheim.
• Ymir (Ymer): Primeval frost giant killed by Odin, Vili, and Ve; world created from his body; also, from his body sprang Yggdrasill.