Norse Gods and Goddesses

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.

Vanir – Fertility gods.

Var – Goddess of marriage oaths.

Ve – Son of Bor and brother of Odin and Vili.

Vidar – Son of Odin and the giantess Grid who will avenge Odin’s death after Ragnarok.

Vili – Son of Bor and brother of Odin and Ve.

Vor – Goddess who knows all.