Saying the names
Old Norse was spoken a thousand years ago, so every pronunciation is a reconstruction. What follows is the usual scholarly approximation for the language of the thirteenth-century Icelandic manuscripts, simplified for English speakers. Modern Icelandic, its descendant, sounds different in several ways, and English has its own settled forms for the famous names (Thor, Odin, Valhalla), which are not wrong, just English.
Five rules that do most of the work
- Stress the first syllable. Always: ÓÐ-inn, YGG-drasill, RAG-narök.
- An accent means a long vowel, not stress: á is the a of father, held; í is ee; ó is oh; ú is oo; é is like the ay of they.
- Þ þ is the th of thin; Ð ð is the th of this. Translators usually write both as th (Bellows) or d (Brodeur): Þórr becomes Thor, Baldr's killer Höðr becomes Hoth or Hödr.
- Say every letter. Final -r is a rolled r and part of the word (Freyr, Þórr, Baldr); doubled consonants are held longer (Gunnarr, Iðunn).
- J is y as in yes: Jörð is YURTH, roughly, and Njörðr is NYUR-thur.
The letters
| Letter | Old Norse, roughly | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a / á | short / long ah | Ásgarðr: AHS-gar-thur |
| e / é | e of bet / long ay | Héðinn |
| i / í | i of bit / ee | Ím, Mímir: MEE-mir |
| o / ó | short o / long oh | Óðinn: OH-thin |
| u / ú | u of put / oo | Búri: BOO-ri |
| y / ý | German ü: say ee with rounded lips | Ymir, Týr |
| ö (ǫ) | an open o, like British pot; modern Icelandic says the vowel of fur | Mjöllnir, Ragnarök |
| æ | long open e, as in air (modern Icelandic: eye) | Ægir: AIR-gir, roughly |
| œ, ø | German ö, long and short | Hœnir |
| au | ow of now | Auðhumla: OWTH-hum-la |
| ei, ey | ay of day; ey with rounded lips | Heimdallr, Freyja: FRAY-ya |
| þ | th of thin | Þjazi: THYAHT-si |
| ð | th of this | Miðgarðr: MITH-gar-thur |
| f | f at the start of a word; v between vowels and at the end | Fáfnir: FAHV-nir |
| g | hard g; between vowels it softens to a breathy gh | Ragnarök |
| hv | hw, as some English speakers say which | Hvergelmir |
| j | y of yes | Jötunheimr: YUR-tun-haym-ur |
| r | trilled, always sounded | Freyr, Baldr |
| z | ts | Þjazi |
The respellings on this site use capitals for the stressed syllable and plain English letters. They aim to be close enough to be understood, not to be exact. Where an English form is established (Thor, Odin, Loki, Valhalla) the pages give both.
Every name on the site
| Old Norse | English form | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Ægir | Ægir | EYE-yeer (Old Norse AI-gir) |
| Æsir | The Æsir | EYE-sir (Old Norse AY-sir; singular áss, OWSS) |
| álfar | Elves | OWL-var (singular álfr, OWL-vur) |
| Álfheimr | Álfheimr | ALF-haym (Old Norse OWLF-hay-mur) |
| Alvíss | Alvíss | AL-veess |
| Andvaranautr | Andvaranaut | AND-vah-rah-nowt |
| Andvari | Andvari | AND-vah-ree |
| Angrboða | Angrboða | ANG-gur-boh-thuh (ð as th in 'this') |
| Árvakr ok Alsviðr | Árvakr and Alsviðr | AHR-vah-ker and AHLS-vith-er (th as in 'this') |
| Ásgarðr | Asgard | AS-gard (Old Norse OWS-gar-thur, th as in 'this') |
| Askr ok Embla | Ask and Embla | ASK and EM-bluh |
| Atli | Atli | AHT-lee |
| Auðhumla | Auðhumla | OWTH-hoom-luh (th as in 'this') |
| Baldr | Baldr | BAWL-der (Old Norse BAHL-dur) |
| Baugi | Baugi | BOW-ghee (bow as in 'now') |
| Bergelmir | Bergelmir | BER-gel-mir (Old Norse BAIR-gel-meer) |
| Bestla | Bestla | BEST-luh |
| Bifröst | Bifröst | BIV-rost (Old Norse BIV-rœst) |
| Bilskirnir | Bilskirnir and Þrúðvangr | BIL-skeer-neer |
| Bölþorn | Bölþorn | BURL-thorn (Old Norse BUHL-thorn) |
| Borr | Borr | BOR (Old Norse BORR, with a rolled r); also written Burr or Bur |
| Bragi | Bragi | BRAH-ghee (Old Norse BRAH-gee, hard g) |
| Breiðablik | Breiðablik | BRAY-thah-blik (th as in 'this') |
| Brísingamen | Brísingamen | BREE-sing-ah-men |
| Brokkr | Brokkr | BROK-ur |
| Brynhildr | Brynhildr | BRIN-hild (Old Norse BRUN-hild-r) |
| Búri | Búri | BOO-ree |
| Dagr | Dagr | DAHG-r |
| Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr, Duraþrór | The four stags of Yggdrasil | DOW-in, DVAH-lin, DOON-ay-rur, DOO-ra-throhr (th as in 'thin') |
| dísir | Dísir | DEE-seer (singular dís, DEESS) |
| Draupnir | Draupnir | DROWP-nir (ow as in 'cow') |
| Durinn | Durinn | DOO-rin |
| Dvalinn | Dvalinn | DVAH-lin |
| dvergar | Dwarves | DVER-gar (singular dvergr, DVER-gur) |
| Eggþér | Eggþér | EGG-thayr (th as in 'thin') |
| Eikþyrnir | Eikþyrnir | AKE-thir-neer (th as in 'thin') |
| einherjar | Einherjar | AYN-her-yar |
| Eir | Eir | AIR (Old Norse AYR) |
| Eitri | Eitri | AY-tree |
| Élivágar | Élivágar | AY-lee-vaw-gar |
| Elli | Elli | EL-lee |
| epli Iðunnar | Iðunn's apples | EP-lee ITH-oon-ar |
| Fáfnir | Fáfnir | FAHV-nir |
| Fárbauti | Fárbauti | FAHR-bow-tee (ow as in 'cow') |
| Fenrir | Fenrir | FEN-rir (Old Norse FEN-rir, with a rolled r) |
| Fensalir | Fensalir | FEN-sah-leer |
| Fjalarr ok Galarr | Fjalar and Galarr | FYAH-lar and GAH-lar |
| Fólkvangr | Fólkvangr | FOHLK-vahng-r |
| Forseti | Forseti | FOR-set-ee |
| Freyja | Freyja | FRAY-uh (Old Norse FRAY-yah) |
| Freyr | Freyr | FRAY (Old Norse FRAYR, with a rolled r) |
| Frigg | Frigg | FRIG |
| Fulla | Fulla | FULL-ah |
| galdr | Galdr | GAL-dur (Old Norse GAHLDR, the r trilled) |
| Garmr | Garmr | GARM (Old Norse GAR-mr) |
| Gefjun | Gefjun | GEV-yoon |
| Geirröðr | Geirröðr | GAYR-ruh-thur (th as in 'this') |
| Gerðr | Gerðr | GAIRD (Old Norse GAIR-thr, th as in 'this') |
| Geri ok Freki | Geri and Freki | GEH-ree and FREK-ee |
| Gimlé | Gimlé | GIM-lay (hard g) |
| Ginnungagap | Ginnungagap | GIN-oon-guh-gahp |
| Gjallarhorn | Gjallarhorn | GYAHL-lar-horn |
| Gjálp ok Greip | Gjálp and Greip | GYAWLP and GRAYP |
| Glaðsheimr | Glaðsheimr | GLAHTHS-hay-mer (th as in 'this') |
| Gleipnir | Gleipnir | GLAYP-nir |
| Glitnir | Glitnir | GLIT-neer |
| Gná | Gná | GNAH |
| Gramr | Gramr | GRAHM-r (Old Norse, with a rolled r); in English usually GRAM |
| Grani | Grani | GRAH-nee |
| Gríðarvölr | Gríðarvölr | GREE-thar-vuhl-ur (th as in 'this') |
| Gríðr | Gríðr | GREETH-ur (th as in 'this'); often written Grid in English |
| Grímhildr | Grímhildr | GREEM-hild |
| Grípir | Grípir | GREE-pir |
| Guðrún | Guðrún | GOOTH-roon (th as in 'this') |
| Gullfaxi | Gullfaxi | GOOL-fahk-see |
| Gullinbursti | Gullinbursti | GOOL-in-boors-tee |
| Gulltoppr | Gulltoppr | GOOL-top-r |
| Gungnir | Gungnir | GOONG-nir |
| Gunnarr | Gunnarr | GOON-ar (Old Norse GOON-nar, with a rolled r) |
| Gunnlöð | Gunnlöð | GOON-luhth (th as in 'this') |
| Gylfi | Gylfi | GIL-vee (Old Norse GÜL-vee, with the vowel of French 'tu') |
| Gymir | Gymir | GIM-ir (Old Norse GÜ-mir) |
| Hamðir ok Sörli | Hamðir and Sörli | HAM-thir and SUR-lee (th as in 'this') |
| Hárr, Jafnhárr, Þriði | High, Just-as-High and Third | HAR, YAHV-n-har, THRITH-ee (th in 'Thrithi' first as in 'thin', then as in 'this') |
| Heiðrún | Heiðrún | HAYTH-roon (th as in 'this') |
| Heimdallr | Heimdall | HAME-dahl (Old Norse HAYM-dahl-r) |
| Hel | Hel | HEL |
| Hel | Hel (the realm) | HEL; the modern name Helheim is said HEL-haym |
| Helgi Hjörvarðsson | Helgi Hjörvarðsson | HEL-ghee HYUR-varth-son |
| Helgi Hundingsbani | Helgi Hundingsbane | HEL-ghee HOON-dings-bah-nee |
| Hermóðr | Hermóðr | HER-mohth-ur (th as in 'this'); often written Hermod in English |
| Hildisvíni | Hildisvíni | HIL-dis-vee-nee |
| Himinbjörg | Himinbjörg | HIM-in-byurg |
| Hliðskjálf | Hliðskjálf | HLITH-skyahlf (th as in 'this') |
| Hlín | Hlín | HLEEN |
| Höðr | Höðr | HUR-thur (th as in 'this'); often written Hod or Hoder in English |
| Hœnir | Hœnir | HUR-neer (Old Norse HOE-nir, the oe as in German 'schön') |
| Högni | Högni | HUG-nee (Old Norse HUHG-nee) |
| Hræsvelgr | Hræsvelgr | HRICE-vel-ger |
| Hreiðmarr | Hreiðmarr | HRAYTH-mar (th as in 'this') |
| Hrungnir | Hrungnir | HROONG-nir |
| Hrymr | Hrymr | HREEM (Old Norse HRÜ-mr, the y like French u) |
| Huginn ok Muninn | Huginn and Muninn | HOO-gin and MOO-nin |
| Hvergelmir | Hvergelmir | HVER-gel-mir |
| Hymir | Hymir | HEE-mir |
| Hyndla | Hyndla | HIND-la |
| Hyrrokkin | Hyrrokkin | HIR-rok-kin |
| Iðavöllr | Iðavöllr | ITH-uh-vuhl (th as in 'this') |
| Iðunn | Iðunn | ITH-oon (th as in 'this') |
| Ívalda synir | Sons of Ivaldi | EE-val-dee |
| Jörð | Jörð | YURTH (th as in 'this'); often written Jord in English |
| Jörmungandr | Jörmungandr | YUR-mun-gand (Old Norse YUR-mun-gahn-dr) |
| Jörmunrekkr | Jörmunrekkr | YUR-mun-rek |
| jötnar | The giants (jötnar) | YOT-nar (singular jötunn, YOT-un) |
| Jötunheimr | Jötunheimr | YOT-un-hame (Old Norse YOT-un-hay-mur) |
| kenningar | Kennings | KEN-ingz (Old Norse KEN-ning-gar; singular kenning) |
| Kvasir | Kvasir | KVAH-seer |
| Lævateinn | Lævateinn | LIE-vuh-tayn (Old Norse LAY-vah-tayn) |
| Laufey | Laufey | LOW-vay (ow as in 'cow') |
| Líf ok Lífþrasir | Líf and Lífþrasir | LEEF and LEEF-thrah-seer (th as in 'thin') |
| Litr | Litr | LIT (Old Norse LIT-r) |
| Lofn | Lofn | LOV-n |
| Logi | Logi | LOH-ghee |
| Loki | Loki | LOH-kee (Old Norse LOH-kee) |
| Magni | Magni | MAG-nee |
| Máni | Máni | MAH-nee |
| Megingjörð | Megingjörð and Járngreipr | MEG-in-gyurth (th as in 'this'); YARN-gray-pur |
| Miðgarðr | Midgard | MID-gard (Old Norse MITH-gar-thur, th as in 'this') |
| Mímir | Mímir | MEE-meer |
| Mímisbrunnr | Mímisbrunnr | MEE-mis-broon-r |
| Mjöllnir | Mjölnir | MYOL-neer (Old Norse MYOLL-nir) |
| Móði | Móði | MOH-thee (th as in 'this') |
| Mökkurkálfi | Mökkurkálfi | MUK-kur-kawl-vee |
| Mótsognir | Mótsognir | MOHT-sog-nir |
| Mundilfari | Mundilfari | MUN-dil-fah-ree |
| Muspellsheimr | Muspellsheimr | MOO-spels-haym (Old Norse MOO-spels-hay-mr) |
| Naglfar | Naglfar | NAG-ul-far |
| Nanna | Nanna | NAHN-nuh |
| Náströnd | Náströnd | NAH-strund |
| Niðavellir | Niðavellir | NITH-uh-vel-ir (th as in 'this') |
| Níðhöggr | Níðhöggr | NEETH-hug-r (th as in 'this') |
| Niflheimr | Niflheimr | NIV-l-haym (Old Norse NIV-ul-hay-mur) |
| níu heimar | The nine worlds | NEE-oo HAY-mar |
| Njörðr | Njörðr | NYORD (Old Norse NYUR-thr, th as in 'this') |
| Nóatún | Nóatún | NOH-ah-toon |
| Norðri, Suðri, Austri, Vestri | Norðri, Suðri, Austri and Vestri | NOR-three, SOO-three, OW-stree, VES-tree (th as in 'this') |
| Nörfi | Nörfi | NUR-vee |
| nornir | The Norns | NORNZ (Old Norse NOR-nir; singular norn, NORN) |
| Nótt | Nótt | NOHT |
| Oddrún | Oddrún | ODD-roon |
| Óðinn | Odin | OH-din (Old Norse OH-thin, th as in 'this') |
| Óðrerir | Óðrerir | OH-thrair-ir (th as in 'this') |
| Otr | Otr | OTT-r (with a rolled r) |
| Ragnarök | Ragnarök | RAG-nuh-rok (Old Norse RAG-nah-rurk) |
| Rán | Rán | RAWN |
| Ratatoskr | Ratatoskr | RAH-tuh-tosk-er |
| Reginn | Reginn | REG-in (hard g) |
| Rígr | Rígr | RIG (Old Norse REE-gur) |
| Rindr | Rindr | RIND (Old Norse RIN-dur); often written Rind in English |
| rúnar | Runes | ROONZ (Old Norse ROO-nar; singular rún, ROON) |
| Sæhrímnir | Sæhrímnir | SIGH-hreem-neer |
| Sága | Sága | SAH-gah |
| seiðr | Seiðr | SAY-thur (th as in 'this'); often anglicised SAYD or SAY-der |
| Sessrúmnir | Sessrúmnir | SESS-room-nir |
| Sif | Sif | SIV (Old Norse SEEV) |
| Sigmundr | Sigmundr | SIG-mund (Old Norse SIG-mund-r) |
| Sigrún | Sigrún | SIG-roon |
| Sigurðr | Sigurðr | SIG-urd (Old Norse SIG-urth-r, with a rolled r) |
| Sigyn | Sigyn | SIG-in (Old Norse SIG-in, hard g) |
| Sinfjötli | Sinfjötli | SIN-fyuht-lee |
| Sjöfn | Sjöfn | SYUV-n (Old Norse SYOHVN) |
| Skaði | Skaði | SKAH-dee (Old Norse SKAH-thee, th as in 'this') |
| skáldskapar mjaðar | The mead of poetry | SKAWLD-skah-par MYAH-thar (th as in 'this') |
| Skíðblaðnir | Skíðblaðnir | SKEETH-blath-nir (th as in 'this') |
| Skinfaxi ok Hrímfaxi | Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi | SKIN-fax-ee and HREEM-fax-ee |
| Sköll ok Hati | Sköll and Hati | SKURL and HAH-tee (Old Norse SKOLL, with a long l) |
| Skuld | Skuld | SKOOLD |
| Sleipnir | Sleipnir | SLAYP-nir |
| Snotra | Snotra | SNOT-rah |
| Sökkvabekkr | Sökkvabekkr | SURK-vah-bek-er |
| Sól | Sól | SOLE (Old Norse SOHL) |
| Surtr | Surtr | SURT (Old Norse SUR-tr, with a rolled r) |
| Suttungr | Suttungr | SOOT-tung-ur |
| Svaðilfari | Svaðilfari | SVATH-il-fah-ree (th as in 'this') |
| Svalinn | Svalinn | SVAH-lin |
| Svanhildr | Svanhildr | SVAN-hild |
| Svartálfaheimr | Svartálfaheimr | SVART-al-fuh-haym (Old Norse SVART-owl-fah-hay-mur) |
| sverð Freys | Freyr's sword | SVERTH FRAYSS |
| Svipdagr ok Menglöð | Svipdagr and Menglöð | SVIP-dahg and MEN-gluth (th as in 'this') |
| Syn | Syn | SIN (Old Norse SEEN) |
| Tanngrisnir ok Tanngnjóstr | Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr | TAHN-gris-nir and TAHN-gnyohst-r |
| Þjálfi ok Röskva | Þjálfi and Röskva | THYAWL-vee and RUSK-va |
| Þjazi | Þjazi | THYAHT-see (þ as th in 'thin') |
| Þökk | Þökk | THURK (th as in 'thin') |
| Þórr | Thor | THOR (Old Norse THOHR, with a rolled r) |
| Þrúðgelmir | Þrúðgelmir | THROOD-gel-mir (Old Norse THROOTH-gel-meer) |
| Þrúðr | Þrúðr | THROOTH-ur (th as in 'thin', then as in 'this'); often written Thrud in English |
| Þrymheimr | Þrymheimr | THRIM-hay-mr (þ as th in 'thin') |
| Þrymr | Þrymr | THRIM (Old Norse THRIM-ur) |
| Týr | Týr | TEER (Old Norse TEER, with a long ee and a rolled r) |
| Ullr | Ullr | OOL-ur; often written Ull in English |
| Urðarbrunnr | Urðarbrunnr | OOR-thar-broon (th as in 'this') |
| Urðr | Urðr | URD (Old Norse OOR-thur, th as in 'this') |
| Útgarða-Loki | Útgarða-Loki | OOT-gar-tha LOH-kee |
| Útgarðr | Útgarðr | OOT-gar-thur (th as in 'this') |
| Vafþrúðnir | Vafþrúðnir | VAHF-throod-nir (th as in 'thin') |
| Valaskjálf | Valaskjálf | VAH-lah-skyahlf |
| Valhöll | Valhalla | val-HAL-ah (Old Norse VAHL-hurl) |
| Váli | Váli | VAH-lee |
| valkyrjur | Valkyries | VAL-kih-reez (Old Norse VAL-kür-yur; singular valkyrja, VAL-kür-ya) |
| Vanaheimr | Vanaheimr | VAH-nuh-haym (Old Norse VAH-nah-hay-mur) |
| Vanir | The Vanir | VAH-nir (singular Vanr, VAH-nr) |
| Vár | Vár | VAHR |
| Veðrfölnir | Veðrfölnir and the eagle | VETH-ur-fuhl-nir (th as in 'this') |
| Verðandi | Verðandi | VER-than-dee (th as in 'this') |
| Víðarr | Víðarr | VEE-thar (th as in 'this'); often written Vidar in English |
| Vígríðr | Vígríðr | VEEG-ree-thr (th as in 'this') |
| Vili ok Vé | Vili and Vé | VIL-ee and VAY |
| Völundr | Völundr | VUH-lund (Old Norse VUH-lund-r) |
| völva | The völva | VUHL-vuh (Old Norse VUL-va, with the vowel of 'bird'); plural völur, VUH-lur |
| Vör | Vör | VUR |
| Ýdalir | Ýdalir | EE-dah-leer |
| Yggdrasill | Yggdrasil | IG-druh-sil (Old Norse IGG-drah-sill) |
| Ymir | Ymir | EE-mir (Old Norse EE-meer) |