BRYNHILDRfNorse Mythology, Ancient Scandinavian Old Norse cognate of BRÜNHILD. In the Norse legend the Volsungasaga Brynhildr was rescued by the hero Sigurd in the guise of Gunnar. Brynhildr and Gunnar were married, but when Sigurd's wife Gudrun let slip that it was in fact Sigurd who had rescued her, Brynhildr plotted against him. She accused Sigurd of taking her virginity, spurring Gunnar to arrange Sigurd's murder.
EDDA (2)fIcelandic, Ancient Scandinavian Possibly from Old Norse meaning "great-grandmother". This was the name of two 13th-century Icelandic literary works: the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. This is also the name of a character in the Poetic Edda, though it is unclear if her name is connected to the name of the collection.
GRÍMHILDRfNorse Mythology, Ancient Scandinavian Old Norse cognate of KRIEMHILD. In the Norse Volsungasaga Grímhildr is the mother of Gunnar and Gudrun, while in the later Germanic counterpart the Nibelungenlied Kriemhild is the sister of Günther and she herself has a role equivalent to Gudrun.
HRÓARRmAncient Scandinavian Old Norse name, derived from the element hróðr "fame" combined with either geirr "spear" (making it a relation of HRÓÐGEIRR), arr "warrior" or varr "vigilant, cautious". This is the name of a legendary Danish king, the same one who is featured in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf with the name Hroðgar.
IÐUNNfNorse Mythology, Ancient Scandinavian, Icelandic Probably derived from Old Norse ið "again" and unna "to love". In Norse mythology Iðunn was the goddess of spring and immortality whose responsibility it was to guard the gods' apples of youth.
SINDRImNorse Mythology, Ancient Scandinavian, Icelandic Possibly means either "small, trivial" or else "sparkling" in Old Norse. In Norse legend this was the name of a dwarf who, with his brother Brokk, made many magical items for the gods.
SNORRImAncient Scandinavian, Icelandic Derived from Old Norse snerra"attack, onslaught". This name was borne by Snorri Sturluson, a 13th-century Icelandic historian and poet, the author of the Prose Edda.
SVANTEPOLKmAncient Scandinavian Old Norse form of SVYATOPOLK. It was borne by the prominent 13th-century Swedish nobleman Svantepolk Knutsson. He may have been named after a relative of his Pomeranian mother.
ÞÓRAfAncient Scandinavian, Icelandic Either a feminine form of Þórr (see THOR) or else a short form of the various Old Norse names beginning with the element Þór. In Norse myth Thora was the wife of the Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok.
ÞÓRBJǪRGfAncient Scandinavian Old Norse name meaning "Thor's protection", from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see THOR) combined with bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".