List of names of Freyr

The Germanic god Freyr is referred to by many names in Old Norse poetry and literature. Multiple of these are attested only once in the extant record and are found principally in Skáldskaparmál. Some names have been further proposed by scholars to have referred to the god in the Medieval period, including one from Old English literature.

The Rällinge statuette, believed to depict Freyr, Viking Age.^[1]

Names

Name (Old Norse)	Name (Anglicised)	Name meaning	Attestations	Notes
Árguð[2]	Argud	God of the Fertile Season[3]	Skáldskaparmál (14)
Ballriði[4]	Ballridi	Bold rider[5]	Lokasenna 37
Bani Belja[6]	Bani Belja	Beli's bane[7]	Gylfaginning (61), Skáldskaparmál (262)
Belja dólgr[2]	Belja dolg	Adversary of Beli[3]	Skáldskaparmál (14)
Blótgoð svía[8]	Blotgod svia	Sacrificial god of the Svear[9]	Ögmundar þáttr dytts
Fégjafa[2]	Fegjafa	God of Wealth-Gifts[3]	Skáldskaparmál (14)	Also attested as a heiti for Njörðr in Skáldskaparmál (13)
Folkvaldi goða[10]	Folkvaldi goda	Foremost of the gods,[11] Great general of the gods[12]	Skírnismál (3)
Ingunar-Freyr[4]	Ingunar-Freyr	Ingunar-Freyr[13]	Lokasenna (43), Separate Saga of St. Olaf (Prologue)
Ǫflugr Atriði[2]	Oflug Atridi	The mighty attacking rider[9]	Skáldskaparmál (261)	Compare with Atriðr, a name for Odin[14]
Son Njarðar[2]	Son Njardar	Son of Njördr[3]	Skáldskaparmál (14), Skírnismál (38, 39)
Svía goð[15]	Svia god	God of the Svear[9]	Viðbœtir við Olafs sögu hins helga (Chapter 11)
Vanaguð[2]	Vanagud	God of Vanir[3]	Skáldskaparmál (14)	Also attested as a heiti for Njörðr in Skáldskaparmál (13)
Vananið[2]	Vananid	Kinsman of the Vanir[3]	Skáldskaparmál (14)	Also attested as a heiti for Njörðr in Skáldskaparmál (13)
Vanr[2]	Van	Wane[3]	Skáldskaparmál (14)	Also attested as a heiti for Njörðr in Skáldskaparmál (13)
Vaningi[10]	Vaningi	Member of the Vanir[16]	Skírnismál (37)	Also attested as a heiti for boar in Nafnaþulur (97)
Veralldar gud,[17] Veraldargoð[18]	Veralldar gud, Veraldargod	God of the world,[19] God of this world[20]	Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta (Flateyjarbók I Chapter 323),Ynglinga Saga (Chapter 13)	Compare with the Sámi god Vearalden Olmai (Man of the World)[9]
Yngvi[18]	Yngvi	Yngve[21]	Ynglinga Saga (Chapter 12)
Yngvifreyr,[18] Ingifreyr[22]	Yngvifrey	Yngve Frey[21]	Haustlöng (10), Nafnaþulur (22), Sturlaugs saga starfsama (Chapter 19), Ynglinga Saga (Chapter 14)

Proposed names

Scholars have proposed names that may have been used historically to refer to Freyr. In contrast to the first table, these names rely to varying extents on speculation and are not unequivocal.

Name (Old Norse or Old English)	Name (Anglicised)	Name meaning	Attestations	Notes
Álfr[23]	Alf	Elf[23]	Skáldskaparmál (69), Vafþrúðnismál (46,47) as a component of the sun kenning álfröðull	Proposed by Alaric Hall due to Snorri's description of Freyr ruling over the sun's shining, the name of his servant Skírnir is derived from skírr ('bright'), and the partial synonymity between álfr and vanr.[23]
Alfwalda[24]	Alfwalda	Ruler of elves[25]	Beowulf (Line 1313)	Argued by Paul Beekman Taylor to refer to Freyr, based on the association between Freyr and elves seen in the Dvergatal, in which both Yngvi and Álfr are listed, and in Grímnismál, when he is described as ruling over Álfheimr.[25] Alaric Hall describes the reading of alfwalda, rather than amending to alwalda (all-ruler), as reasonable but notes the argument is highly speculative.[23]
Fróði	Frodi, Frode	Wise[26]	Ynglinga saga (Chapter 12)	In the euhemeristic Ynglinga saga, Fróði's Peace began under the rule of the Freyr, and was maintained after his death through offering him blót and veneration. Referring to the figure after which the period of peace is named, Rudolf Simek states that "it has been realized for a long time that Fróði and Freyr are identical."[27] In Skírnismál (1), Freyr is also referred to as Old Norse: inn fróði (the wise one).[10][28]
Þrór[29][30]	Thror	Related to Old Norse: Þróaz ("to grow, to increase"). Has been proposed to mean "The sexually prolific" and "The thriving".[31][32][33]	Grímnismál (49), Ynglingatal (51)	A name for Óðinn, proposed by John McKinnell to have been a name for Freyr due to the description of the Norwegian branch of the Ynglings as 'Þrór's descent' (Old Norse: niðkvísl Þrós) and its use as a heiti for boar in Nafnaþulur (97).[32] Olof Sundqvist supports this idea, noting also that Freyr is described as Þroskr in Skírnismál.[31]

See also

• List of names of Odin
• List of names of Thor
• Names of God in Old English poetry