The Prose and Poetic Eddas , which form the foundation of what we know today concerning Norse mythology , contain many names of dwarfs . While many of them are featured in extant myths of their own, many others have come down to us today only as names in various lists provided for the benefit of skalds or poets of the medieval period and are included here for the purpose of completeness.
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Aí Great-grandfather Óinn Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Álfr "Elf"[ 1] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Alfrigg "Elfking" Sörla þáttr Alfrikr "Elfking" Þiðreks saga Alius The other Ásmundar saga kappabana Alþjófr "All-thief"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Alvíss "All-Wise" Alvíssmál Án Óri Völuspá Ánarr Starer Annarr, Ónarr Völuspá Andvari "Careful one", "Cautious spirit",[ 1] "Gentle breeze" Nafnaþulur , Reginsmál , Skáldskaparmál , Völsunga saga , Völuspá Atvarðr Fjölsvinnsmál Aurgrminir "Mud-grimnir"[ 2] Aurvangr "Mud-field",[ 2] "Gravelly plain" Aurvargr Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Austri "Eastern" Gylfaginning , Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Báfurr "Bean"[ 2] Bofurr Völuspá Bári "The Bearing",[ 2] "Ready", "Eager" Barri Fjölsvinnsmál Berling Little bar, Handspike Sörla þáttr Bifurr "Quaking one",[ 2] "Beaver" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Bildr "Plowman",[ 2] "Edged weapon" Völuspá Billingr Twin brother Völuspá Bláinn "Dark-hued",[ 2] "Blackish" Skáldskaparmál Blindviðr Blind board Skáldskaparmál Blôvurr "The Shining"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál Bömburr "Drummer",[ 2] "The swollen one" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Brísingr "Flame" Brokkr "the one who works with metal fragments; blacksmith" Brothers: Eitri , Sindri Skáldskaparmál Brúni Black, Dark brown Völuspá Búinn Prepared for burial Skáldskaparmál Buri "Progenitor",[ 2] "Son" Burinn Völuspá
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Dagfinnr Day-finder, Day-magician Skáldskaparmál Dáinn "The Dead One", "Deadlike" Grímnismál , Hyndluljóð , Völuspá Dáni "Deadlike" Fjölsvinnsmál Darri "Spearman" Dorri Fjölsvinnsmál Dellingr The gleaming one Fjölsvinnsmál , Skáldskaparmál Dolgr "Warrior",[ 1] "Enemy" Skáldskaparmál Dólgþrasir "Persisting warrior",[ 1] "Battle-eager" Dolgþvari Völuspá Dóri "The Fortifying",[ 2] "Borer", "Auger-man" Fjölsvinnsmál , Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Draupnir "Dropper",[ 1] "Dripper" Dramir, Draufnir Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Dúfr "The Crooked",[ 2] "The Deep",[ 1] "Nodder" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Duneyrr "Thundering ear"[ 1] or "Dark ear"[ 3] Grímnismál , Gylfaginning Duraþrór "Thriving Slumber" Grímnismál , Gylfaginning Durinn "Slumber", "Door" or "Door-warden" Dulinn Gylfaginning , Hervarar saga , Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Dúrnir "Door", "Door-warden", "Sleeper" Laufás-Edda , Skáldskaparmál , Ynglingatal Dvalinn "the dormant one", "the one slumbering", "Torpid" Alvíssmál , Fáfnismál , Grímnismál , Gylfaginning , Hávamál , Hervarar saga , Skáldskaparmál , Sörla þáttr , Völuspá
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Fafnir Father: Hreiðmarr Brothers: Ótr , Regin Gylfaginning , Völsunga saga Fáinn Shining Skáldskaparmál Fár "The caretaker" or "the defender",[ 2] "Shining" Skáldskaparmál Farli The faring one Skáldskaparmál Fíli "The one who files",[ 2] "File" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Finnr Lapp, Magician Fiðr Völuspá Fjalar "Paneller" Falr Brother: Galar Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Fjǫlsviðr "Very Powerful",[ 1] "Very wise" Skáldskaparmál Fǫrvi Skáldskaparmál Frægr Famous Völuspá Frár Swift Frór Völuspá Fríðr Fair, Beautiful, Handsome Skáldskaparmál Frosti "Frosty",[ 1] "Cold" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Fullangr Long enough Skáldskaparmál Fundinn "Found"[ 1] Völuspá
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Hanarr "The skillfull" or "Chanter" Hárr Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Hár "The high"[ 2] Haurr Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Haugspori Howe-treader Hugstari Völuspá Hepti "Impeding"[ 1] Völuspá Heptifili "File-holder", "Filer",[ 2] "File with handle" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Heri "Host",[ 2] "Hare" Skáldskaparmál Herrauðr Army-peace Herriðr Army-beautiful Hildingr Warrior, Prince, King Skáldskaparmál Hleðjolfr "Shield Wolf",[ 2] "Sword" Völuspá Hlévangr "Grave-mound",[ 2] "Sheltered plain" Hlévargr Völuspá Hljóðolfr "Silent Wolf",[ 2] "Howl-wolf" Hljóðalfr Skáldskaparmál Hornbori "He who bore horn's hair",[ 2] "Hornborer" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Horr "The Dear",[ 2] "Linen" "Bowstring" Hreiðmarr Sons: Fafnir , Ótr , Regin Gylfaginning , Völsunga saga Hugstari "Battle thinker" or "strategist",[ 2] "The bold one" Hoggstari Skáldskaparmál
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Iri "the rumor spreading",[ 2] "Irish" Ívaldi "Wielder of the yew bow", "Warrior"
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Nabbi Small boil Hyndluljóð Næfr Clever, skilled Skáldskaparmál Náinn "Corpse"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Nali "Corpse" or "Death"[ 2] or "Needle",[ 1] "Axle of a hand-mill" Váli Völuspá Nár "Corpse"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Nefi Relative, nephew Skáldskaparmál Níðhǫggr "Malice striker" or "Tenebrous Gnawer",[ 1] "The hateful striking one" Skáldskaparmál Niði "Underworld being",[ 2] "The one associated with the dark moon" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Nípingr "The Dark"[ 2] or "The Handsome" or "The Curving",[ 1] "Pinch" Nífengr Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Norðri "Northern", "The one in the North" Gylfaginning , Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Nóri Little shaver Völuspá Nýi "New moon"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Nýr "The new",[ 1] "New" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Nýráðr "New advice",[ 1] "Ingenious" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Patti Little shaver, little boy
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Siarr "The Panning",[ 2] "He who makes the sparks fly", "Smith" Sindri "Spark", "Slanting board", "Slat" None attested Brother: Brokkr Gylfaginning , Skáldskaparmál , Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar , Völuspá Skávær "The good-natured"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál Skafiðr "The scraper"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Skirfir "Skillful artisan",[ 2] "joiner who makes herring-bone panelling" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Suðri "Southern", "the one in the South" Gylfaginning , Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Sons of Ivaldi Father: Ívaldi Svíurr "The Disappearing"[ 2] Sviðr Völuspá
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Þekkr "The welcome one"[ 2] or "The thinker" or "The amiable",[ 1] "Beloved" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Tigvi Skáldskaparmál þjóðrœrir "The one buried in the famous stone-heap", "The famous one buried in the stone-heap" Hávamál Þjórr Bull Tóki Blockhead Þolinn The mumbling one, Silly person Skáldskaparmál Þorin "The Daring",[ 2] "Bold" Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Þráinn "The Threatening",[ 2] "The Audacious",[ 1] "Stubborn" Þróinn Völuspá Þrasir "snorter", "The one in rage" Skáldskaparmál Þrór "Inciter of strife",[ 2] "The thriving",[ 1] "Boar" þrár Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Túta Little nub
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Varr "The cautios",[ 2] "Wary", "Shy" Fjölsvinnsmál , Skáldskaparmál Vegdrasill "Courageous in battle",[ 2] "Road-steed", "Glory-steed" Fjölsvinnsmál Veggr "The toothy",[ 2] "Wedge" Völuspá Veigr "The defiant",[ 2] "Strength" Vestri "Western", "The one in the West" Gylfaginning , Völuspá Viðr Board, Slat, Rung Skáldskaparmál Vífir Fututor,good man Skáldskaparmál Viggr Axe-bit Vigr Spear Vili "Will" Völuspá Vindálfr "Wind-elf"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Virwir "The virulent",[ 2] "Dyer" Virfir Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá Vitr "Wise"[ 2] Skáldskaparmál , Völuspá
Name Name meaning Alternative names Attested relatives Attestations Yngvi "Prince" or "Warrior",[ 2] "Frey" Ingi Völuspá
Faulkes, Anthony (transl. and ed.) (1987). Edda (Snorri Sturluson). Everyman . ISBN 0-460-87616-3 Larrington, Carolyne (transl. and ed.) (1996). The Poetic Edda . Oxford World's Classics . ISBN 0-19-283946-2 Gurevich, Elena: (Introduction to) Anonymous, Dverga heiti ; in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds.): Poetry from Treatises on Poetics - Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3; Turnhout: Brepols, 2017 (p. 692). Gould, Chester Nathan: Dwarf-Names - A Study in Old Icelandic Religion; in PMLA, Vol. 44, No. 4 (Dec., 1929) (pp. 939-967). doi :10.2307/457704
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