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 cautious",[ 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
Locations
Underworld Rivers Other locations
Events Sources Society
Religious practice Festivals and holy periods Other
See also