Valkyrie Names and What They Actually Mean
Valkyrie means chooser of the slain. The Old Norse is valkyrja, from valr, the slain on a battlefield, and kjósa, to choose. The name is a job description, and so are most of the individual names.
Generate a Norse woman's name, or read on for the full lists.
The Named Valkyries
The list in Grímnismál and Snorri's Prose Edda is where these come from. The meanings are unusually clear because most are compounds of ordinary battle words.
| Name | Meaning | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Hildr | battle | the only one in common use as a human name |
| Göndul | wand-wielder, or the magical one | Grímnismál |
| Skögul | shaker, battle | Grímnismál |
| Hlökk | noise, din of battle | Grímnismál |
| Herfjötur | army-fetter | the panic that roots a warrior to the spot |
| Göll | tumult, loud cry | Grímnismál |
| Geirahöð | spear-battle | Grímnismál |
| Randgríðr | shield-truce, or shield-destroyer | Grímnismál |
| Ráðgríðr | counsel-truce | Grímnismál |
| Reginleif | heir of the gods | Grímnismál |
| Þrúðr | strength, might | also the name of Þórr's daughter |
| Sigrdrífa | victory-driver | Sigrdrífumál |
| Brynhildr | mail-coat battle | Völsunga saga |
| Sigrún | victory-rune, victory-lore | Helgakviða |
| Sváva | possibly the Swabian one | Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar |
Herfjötur Is the Interesting One
Most of these names describe noise, spears or shields. Herfjötur, army-fetter, describes something else: the sudden paralysing terror that stops a fighter moving. The Norse gave that experience a name and made it a person. It is the clearest surviving evidence that valkyries were understood as forces acting on a battlefield, not simply as attendants.
Real Women's Names From the Same Vocabulary
Ordinary Norse women carried names built from exactly this battle vocabulary, which is a separate thing from being a valkyrie. These are attested human names.
| Name | Meaning | Attested in |
|---|---|---|
| Þórgunna | Þórr's battle | Eyrbyggja saga |
| Þórhildr | Þórr's battle | Njáls saga |
| Gunnhildr | battle-battle | Heimskringla |
| Hallveig | rock-strength | Landnámabók |
| Hildigunnr | battle-battle | Njáls saga |
| Hildr | battle | Poetic Edda |
| Ragnhildr | battle of the gods | Heimskringla |
| Rannveig | house-strength | Njáls saga |
| Sigríðr | victory-rider | Heimskringla |
| Sigrún | victory-lore | Poetic Edda |
| Signý | new victory | Völsunga saga |
| Svanhildr | swan-battle | Völsunga saga |
| Valgerðr | slain-protection | Landnámabók |
| Vigdís | battle-lady | Laxdæla saga |
| Yngvildr | Ing's battle | Landnámabók |
| Bóthildr | remedy-battle | Landnámabók |
| Hlíf | shield, protection | Landnámabók |
| Solveig | sun-strength | Heimskringla |
| Arngunnr | eagle-battle | Landnámabók |
| Áshildr | god-battle | Landnámabók |
| Auðhildr | wealth-battle | Landnámabók |
| Bjarnveig | bear-strength | Landnámabók |
| Borghildr | fortress-battle | Völsunga saga |
| Brynhildr | mail-battle | Völsunga saga |
| Dómhildr | judgement-battle | Landnámabók |
| Geirhildr | spear-battle | Landnámabók |
| Gunnvör | battle-watchful | Landnámabók |
| HerÞrúðr | army-strength | Landnámabók |
| Hildigerðr | battle-protection | Landnámabók |
| Hlaðgerðr | (shieldmaiden name) | Gesta Danorum |
| Randalín | shield-linden | Ragnars saga loðbrókar |
| Sæhildr | sea-battle | Landnámabók |
| Sigfríðr | victory-fair | Landnámabók |
| Sigrdrífa | victory-driver | Poetic Edda |
| Skjaldvör | shield-watchful | Landnámabók |
| Úlfhildr | wolf-battle | Heimskringla |
| Valdís | slain-lady | Landnámabók |
| Ölveig | ale-strength | Landnámabók |
For the full list of attested women's names, see Viking female names.
Valkyrie names follow the same compounding rules as human ones, which are explained in our guide to Old Norse names.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a valkyrie?
In Old Norse a valkyrja is a chooser of the slain, a female figure who selects who dies in battle and escorts the chosen to Odin's hall. The word is valr, the slain, plus kjósa, to choose.
What are the names of the valkyries?
Grímnismál and Snorri's Prose Edda list them. Hildr, Göndul, Skögul, Hlökk, Herfjötur, Göll, Geirahöð, Randgríðr, Ráðgríðr and Reginleif are among those named.
Are valkyrie names real Old Norse?
Yes, and they are unusually transparent: most are compounds of ordinary battle vocabulary. Hlökk means noise or din. Herfjötur means army-fetter.
Can valkyrie names be used as given names?
Hildr was in ordinary use as a woman's name and survives as Hild and Hilda. Most of the others were not used as personal names in the Viking Age.