Top 20 Gods and Goddesses of Norse Mythology

All things come from Ymir. Quite literally, in fact, since the ancient Norse "Eddas" speak of Ymir in poetry and prose as a being from whose body the Earth is fashioned. Ymir is the oldest of the "Jotun," and isn't a specific part of the Norse pantheon as a member of the Aesir or Vanir, but rather is sort of adjacent to Odin and his crew. In fact, it's Odin and his brothers who slay Ymir and use the giant's various body parts and blood to create things like clouds, trees, and even other races such as dwarves.

As one of a number of gods associated with the very Nordic pastime of skiing, Skadi is also much, much more. She's actually associated with all sorts of winter activities, including hunting and the natural mountain landscapes. Stories involving Skadi differ, as does the description of her gender, with philologist John Lindow writing a theory connecting Skadi's male/female dynamic with castration and one wild story involving the trickster god Loki and a goat. The Aesir are attempting to compensate Skadi for the murder of her father, with part of the deal being that they must make her laugh. Loki ties a rope between a goat and his private parts, yanking them back and forth until Skadi laughs at the ridiculousness of it all.

They say that behind every great man stands a great woman, and in the case of Odin the All-Father, that woman is Frigg. Frigg is sometimes described as the female equivalent of Ymir, due to her association with motherhood. She's an "earth mother" of sorts whose characteristics vary from the everyday, like marriage and childbirth, to the metaphysical, like the theory of second sight. Many days of the week take their names from Norse mythology, usually from one of the major gods. Frigg is one of those, and Friday is named in her honor.

#17: Sif

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Sif is another earth goddess, and one of great, legendary beauty. Her husband is Thor, god of thunder, and her long, golden hair is often associated as a metaphor for life, farming, and the harvest. In fact, the Lady Sif is seen as a patron goddess of the home, fertility, and children, standing in slight contrast to the warrior persona attributed to her in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, there's no denying her place in the Norse pantheon as a symbol of emotional strength, loyalty, and love, a memorable name from a world full of iconic characters.

Every great story has to start somewhere, and the skald is an important part of that process from the world of Norse mythology. Skalds were essentially bards, storytellers whose poetry assisted in spreading these tales far and wide. Idun's husband is the patron god of skalds, Bragi, while her own place in the Nordic pantheon is vitally connected with youth and vitality. Idun's presence on Asgard is of the utmost importance, as without it, the gods will wither, age, and die. The goddess' connection with apples also ties into this idea of youth, with Idun representing fertility and the cycle of death and rebirth.

The death of Baldr is one of the most important stories from Norse mythology. But what about the family Baldr leaves behind? Nanna is the wife of Baldr, and she dies of grief after Loki's trickery results in her husband's demise. There's a sort of tragic romance with the tale, as both Nanna and Baldr are reunited in Hel after their deaths, but Nanna is a goddess of joy and peace, not death. Her role is the beauty of the moon and night sky, and the deaths of Baldr and Nanna represent the beginning stages of Ragnarok, the end of the world.

The Aesir-Vanir War is another important story from Norse mythology, the aftermath of which helps define the major pantheon best known today. One of the casualties of this war was Mimir, a god of counsel and wisdom who is the unfortunate victim of a hostage exchange gone sour. The Vanir, believing they've gotten a bum deal with Mimir in their ranks, behead him and send the head back to Odin at Asgard. The All-Father uses his magic to reanimate the head and consults Mimir for his wisdom when matters call for it. This isn't the only story that connects Odin to Mimir, as another describes a journey the All-Father takes to a well guarded by Mimir, from which Odin drinks to gain more wisdom.

#13: Hod

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A god by any other name will still be the one who helps end it all. Hod is sometimes known as Hodur or Hoder, but what remains a constant is his blindness and his role in the death of Baldr. He's basically a means to an end, an easily manipulated pawn in Loki's plan to initiate Ragnarok. Although he's a warrior god, there aren't many other stories that include Hod, until Loki tricks him into shooting Baldr with a deadly sprig of mistletoe. There are some stories that detail Hod's involvement in avenging the death of Baldr, but it's this specific tale where the god shares center stage.

We mentioned Bragi earlier on our list, but now it's his time to shine. He's the god of the written word, a skaldic poet and patron deity of the arts. He is an eloquent storyteller and singer of songs, sometimes but not always referred to as a son of Odin. Bragi also serves as the welcome wagon for kings slain in battle, as it's the songs of Bragi that greet them as they enter Valhalla. One god to whom Bragi is NOT welcome is Loki, as the two possess an often adversarial relationship. This was even translated into the pair's appearance on the New Zealand series, "The Almighty Johnsons."

Who said Thor was Odin's only badass son? Vidar is a fearsome warrior god of vengeance, whose place in the epic ending of Ragnarok sees him avenging the death of the All-Father, Odin. Odin is foretold to be destroyed by the deadly wolf Fenrir, and it's Vidar who takes revenge by not only taking Fenrir head-on, but living to tell the tale. Vidar is a god of few words, but the others listen when he speaks, and often turn to both him and Thor as cornerstones of their martial might. In fact, he's often described as second only to Thor in terms of physical strength and skill in battle.

We're going back, way back, for our next pick. Not much is actually known about Buri, but most scholars of Norse mythology describe him as the God of Gods, the creator from whom the Aesir descend. He is the grandfather of Odin and his brothers Vili and Vè, and he's brought into existence by… a cow? Yup, old Norse myths describe a "primordial cow" by the name of Auðumbla, that feeds Ymir and creates Buri by licking away salt from a ridge of rocks. It's certainly not your everyday origin story, but then again Nordic mythology isn't your average, everyday collection of tales.

#9: The Norns

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The great myths of old often have plenty of overlap in how they describe various characters and their attributes. Case in point? The Norns, which can be closely compared to the Fates of ancient Greece. The Norns are another Aesir/Vanir adjacent trio of jotun seers who keep the World Tree, Yggdrasil healthy, and who help guide human lives and destinies. Urðr, Verðandi, and Skuld are their names and together they weave the complex webbing of fate that dictates human life. They've also appeared in a number of modern media franchises, such as the anime series "Ah! My Goddess" and the novel "American Gods" by author Neil Gaiman.

This guardian of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that connects the human world of Midgard with the gods’ realm of Asgard, is not a deity with whom to be trifled. Heimdallr, born of nine mothers – yes, nine – has teeth of gold, as well as both super-sight and hearing. It’s the role of Heimdallr – or the modern Heimdall – to sound the mighty Gjallarhorn to signify the beginning of Ragnarok, the foretold Armageddon of Norse myth. It is during this time that Heimdallr and the trickster god Loki are destined to kill each other. Until that time, it is Heimdallr’s duty to stand guard at Bifrost, where he watches...and waits.

Law, wisdom and justice: these are the ideals that Tyr represents within the Norse pantheon. This god is described as being either the son of either Odin or the giant Hymir depending on the source. He’s no pushover in either incarnation, fighting fierce battles alongside his fellow Asgardians. Human warriors often dedicated their weapons to Tyr, in the hopes that the god might bless that weapon with power and help them in battle. Norsemen further celebrated his name by offering a day of the week, Tuesday, in his honor. The god would later find tragedy, however, losing his right hand during the binding of the vicious wolf Fenrir.

#6: Hel

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You can probably guess what this goddess is in charge of based on her name alone. Just as other cultures, like the Greeks and Romans, have a god of the underworld, Hel acts as the guardian of the dominion with which she shares her name, located in the realm of Niflheim. Hel also happens to be the daughter of Loki, and possesses a devious intelligence and charisma not far removed from her infamous father. Indeed, this goddess’ reputation precedes her as a fearsome ruler, and she’s not someone any mortal or god would want to have as an enemy.

There’s a wealth of tragedy behind the Asgardian brothers Baldr and Hodur. It’s the death of the kind and benevolent Baldr that serves as one of the events that kickstarts Ragnarok, thanks to a devastating bit of treachery at the hands of Loki. You see; Baldr was almost invulnerable after his mother, Frigg, made everything in the world promise to do him no harm. Unfortunately, she didn’t make mistletoe take this same oath, and Loki discovered Baldr’s one weakness. He then crafted a spear – or arrow in some sources – and tricked the blind Hodur to send the fatal blow into Baldur’s heart. Loki’s mischief proves very real and very fatal for the Asgardians, causing them to suffer the rare loss of one of their own.

Fierceness, thy name is Freyja. This formidable Norse goddess has been associated with many things, including love, sex, fertility and war. She welcomes deceased warriors into her home of Fólkvangr, while others are sent to the mead halls of Valhalla. What’s more, Freyja has been known to engage in bitter battles of words with such gods as Loki, against whom she harbors particular ill will. Though she does bear many similarities to the Roman goddess Venus, she boasts some awesome attributes of her own, including a pet boar named Hildisvíni and a magnificent chariot pulled by cats. If that doesn’t deserve an internet meme, we don’t know what does!

To describe Loki’s relationship with other Asgardians as “complex” would be an understatement. Loki’s standing as trickster and shapeshifter is well documented within the ancient poems and Norse legends, but at times he fights with and against the Asgardians. The severity of his pranks varies depending on the source, though a trick of his does lead to the death of a god, earning him a particularly gruesome punishment: he’s shackled with the innards of his son Nari as poison drops onto him from above. Don’t worry, though: Loki will be set free at the time of Ragnarok. When that happens, the world shall end, gods shall die and water shall sweep the earth, leaving only two left to repopulate the world and start anew.

This God of Thunder is probably the best known Asgardian of Norse mythology, thanks to his reputation not only as a pillar of strength, but also of fertility and healing. He’s known as a supporter of Midgardian humanity and as the most fearsome god in battle, in part thanks to his hammer Mjolnir, which can conjure up lightning bolts and thunder claps with a mere swing. Thursday is named in his honor, and his Marvel comic book and cinematic representations are beloved by millions, so it’s no wonder Thor is so high on our list of epic Norse gods and goddesses. Before we name our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions! Bestla Mother of Odin Ullr Patron God of Skiers! Sigyn Loki's Long-Suffering Wife Modi & Magni The Sons of Thunder Njord God of Wealth & the Sea

He is the All-Father of Asgard and the one-eyed old man who sees it all. Odin possesses divine wisdom and a fierce temper, smiting down his enemies while riding upon his eight-legged steed known as Sleipnir. He remains one of the few Norse gods whose legacy has endured with wide-reaching commercial appeal, especially thanks to his portrayal by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel’s series of “Thor” films. He’s even captured a special place within the hearts of gaming fans thanks to his appearances in the “Final Fantasy” series of RPGs. Judging by his spot on here, it’s clear that we think Odin’s pretty badass, too.