Kate Monk's Onomastikon

(Dictionary of Names)


Anglo-Saxon Religion

Gods

The Germanic deities who figure in the Old Norse pantheon were also followed by most of the peoples who settled in England although Christianity soon took over. There is literary evidence for many of the same stories and beliefs amongst them although the legend of Ragnarok is exclusive to Scandinavia.

Name Attributes Family Wife
Woden (Grim) chief, sky   Frig
Thunor Thunder    
Tiw originally sky god    
Wayland/Weland smith son of Wada/Wade, father of Widia  
Hama (ON Heimdall) Watchman    

Goddesses

Name Attributes   Husband
Frig/Freo/Frija mother of gods   Woden
Wyrd/Wurd destiny (orig one of three fates)    
Metod another possible 'fate' meaning measurer.    
Waelcyrge Valkyries    
Nerthus earth goddess?    

Descendants of Woden

Early historians including Bede and Florence of Worcester trace the descent of the various Anglo-Saxon kings back to Woden.

Wecta Baeldaeg Casere Saexneat Waegdaeg
Wihtlaeg Winta Witta Brand Tytmon
Gesecg Siggar Wermund king of Angel c 350 Cretta Wihtgils
Frithugar Benoc/Bernic Trygils Antsecg Swebdaeg
Offa Cweldgils Hengest Freawine Aloc
Hrothmund Sweppa Sigegeat Angeltheow Caedbaed
Kings of Kent Wig Angenwit Hryp Sigefugel
Saebald Eomer Bubba Gewis Ingui
Wilhelm Bedca Saefugl Icel Beda
Esla Esa Wehha Offa Westerfalca
Cnebba Biscop Elesa Eoppa Wuffa
Aescwine Wilgisl Cynewald Eanferth Cerdic
Ida Kings of East Anglia Kings of Essex Uxfrea Creoda
Eatta Kings of Wessex Kings of Bernicia + Northumberland Yffi Kings of Mercia
Ealdrith fl 786-96 Aelli Kings of Deira    

Middangeard Middle Earth

Indo-European sky father Djevs or Deivos
Sanskrit Dyaus
Greek Zeus
Latin Jovis
North West Europe Tiwaz?
Germany Ziu
Scandinavia Tyr
England Tiw

Supplanted by:

Western Europe Wodenaz
German Wuotan
Old Saxon Wodan
Old Norse Voden, Odinn
Old English Woden

Calendar

The year began on 25th December. Boxing night was called modra nect or 'mother's night' after the ceremonies that Bede says were performed then.

12 + 1 Giuli last month of old and first of new year
2 Solmonath 'when cakes were offfered to the gods' says Bede
3 Hretha -
4 Eostre Easter
5 Thrimilci cows milked three times a day
6 + 7 Litha possibly 'moon'
8 Weodmonath 'weedmonth'
9 Halegmonath 'holy month' (harvest festival?)
10 Wintirfyllith 'winter full moon' (first full moon of winter?)
11 Blotmonath 'blood month' (sacrifice of animals that would not survive winter)


This collection of names was compiled by Kate Monk and is ©1997, Kate Monk.

Copies may be made for personal use only.


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