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 completeness.
List of dwarfs
A NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Ái Great-grandfather Óinn Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Álfr "Elf"Mallet, Paul Henri: Northern Antiquities; London, 1847 (p. 546pp.). Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Alfrigg "Elfking" Sörla þáttr Alfrikr "Elfking" Þiðreks saga Alius The other Ásmundar saga kappabana Alþjófr "All-thief"Bane, Theresa: Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore; McFarland, 2016 (p. 60) Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Alvíss "All-Wise" Alvíssmál Án without Óri Völuspá Ánarr Starer Annarr, Ónarr Völuspá Andvari "Careful one", "Cautious spirit", "Gentle breeze" Nafnaþulur, Reginsmál, Skáldskaparmál, Völsunga saga, Völuspá Atvarðr Fjölsvinnsmál Aurgrminir "Mud-grimnir" Aurvangr "Mud-field", "Gravelly plain" Aurvargr Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Austri "Eastern" Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá
B NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Báfurr "Bean" Bofurr Völuspá Bári "The Bearing", "Ready", "Eager" Barri Fjölsvinnsmál Berling Little bar, Handspike Sörla þáttr Bifurr "Quaking one", "Beaver" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Bildr "Plowman", "Edged weapon" Völuspá Billingr Twin brother Völuspá Bláinn "Dark-hued", "Blackish" Skáldskaparmál Blindviðr Blind board Skáldskaparmál Blôvurr "The Shining" Skáldskaparmál Bömburr "Drummer", "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", "Son" Burinn Völuspá
D NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations 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", "Enemy" Skáldskaparmál Dólgþrasir "Persisting warrior", "Battle-eager" Dolgþvari Völuspá Dóri "The Fortifying", "Borer", "Auger-man" Fjölsvinnsmál, Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Draupnir "Dropper", "Dripper" Dramir, Draufnir Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Dúfr "The Crooked", "The Deep", "Nodder" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Duneyrr "Thundering ear" or "Dark ear"Lindow, John: Handbook of Norse Mythology; 2001 (p. 98). 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
E NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Eggmóinn Slain by the sword Skáldskaparmál Eikinskjaldi "Oaken shield" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Eilífr He who lives alone Eitri The very cold one Brother: Brokkr Skáldskaparmál
F NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Fafnir fathomer Father: Hreiðmarr Brothers: Ótr, Regin Gylfaginning, Völsunga saga Fáinn Shining Skáldskaparmál Fár "The caretaker" or "the defender", "Shining" Skáldskaparmál Farli The faring one Skáldskaparmál Fíli "The one who files", "File" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Finnr Lapp, Magician Fiðr Völuspá Fjalar "Paneller" Falr Brother: Galar Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Fjǫlsviðr "Very Powerful", "Very wise" Skáldskaparmál Fǫrvi Skáldskaparmál Frægr Famous Völuspá Frár Swift Frór Völuspá Fríðr Fair, Beautiful, Handsome Skáldskaparmál Frosti "Frosty", "Cold" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Fullangr Long enough Skáldskaparmál Fundinn "Found" Völuspá
G NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Gandálfr "Wand-elf" "Magic elf", "Wolf elf" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Galar Yeller, Singer Brother: Fjalar Skáldskaparmál Ginnarr "Seducer", "Deceiver" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Glói "The glowing one" Glóinn Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Gloni "Staring", "The glowing one" Gollmævill Rich sea-king Skáldskaparmál Grer Roaring Sörla þáttr Grímr "The masked one", "Mask" Skáldskaparmál Gud "God" Gustr "A puff of wind"
H NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Hanarr "The skillfull" or "Chanter" Hárr Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Hár "The high" Haurr Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Haugspori Howe-treader Hugstari Völuspá Hepti "Impeding" Völuspá Heptifili "File-holder", "Filer", "File with handle" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Heri "Host", "Hare" Skáldskaparmál Herrauðr Army-peace Herriðr Army-beautiful Hildingr Warrior, Prince, King Skáldskaparmál Hleðjolfr "Shield Wolf", "Sword" Völuspá Hlévangr "Grave-mound", "Sheltered plain" Hlévargr Völuspá Hljóðolfr "Silent Wolf", "Howl-wolf" Hljóðalfr Skáldskaparmál Hornbori "He who bore horn's hair", "Hornborer" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Horr "The Dear", "Linen" "Bowstring" Hreiðmarr nest-horse Sons: Fafnir, Ótr, Regin Gylfaginning, Völsunga saga Hugstari "Battle thinker" or "strategist", "The bold one" Hoggstari Skáldskaparmál
I NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Iri "the rumor spreading", "Irish" Ívaldi "Wielder of the yew bow", "Warrior"
J NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Jaki Ice-floe, Ice-berg Skáldskaparmál Jari "The Disputing", "Warrior" Völuspá
K NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Kili "Wedge" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá
L NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Líðskjalfr "Shaking in the limbs" Fjölsvinnsmál Litr "Countenance" or "Image" or "Complexion", "Colour" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Ljómi Glow, Gleam, Shine Skáldskaparmál Lofarr Stooper Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Lóinn Lazy Skáldskaparmál Lóni Lazy person Völuspá
M NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Miðvið The middle board or slat Skáldskaparmál Mjöðvitnir "Knowing in mead" or "Mead wolf", "Toper" Móðvitnir Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Mjǫklituð Much coloured, Nearly red Skáldskaparmál Moinn "Moor beast" Völuspá Mondull Axle, Shaft, Handle Mótsognir He who roars in rage Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Munin The reminding one Skáldskaparmál
N NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Nabbi Small boil Hyndluljóð Næfr Clever, skilled Skáldskaparmál Náinn "Corpse" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Nali "Corpse" or "Death" or "Needle", "Axle of a hand-mill" Váli Völuspá Nár "Corpse" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Nefi Relative, nephew Skáldskaparmál Níðhǫggr "Malice striker" or "Tenebrous Gnawer", "The hateful striking one" Skáldskaparmál Niði "Underworld being", "The one associated with the dark moon" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Nípingr "The Dark" or "The Handsome" or "The Curving", "Pinch" Nífengr Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Norðri "Northern", "The one in the North" Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Nóri Little shaver Völuspá Nýi "New moon" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Nýr "The new", "New" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Nýráðr "New advice", "Ingenious" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá
O {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%; width: 100%" !Name !Name meaning !Alternative names !Attested relatives !Attestations |- | Óinn || Shy || || Son: Andvari || Reginsmál''', Skáldskaparmál|- | Olius || || || || Ásmundar saga kappabana|- | Ǫlni || The one on the fore-arm || || || Skáldskaparmál|- | Ónn || Hard work, An (undefined) part of a sword || || || Skáldskaparmál|- | Óri || "The insane", "The violent one" || || || Fjölsvinnsmál, Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá|- | Ótr || "Otter" || || Father: Hreiðmarr Brothers: Fafnir, Regin || Gylfaginning, Völsunga saga|}
P NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Patti Little shaver, little boy
R NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Ráðspakr Wise in counsel Skáldskaparmál Ráðsviðr "Powerful advice", "Wise in counsel" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Regin "Great" or "Vast", "The potent one", "The wielder" Father: Hreiðmarr Brothers: Fafnir, Ótr Gylfaginning, Völsunga saga Rekkr Warrior, hero, man Skáldskaparmál
S NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Siarr "The Panning", "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" Skáldskaparmál Skafiðr "The scraper" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Skirfir "Skillful artisan", "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" Sviðr Völuspá
T NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Þekkr "The welcome one" or "The thinker" or "The amiable", "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", "Bold" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Þráinn "The Threatening", "The Audacious", "Stubborn" Þróinn Völuspá Þrasir "snorter", "The one in rage" Skáldskaparmál Þrór "Inciter of strife", "The thriving", "Boar" þrár Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Túta Little nub
U NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Uni "The content", "The calm one" Fjölsvinnsmál Úri "The smith", "The slag-man" Fjölsvinnsmál
V NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Varr "The cautious", "Wary", "Shy" Fjölsvinnsmál, Skáldskaparmál Vegdrasill "Courageous in battle", "Road-steed", "Glory-steed" Fjölsvinnsmál Veggr "The toothy", "Wedge" Völuspá Veigr "The defiant", "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" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Virwir "The virulent", "Dyer" Virfir Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá Vitr "Wise" Skáldskaparmál, Völuspá
Y NameName meaningAlternative namesAttested relativesAttestations Yngvi "Prince" or "Warrior", "Frey" Ingi Völuspá
General references Faulkes, Anthony (transl. and ed.) (1987). Edda (Snorri Sturluson). Everyman. Larrington, Carolyne (transl. and ed.) (1996). The Poetic Edda''. Oxford World's Classics. 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).
References