One more post, since the ON personal name Jarl has been discussed.
Here are some ON personal names relating to occupations and types of
men. Recall that the gender of a word must match its bearer when the
word is a personal name. Thegn, Kaupi, Karl, Godi (dh), Gisl (long i,
later also Gils), Gestr, Hogni (hooked-o), Jarl, Alfr, Sveinn, Soni
(long o), Skuli (long u), Skidi (long i, edh), Skaldi, Smidr (dh),
Bui (long u), Bragi. Also, Kugi (long u), Hnaki, Hlodr (hooked-o,
dh), and Hlenni. Gisl, Karl, Jarl, Sveinn had weak equivalents:
Gisli, Karli, Jarli, Sveini. Alfr had a diminuitive Elfsi
(diminuative theme later), and Gestr Gest ill (where ON has strong -
ll, but from Proto-Norse and common Germanic weak -ila, -ula, -ala,
also: Vif ill , Vinn ill , Maev ill , Mynd ill on this theme later - a
suffix-topic) . Where are the women? As usual, the women are missing.
Gisla and Kerling are attested, but even the name Kerling takes on a
bad meaning in Christian times, when men can be called Karl (st ill
typical), but never a woman Kerling, as that is a bad word, even if
to ancient heathens its meaning was entirely neutral, and just
meant 'woman'. From Swedish inscription we get Maer (Mey, Mey,
Meyjar), the feminine equivalent of the masculine Sveinn (this one
also took the -ki diminuative) . Otherwise, most of the occupations
named are typically masculine, we we should not rush to reconstruct
their fem. equivalents in this case, as with the tribal-names, where
we can, because the evidence is on our side. Perhaps surprising to
some are the masculine names like Kugi, Hnaki, Hlodr, Hlenni
(oppressor or under-yoker, k ill er or destroyer, robber, etc.). These
could be noble qualities in a tribal context were war was normative.
Also, men were prisoners and thralls of the gods, and that was
considered noble, just as if a Christian were called Christ-slave.
Obviously obsolete with Christianity are Godi and Soni. Technically
the title of a kind of priest, Godi occurs as a personal name in
Swedish inscription, and possibly as one in a Proto Norse inscription
(although it could be a title there). Soni occurs several times, and
not only in inscriptions. It means sacrificer, one who offers things
(to the gods). Gothic has also preserved this one, and the same root
occurs in ON soa (long o), to sacrifice, and soefari, or soevari, a
sacrificer. Also attested in the masculine Gydingr (dh), which we
w ill see in the descendant of-, or related to- category. It means
descendant of a man Godi, or relation of. This one was wiped out by
the Norse Christian use of the term Gydingr to mean a Jew, otherwise
Judi (long u, dh) in ON, a man from Judea . See also my comments on
how the personal name, a tribal name, Eng ill was replaced by the term
Englendingr after the Norse Christian use of the word for an angel,
unrelated and from Latin. A very likely feminine here would be Elfr,
or a weak form Elfa (found in Modern Norwegian, but not necessarily
ancient). -elfr occurs widely as a second element in feminine
personal names (Thorelfr, etc.), and follows the pattern of compound
mens names in -alfr, as do many other compound matchs (-ket ill , -
katla, etc.). Alfr is a widely attested personal name, and the
feminine equivalent here is almost certain, given the compounding
element and the feminine name dis (long i), which occurs singly and
in compounds. The mean bout the same thing, and the meaning is not
occupational, but means forfather, foremother, deriving from the IE
stem for white (hence elfr is also a river). Incidentally, Hvitr and
Hvit (masc. and fem.) are both attested as personal names, english
White (I have seen it as an English family-name at least). The ON
held Alfablot (and Disablot), where they sacrificed and prayed to
their forefathers (and foremothers) , who apparently dwelt in the
location Alfheimr, English Elfham. Also, the OE personal names attest
this ancient religious belief (very many in Elf-: Aelfgybu, etc.).
Skidi is skier, Thegn servant of a king, Kaupi merchant (later
replaced in West Norse by Kaupmadr), Karl man or farmer, Gestr gest,
Hogni and Skuli both something like protector. Lastly, let me mention
the family relation names. The personal names Fadir, Modir, Systir,
and Brodir are all attested. Fadir and Brodir are very common in the
east norse inscriptions, and occur in Rig sthula in the west norse
area, but not otherwise. Systir also in inscription, Modir from Old
Swedish Documents. Mogr (hooked-u), son, also occurs, but I have not
found Sonr (or Sunr) where it is clearly a personal name (it could
have been, however - see Mogr). They certainly had a very different
naming practice in heathen times. But it perhaps not so strange in a
totemic context. After all, who even today does not admire to great
qualities of a good Father or Mother? St ill , very heathen material as
personal names.

-Konrad