From: akoddsson <konrad_oddsson@...>
Subject: [norse_course] ON Totemic Names - Occupations, Types of Men
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Received: Sunday, January 11, 2009, 10:01 AM

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 Gestill (where ON has strong -
ll, but from Proto-Norse and common Germanic weak -ila, -ula, -ala, 
also: Vifill, Vinnill, Maevill, Myndill 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 (still 
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, killer 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 
will 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, Engill 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 (-ketill, -
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 Rigsthula 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? Still, very heathen material as 
personal names.

-Konrad


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