A kenning is a type of descriptive, metaphorical word-puzzle used in place of the proper name of a person, place, or thing. For instance, Odin may be called “The Gallow’s God;” warfare may be called ‘weather of weapons’ and a warrior ‘feeder of ravens.’ They were literary allusions commonly used by Anglo-Saxon and Norse skalds in their poetry. Like many of our other Gods and Goddesses, Loki had a number of recognized skaldic kennings and contemporary Heathens and Pagans who honor and love Him have added to that list.

Below, is a list of those kennings, some drawn from lore, some sent to me by contemporary folks for Loki. I have not separated them save alphabetically. Feel free to email me krasskova at gmail.com if you have a by-name for Him that you would like to see added to this list.

Benchmate of Odin
Blood Brother to Odin
Bound God
Breaker of Worlds
Bringer of Gifts
Brother of Byleistr
Brother to Helblindi
Burden of Sigyn’s Arms

Cargo of Sigyn’s arms
Clever Guy
Companion of Odin

Deep-minded retaining God of Plunder
Dwarf-Trickster

Father of Hel
Father of Monsters
Father of Narvi and Vali
Father of the Sea-Thread
Father of Strife
Flame-Hair

Giant’s Son
God of a Thousand Masks

Harmer of Sif’s Hair
Hawk’s child
He Who lays out the life-nets of the Gods
Heimdall's Bane 
Heimfall’s Foe
Himself
Hoenir’s Friend
Hot Stuff
the hound of the roaring sea of corpses of the ale-Gefn
Husband of Sigyn

Laufeyson
Lie-Smith
Loður (some people consider Loður and Loki to be the same God, though this is not a common view nor a commonly accepted one)
Lopt
Loyal Friend of Hoenir

The Man with the Tattered Smile
Most-Cunning
Mother of Sleipnir
Mother of Witches

Odin’s Friend

The Raven-God’s Friend

Scar-Lip
Sin Sly
Sky-treader
Sky-walker
Sleipnir’s Dam
Sly One
Son of Farbauti
(with Odin and Hoenir): the stratagem-sparing defenders of the gods

Thief of Brisingamen
Thief of Giants
Thief of Idunna’s Apples
Thor’s Confidant
Thor’s Friend
Thought-trier of Hoenir
Tree (aka ‘man’) of deceits
Trickster

The Unquiet Thought

Visitor and Chest-trapping of Geirrödr

Wolf-sire

(and a big thank you to everyone who emailed me their favorite kennings).




 


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