Norse Gods and Their Spirit Animals

Totemism and animal spirit guides are common in the Nordic religion. Odin, the Allfather, had several animals that assisted him.

In this article, we will talk briefly about the concept of totemism and animal spirit guides. I will then give you a complete list of Norse deities and their mythological animals, totem, or allocated spirit guides. (if I miss any animal connections please comment below and let me know)

What is Totemism?

Totemism is the belief that each person has an animal or plant totem that acts as their spirit guide in this world. The totem has certain qualities and helps to guide the person through their life, telling them what they need to do in order to keep everything balanced.

Some cultures see this relationship with the animal or plant totem as sacred, while others use it more as a way to connect with nature.

Two Types of Totems

Individual Totem

Nordic individual totems are called fylgjur (pronounced “FILG-yur”) or fylgja for singular.

The Fylgja is a Norse spirit guide, usually an animal that appears to a human in either the physical or spiritual realm. The Fylgja has been described as being able to shapeshift into other animals, but sometimes appear as simply being an animal with human-like traits.

The Fylgja is usually seen as an omen or a protector, depending on the circumstances. The animal spirit guide typically represents certain qualities that are important for the person to develop.

A wolf may indicate that the individual needs to be more assertive and brave, whereas a bear may represent more aggressive qualities that need to be tempered.

The spirit guide will typically communicate with the human in some way, either through sounds or movements. In rare cases, a person's Fylgja can take on a completely humanoid form and interact with them as if they were physical beings.

The Fylgja is a powerful ally and should be treated with respect.

The bear is a popular totem animal

Group Totem

You may associate Group Totemism with clans. The group totem is an important family, hereditary line, tribe, or clan. These group totems were popular among many indigenous groups.

Within Norse groups, there were some known as Totemistic Warriors. These are people who have dedicated their lives to the service of their spirit animal totem. They may be shamans, hunters, or simply people who have a close relationship with their totem.

Totemistic Warriors often have a special bond with their spirit guide, feeling as if it is more than just an animal to them. They understand that they are blessed by the spirit world, and must treat all of nature with respect.

The totem provides the warrior with guidance and strength, helping them to overcome any obstacles they may face.

Berserkers

Viking Age warriors often had wolves or bears as their totem animals. Those who had bears as their totem animals were the legendary berserkers, or bear-shirts. They often wore the skins of these animals as they went into battle.

Berserkers were warriors who go into a trance-like state before a battle. They become completely consumed by rage and often fight with no regard for their own safety. Some believe that the berserker state is brought on by the spirit animal totem, which gives them strength and courage in the face of danger.

The animal symbols of these warriors were often the wolf and the bear, and while in battle-trance, these warriors would call upon the strength of such animals, working with their spirit totems to invoke such powers.

What Norse Gods Had Animals?

Animals were a very important part of Nordic life as protectors, companions, and food sources.

I’ve listed the Gods very loosely in family groups so you could locate your favorite deity easily. Also, I think it’s very interesting how family groups often had similar totems.

For instance, the Aesir and much of Odin’s kin have birds as their totems or guides. Birds are messengers and assist with communication.

The Nordic gods are very complex and multifaceted and not limited to one attribute. So one God or Goddess may have a totem and several animal guides to show all their characteristics.

The Aesir and Their Spirit Animals and Totems

Odin

Odin is the Allfather and the god of wisdom, strategy, war, fatherhood, and kingship. You can read more about him in our article by Goði Anlengðarclan.

Every warrior needs a fast horse. Sleipnir is Odin’s horse who is so fast that he can travel between the worlds of the living and the dead. The horse symbolizes strength, nobility, endurance, and intelligence.

Odin’s wolves, Geri and Freki, bring him news from Earth. Wolves are associated with renewed energy and wisdom. Geri and Freki both mean “the ravenous” or “greedy one”, maybe because they eat the food from the table.

Odin has two ravens named Hugin and Munin who fly around the world every day and report back to him what they have seen. Hugin is thought and Munin is memory. They help Odin to rule the realms and give him wisdom.

Frigg

Frigg is Odin’s wife and the primary goddess of wisdom, strategy, war, motherhood, and queens.

Her spirit animal is a great-horned owl which symbolizes courage, beauty, and strength. Frigg also has falcon feathers that are used to shapeshift into a falcon.

Hod

The god of nobility, schooling, war, and obstacles is the son of Odin and Frigga. His Spirit animal is a hoary bat. Bats symbolize community and longevity.

Moona

Daughter of Odin and Frigga she was the primary goddess of the night, the moon, stealth, and war. Her Spirit Animals are a pack of seven eastern timberwolves.

The number seven is important in the Icelandic saga and indicates a passage of time or completeness.

Hermod

Hermod is the third son of Odin and Frigga and the god of messaging and communication, bravery, and courage. Spirit Animal is a gyrfalcon.

The gyrfalcon is the largest species of the falcon and represents courage and opportunity.

Lothur or Vili

As the god of loyalty, pacts, oaths, inspiration, and spirit, and is Odin’s younger brother. His Spirit animal is a caribou.

Check out our latest book! Great for beginners - lots of hands on activities! Available on Amazon in Paperback and in PDF in the website Store.

LOKI

Loki, the primary god of trickery, deceit, and chaos. Known as the Trickster, he is the stepbrother of Odin. Loki is married to Sigyn.

Loki has a famously strange relationship with animals as he’s given birth to many! He is the father of the wolf Fenrir, and the sea serpent Jörmungandr. In addition, he gives birth to Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir after shapeshifting into a mare.

Loki can famously shapeshift into several animals however it is unclear to me that he has one that is his totem.

His wife Sigyn is the goddess of loyalty and compassion. Her spirit guide is a red fox.

Their daughter is Hel, the primary goddess of the dead, lost and damned spirits, and demons. Her Spirit animal is Garm, her black hound.

Thor

Thor is famous for his hammer but did you know he had two goats named Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr. They pulled his chariot and can also be eaten and resurrected by Thor as long as their bones are not broken.

Goats are all about fertility. The male billy goat symbolizes the creation of nature and the seeking of truth. The female doe goat symbolizes the fertility of the earth.

Sif

Thor’s wife is Sif, a goddess of beauty, wheat, autumn, and strength. She has two tundra swans, animals that also represent beauty and strength.

Ull

Sif’s son is Ull, a god of competition and sport. His Spirit Animal is a polar bear. The polar bear helps us to overcome difficult challenges and to be flexible.

Thea

The daughter of Thor and Sif is Thea. a goddess of beauty, strength, and storms. The black bear is her animal. The bear stands for strength, healing, inner wisdom, and balance between the seen and the unseen world.

Bragi

Bragi is the fourth son of Odin and Frigga and the god of writing, poetry, music, and performance.

Bragi has a unique animal grouping. He is represented by nine different songbird species: a black-capped chickadee, a boreal chickadee, a purple finch, a snow bunting, a pine grosbeak, three different northern wood-warblers, and a hermit thrush.

Idunn

Bragi’s wife is Idunn the goddess of youth and fertility. She is associated with apples and eternal youthfulness. She has a stag for a spirit guide who follows her around and eats from her hand so that she will always have plenty of food. Red deer symbolizes the resurrection of the spirit. She is also represented by the barred owl.

Asha

The daughter of Bragi and Idunn, she is the goddess of visual art, pottery, creative design, and celebration. Her spirit animals are a painted turtle and a wood turtle. Turtles teach us to walk our path slowly and with peace as well as determination and serenity.

Baldur and His Family

Baldur

A god of war, nobility, beauty, and later, tragedy. He has a golden eagle. Baldur rode a horse named Léttfeti, who was sacrificed on his funeral pyre after he was indirectly murdered by Loki.

Baldur’s wife is Nan and her totem is a mourning dove. Nan is the goddess of joy and sorrow

Forseti is a god of justice and law and the son of Baldur and Nan. His Spirit Animal is a gray wolf.

Not a wolf - a coyote that I rescued and released. Photo by Ame Vanorio

Sunna

Goddess of the sun, clarity, and war. She is a cousin of Odin. Her spirit animals are two unnamed white horses. White horses symbolize purity, heroism, and spiritual enlightenment in many religions.
Tyr

Tyr is the husband of Sunna. a god of law, battle, and war. Also known as Tiw and considered one of the bravest gods. He lost a hand to the Wolf Fenir. Spirit Animal is a northern goshawk. The hawk is a messenger and gives a clear vision.

Read our article on Werewolves to learn more about the wolf in mythology.

Njord/Njörðr

Njord is the god of the sea, has a chariot pulled by two white horses named Skinfaxi and Hrimfaxi. These horses create the dawn and the night by drawing the sun and moon across the sky.

Eir

Eir is a goddess of mercy, health, and healing. Her spirit animal is a gray jay.

Saga

Saga is a goddess of information keeping, history, prophecy, and stories. Spirit animal is an eastern chipmunk.

Wayland

The god of labor, woodworking, and metalworking. Also known as Wyman he is the younger brother of Saga. His spirit animal is a beaver who represents accomplishment and creativity.

Mimir or Mim

The God Mim is esteemed for his wisdom He is a god of friendship, council, and communication. His Spirit Animal is a northern mockingbird a symbol of open communication.

Fulla or Volla

Fulla is the confidant of Frigg. She is the goddess of secrets, council, and beauty. She was one of the goddesses that helped to heal Baldr’s horse. Fulla’s spirit animal is a raccoon.

Sjöfn

Sjöfn is a goddess of love, communication, and law. Spirit animals are two wood ducks.

Val or Vor

Mim’s sister is the goddess of travel, council, clarity, and deduction. Water witch. Spirit animal is a moose.

Animals of the Giants

Gods are not limited to “humans” in the Norse world. Odin produced children with two different giantesses.

Vali, a god of vengeance, war, and later regret. Son of Odin and Rind, a giantess. Spirit animal is a northern shrike.

Vidar, a god of vengeance, war, and anger. Son of Odin and Grid, a giantess. Spirit animal is a wolverine.

The Vanir and Their Animals

The Vanir are a group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future.

Aegir/Ægir

The god of salt and the oceans. Some scholars say he is a jötunn, meaning an ambiguous being such as a giant. Aegir’s family are nature Gods and Goddesses. His spirit animal is the Kraken.

Rán

Rán is the wife of Aegir and they have nine daughters which personify waves. She is a primary goddess of nature and freshwater (specifically lakes, rivers, and springs). Her spirit guides are a common loon, a great blue heron, and an arctic grayling.

Fjorgyn/Jörð

Ran’s sister and the mother of Thor. Rudolf Simek, a Religious studies professor from the University of Bonn lists her as an Æsir goddess while others list her as Vanir. She is the primary goddess of nature, stone, and soil. Spirit animals are a snapping turtle, a Canadian toad, and a rock vole.

Freyr

Freyr is the god of love, fertility, flora, rain, sunshine, farming, and hunting. Freyr travels in a chariot drawn by boars. His spirit animal is Gullinbursti, a feral pig or boar. The hog symbolizes abundance, persistence, and passion.

Freya

Freya is the twin sister of Freyr and by some accounts his lover. She is the goddess of love, fertility, fauna, battle, and hunting. She rides in a chariot pulled by two cats.

She is accompanied by a boar named Hildisvíni which means battle swine and she rides him like a horse. Hildisvini is a connection to the ancestors.

Freya has a cloak of falcon feathers that allows her to fly.

Her spirit animals are two Canadian lynxes.

Njord

Njord is the father of Freya and Freyr. He is the god of the summer season, travel, and summer weather. His spirit animals are a flock of Iceland gulls.

Hertha

Hertha is the mother of Freya and Freyr, and the primary goddess of nature and vegetation (including plants, moss, lichen, and fungi). Also known as Nerthus. Her spirit guides are a red fox, a white-tailed deer, and a wood frog.

Ostara/Ēostre

Eostre is the primary goddess of the spring season, birth, and spring weather. She is connected with early versions of the Easter bunny. Totem animals are two snowshoe hares.

Photo by Ame Vanorio

Skadi

She is the primary goddess of winter, hunting, and winter weather. The arctic fox is her guide.

Take Away

I hope you take away some good Norse-animal connections from this listing.

Author, Ame Vanorio, is passionate about helping people connect with their animal guides and learn more about what animals represent as totems. She is an environmental educator and licensed wildlife rehabilitator.