A son of a honorable and famous one, Holder of the heel, name from the Old Testament, Lofty or inspired. If youre looking for a unique name for your new kitty, why not consider a Scandinavian name? Along the way, you will also get the chance to check out Reykjavik Pond and the Einar Jonsson Sculpture Garden. By employing the skilled craftsmanship of a couple hard working elves an amazing wig with hair of real gold was created. He was a true friend and honest companion, but when crossed he was capable of enacting terrible vengeance. container.style.width = '100%'; These are both female forms of Christian, which means follower of Christ. Want to learn more about the cats of Iceland, real and made-up? Whether they have an interesting personality or come from a different country, there is likely a name suited for them in Iceland. If so you might want to consider naming him after Logi, the god of fire. If youre considering adopting a new kitty, please check out some of our breeder pages here. Why? [Ultimate Guide], Can Cats Get Norovirus? The Icelandic female version of the name Haddi is Hadda. Baktus the Cat lives in the shop, drawing as much attention, if not more, than the vintage items on sale. 5. She comes from her mountainous abode each Christmas Eve, and, striding side by side with the Yule Cat, devours naughty children. eir sletta skyrinu sem . In the book Jlin koma, the cat appears in a separate poem and is not connected with the ogres Grla and Leppali, or their sons, the Yule lads. A Son of Lars. if(ffid == 2){ Choose a name to fit their personality! Holti is an Icelandic name that refers to someone from the small forests. Aron m Polish, Croatian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic Polish, Croatian and Scandinavian form of Aaron. These are both tributes to Thor. He was also the father to Freyja and Freyr. Editing/html page design by April Ingram. Photo by Bragi Valgeirsson. You're on your own) Even many of her personal traits seem cat-like. Literally, it means a woman whose hair is beautiful. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a sweet treat and get some purrfect therapy with the denizens roaming and lounging all around. Icelandic people are known for their rich storytelling, Icelandic horses, and Icelandic cats! When Oluf Jnsson grows up and has children of . And there are also claims of a lost Iceland cat breed But these fabulous balls of fur are as unique as we are, so let us share with you the kitty delights you can have when you explore Reykjavik and Iceland! La and Lsa got a second chance of life through Villikettir cat shelter. Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod) - 12th December The first of them was Sheep-Cote Clod. He sadly passed away many years ago and I haven't gotten another one since. However, his cult engaged in wild rituals wherein the men would all dress in women's clothing for a night of crazed dancing. | Site The cold wintery climate of Iceland makes it the perfect habitat for wolves. While Bjrnssons conclusions listed above come from his History of Days, this idea was first put forward in his book jlaskapi (In a Christmas Spirit) published in 1983 and other works. All Rights Reserved.Text/Research by Dominic Marks. Thank you for supporting our website! TIWAZ (TEE-wahz; Male): If your cat is a "Courageous Cat", consider the name Tiwaz. Isak Promise! (They are similar to Maine Coon Cats.) lafsson finds a direct reference in the duivekater, a Dutch Christmas bread, and lussekatt, a Swedish pastry. The Icelandic Sagas are a period of intense literary creativity that began with Christianity's arrival in Iceland in 1000 A.D. He came stiff as wood to pray upon the farmer's sheep as far as he could. But whereas the originally mischievous Yule lads were reformed as somewhat simpleminded country yokels handing out small presents at childrens festivals during the advent, the cat retained its evil nature and even started to make mischief as the Yule lads had done before in addition to eating the poor. In addition to that, either - (s)son or - (s)dttir is added to the genitive form (a grammatical form) of the father's name. Viktor I know a cat called Viktor, Im not sure the owners know it means winner in Icelandic though. In post-medieval Icelandic folklore, Grla is a terrifying ogress or troll-woman who mothered the thirteen Yule Lads. Kristjana is the Icelandic variant of Kristina. A town in Iceland that makes for a cool name! Some Questions and Answers Related to Icelandic Cats. Everybody knew he hunted men But didn't care for mice. ins.dataset.fullWidthResponsive = 'true'; From our ancient folklore to our social media, youll discover cats have a special place in Iceland. As in, the kind of weather that's nice to look at, but not experience. It first appeared in his book Jlin koma (Christmas is Coming), published in 1932 with many subsequent editions and even an English translation published in 2015. lafssons hypothesis is that the Yule cat may have originated as one of Saint Nicholas followers in Catholic times, when the patron saint of travellers and fishermen was popular in Iceland, as demonstrated by the many churches dedicated to him. "She works hard at hunting mice, so there was never any question that she should get her own employee card. Spottai ktt is a Facebook group of almost 22,000 members sharing their favorite cat pics from all over the country. Bjarki refers to the smaller kind. This might be the most Icelandic name of all. Notable contemporary examples include Brian Pilkington and Hugleikur Dagsson. The Vikings were revered for being protectors. In her 2011 article in Museum Anthropology Review entitled Traditional Culture: How Does It Work?, American folklorist Dorothy Noyes notes that traditional folklore is designed for continual recycling and repurposing as well as for ease of transmission. That was just fine as far as everyone was concerned, so once again Loki weaseled out of some rather sticky consequences resulting from his actions. Means little devil, which will be very appropriate for some boy cats. Bjarki - Means 'bear cub' which works well for cats that resemble little bears. The person who illegally holds the place of another person. People know not where he came from Nor to what place he went. A clear-cut name for a tempestuous cat. Some of the spottings are just of the users' cats when they've dressed up. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. NORDIC-GERMANIC. If he faintly meowed outside The misfortune was soon to happen. Icelandic women are known for being strong and independent, just like their male counterparts. The male name behind these Icelandic surnames is Magns, which is an Icelandic twist on the better-known Magnus. Icelandic hero Thor Bjornsson, famous for his role on the Game of Thrones series, has named his tiny Pomeranian pup an Icelandic name true to his heritage: Astrikur. Happy and bright person who is studious natured, God is gracious one and he has answered the prayers. Sturlunga saga makes several mentions of the name, apparently referring to a specific figure than a species. Pl is a two year old feline, born in the town of Selfoss in South Iceland in 2016. He was the very personification of authority, skilled in battle, and swift in administering justice. Menu | Post pictures of your favourite Icelandic cat in comments! Above you can listen to one of Iceland's most famous and loved Christmas songs, about this feared Christmas Cat. Good children are even rewarded with fitting gifts. Have you had an experience related to the contents of this article? It later turns out she, too, was a princess under a curse that could only be lifted by doing a good deed that had never been done before. A newborn baby, for example, may be given the first name Oluf by his parents, and if his father's first name is Jn, the baby will have the surname Jnsson. Description Size of this creature ranges from being larger than a human to towering over houses and trees, and it's eyes glow in the darkness with an inner light. Better to feed a single cat than an army of mice. ). This emphasizes the importance of nobility in Icelandic history. Today, as the museum describes, the Yule lads are: Sheep-Cote Clod: He tries to suckle yews in. And words that once contained the letter Z nowadays contain the letter S. In fact, this was the form of the name used by the composer Wagner in his 4 opera epic known as "The Ring Cycle". Skari, Norwegian Forest Cat. Here are just a few ideas to get you started: If your cat is feisty and full of energy, try naming them after an animal that is known for being fierce, like lion, tiger, jaguar, cougar, or leopard. The name of the caf is simply Kattakaffihsi - or, The Cat Caf. Ingibjrg orbergs song about the cat was introduced to a new generation with Bjrks memorable interpretation on the Christmas record Hvt er borg og br (City and town are white) in 1987. Armann -Message-bearer in Icelandic dialect - Will Attain fulfilment by Teaching Others 3. Birna is an Icelandic name that refers to a female bear. Well take you to the stalking grounds of our cats, and we may even get an audience with Baktus, as well as other famous kitties, like fela, who welcomes visitors to a local store. Artina is another spelling of the name Artice. Sindri is an Icelandic male name that means he who sparkles. Canine Skin Top Image: Photo by Victor Bezrukov / Flickr. He was supremely accomplished in many different crafts, a wizard of creativity, if you will. You may not be able to adopt one of these sweet cuddlers, but there is plenty of merchandise to take home as a souvenir from the shop! Or you can alwaysgo horse riding, dog sledding or whale watching! The interesting thing about the stray cats in Reykjavik is that there are some breeds that are rare in most countries. It's well reported that Thor loved to eat. The name Haddi was first accepted as a males name in Iceland in 2007, according to NordicNames.de. Egil (inspires fright; the edge or point) Olaf (relic; ancestor's descendent) Ander (manly) Arkin (the eternal king's son) Floskubak (flashback) Jarle (nobleman) Breidr (broad or fat) Bjarke (bear) Bodil (mighty ruler) Brokk (myth name of a Dwarf) Astolf (love) Odin (God of wisdom and war) Bjorn (bear) Colborn (burning log) In Scandinavian culture, Eydis is a name that refers to the Goddess of good fortune. "We try to create a positive and fun atmosphere for our employees and guests. This is the most beautiful name on this list. Never mind LOLCats or Smudge the cat with that yelling woman Iceland has its own social media outlets for our love of kitties. var ffid = 2; The cats come from the cat shelter Villikettir, and in the caf customers are able to get to know the cats in a comfortable and cosy setting, enjoying some vegan or vegetarian food and cake slices at the same time. Freyja is the goddess of love in Norse mythology. A post shared by Pl Dnielsdttir (@pal.the.mousekeeper) on Oct 9, 2018 at 10:59am PDT, A post shared by Pl Dnielsdttir (@pal.the.mousekeeper) on Oct 8, 2018 at 6:00pm PDT. She notes that there are many cat-like monsters in Icelandic folklore, although they are not associated with Christmas in particular, and that similar beings are also found in Scotland and Ireland. And pity the fool who would take one of these horses for his own use. They are in bloom and visible almost wherever you drive aro, In my search for turfhouses around Iceland, I visitedSnautasel, which is a rebuiltturfhouse onJkuldalsheiiheath in the highland of Iceland. The Nightmare, a succubus-ish mare, may also disguise herself as cat when invading peoples homes. Photo by Bragi Valgeirsson. All who knew of this wonderful spring became obsessed with desire to drink from it. The concept of the show is that kittens without a home come from a catshelter, Kattholt, andspend their first few weeks in this custom made dollhouse, where multiple cameras live stream themthrough the Kattarshian channel. You know the Christmas Cat, That cat was enormous. Bears play an important role in Icelandic culture. Adalstienn - Splendid Stone - Destined for a Life of Kindness, Compassion, and Happiness 2. A Norse and Icelandic name that means prince. It will also be easier to distinguish them from every other cat with the same name at their vet or when meeting new furry friends. Join Your Friend in Reykjavik on our Cattastic Walking Tour of downtown Reykjavik. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. It is, in my opinion, an extremely cuteturfho, Discover the waterfall Gljfrabi The great thing about travelling around Iceland are all the different and unique spots and areas you can discover when driving around. And if you happen to be visiting Reykjavk in July 2018, you might catch the Cat Walk at the Reykjavk Fringe Festival, that takes place on the 3rd and 5th of July, starting in front of the Cat Caf at 6pm. ins.className = 'adsbygoogle ezasloaded'; To be entirely accurate, Freyja's cats would have been the ancestors of this breed, black . (translation by Hallbergur Hallmundsson) The first four kittens;Guni, Ronja, Bret and Stubbur, have all been adopted - and so have the second and third batch of inhabitants of the house. These, and other illustrations, have regularly made their appearance on websites dedicated to the darker side of Christmas. var ins = document.createElement('ins'); The illustrations for the poems, made by Icelands first professional illustrator, Tryggvi Magnsson, also created an image of old Icelandic Christmas. On the other hand, cats simple cannot stay cool and aloof when a tree suddenly appears in the house; they destroy everything and turn the holiday season into absolute hell. In mere seconds Logi consumed his food, the leftover bones, the plates, and at last the table itself. Emily Walker His colleague at the National Museum of Iceland, archaeologist Gumundur lafsson, criticised this argument in an article in the Icelandic Antiquarian Society Yearbook of 1989. Home Valdis is an Icelandic name honoring an old Norse god. lafsson finds parallels to the Yule cat in the variety of beings that traditionally accompany Saint Nicholas in many European countries. 8. A combination of two words Eric and Lynn. Your email address will not be published. And Elli told him. One of the things that are nice to know is the coming weather; if it will turn out to be good or bad, over the, Folk medicine during the Spanish flu pandemic in Iceland in 1918 We decided long ago to launch the Resources section of this website on folk beliefs in Iceland with a short post on popular remedies during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 simply because we felt it was both on-brand and relevant for our, Icelandic folklorist and young scholar Dagn Kristinsdttir developed a guided tour for the length of the Strandir region based on local folktales and popular beliefs. But it has very specific tastes. Yule Cat known as Jlaktturinn is an enormous feline monster that roams the countryside in Icelandic tradition during Christmas time. Ljot is an Icelandic female name for someone who fills everyones life with light. Pet Pattern is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Esjan A volcanic mountain range in Iceland. Vogar A small town in Iceland that I think works as a nice name. Of course, Icelandic has a different word for everything, but youd be surprised how the sounds are similar. Do you have a sassy and independent kitty? Cats have been around in Iceland for centuries, or since Iceland was settled in 870. Through a complicated series of events, Mimir somehow managed to enrage the Vanir gods who cut off his head, sending it back to their rivals the Aesir gods (Odin and the rest.) She is also a social-media superstar who has made appearances on cat-themed social media sites like "Cats on Catnip.". Many respondents in the collection were aware of this figure of speech, but were unsure as to its origin. This name might well suit a sweet, quiet, and loving cat, devoted to the very end. Enjoy! Choosing a name that's too similar to the name of anyone else in your family, including you and other pets. Sound familiar? The cat sculpture got a lot of praise for style and workmanship, but also provoked criticism from the representative of the Socialist party in the city government, Sanna Magdalena Mrtudttir. Instead of getting the big laughs he thought he would, all Loki's prank managed to do was infuriate Thor who nearly cracked open the trickster god's head with the mighty hammer "Mjollnir". Not only was he unable to move her, but Elli actually brought the god down upon one of his knees. The names of the 13 Yule Lads that most Icelanders know today are all derived from that poem. Perhaps the Yule cat originated as a guise used in a traditional performance at Christmas. Hengil A volcanic mountain range in Iceland. In Reykjavik, cats roam with impunity, eating elves and puffins, and how better to honor a cat's natural state of being (i.e., stuffed with elf meat) than a good Icelandic name? ODIN (OH-dihn; Male): King of the gods and number one honcho of the Aesir family, Odin was all wise, all seeing, and almighty. sds f Icelandic, Old Norse A name given to the lady of love, beauty and death. NJORD (nee-YORD; Male): Njord belonged to the Vanir family of gods who were perpetually feuding with that other family of gods, the Aesir. Today the English version of the name Tiwaz ("Tiu"), is preserved in the word "Tuesday". Anna Most common female name in Iceland. No one is quite sure where the Yule Cat belief comes from, but what has made the Cat universally famous is perhaps the poem by Jhannes r Ktlum (18991972), the beginning of which was cited at the start of this post. His main source was Jn rnasons collection of folklore and folktales, slenzkar jsgur og fintri (Icelandic folk- and fairy tales) first published in 1862 and republished by the Historical Society in 1929. The spread of Christianity is an important part of Scandinavias cultural history. The tradition goes back to ancient times and is believed to come from East Iceland. Rescuing a princess and her feet definitely qualified! Icelandic form of Andor 1. His unkempt red hair and unruly beard only added to his ferocious countenance, but Thor was one of the good guys. Sort of. He was also the bringer of peace and happiness. ).Kisa is what we call kitten, but it is also the name of a fairy tale that many English sources claim come from Iceland. Actually she was the cause of a nasty rivalry between the brothers Baldur and Hoder who both were smitten by her charms. Some bears are big and scary, some are cute and cuddly. Icelanders love cats, and there are some beautiful cats on the magnificent island of Iceland. Nikita, Bengal Cat. Many Icelandic names are tributes to Norse gods. Youll find just about any breed if you look hard enough though, Im sure. Like Big Brother, they all share a house and people get to watch all of their antics. She posted a Facebook status on the occasion of its unveiling, decrying the lack of any mention of poverty and the plight of low-income families living in the city. While the Yule cats popularity has long been well established in Iceland, it seems to be finally getting the international recognition it deserves. One who is born of new healing and is fresh, Form of the name Alexandra meaning Defender of men. Helga: one of the most popular names throughout Scandinavia, this Icelandic female moniker means "holy". The name is female and means the letter of god. The cannibalistic Yule cat appeals to an adult audience willing to explore the many and varied folk horror aspects of the traditionally family-friendly holiday. So, Baktus human created an Instagram account for him, now with over 13,000 followers. Unless your cat has been fixed you're going to have to put up with some pretty annoying behavior. Canine In November 2018 a new Christmas decoration appeared in the centre of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. It will eat old and young alike, but only those who havent yet received new clothes. Thor was stunned out of his wits. GA_googleFillSlotWithSize("ca-pub-1082817881769985", "lowchensaustralia_com_names_728x15_middle", 728, 15); HEIMDALL (HIGH'M-dahl; Male): Got a white cat? Norwegian Proverb. When picking a name for your new feline friend, consider the personality that you think your cat has. If you want to go with a traditional name, there are plenty of options that start with A-Z. Lus (1) Nri (3) Ti (2) Nikanor (1) Smi (3) Ebbi (4) Hjalmar (3) Cute Icelandic names for baby boys Looking for a name that will suit your cute newborn? Historically, cats can be traced back hundreds of years in Iceland. I myself have owned a cat, a pitch black male that had the name Moli. Freyja was also skilled in a form of magic called "seithr" (meaning "sayer" or "seer") which consisted of putting oneself into a deep meditative trance so that the secrets of the future might be revealed. There are a few ways to come up with a name for your new feline friend. MIMIR (MY-mer; Male): In Norse mythology there is a fantastic tree called "Yggdrasil"-The World Tree. var lo = new MutationObserver(window.ezaslEvent); Jn, Sigurur, Gumundur, Gunnar, and lafur are some of the most popular Icelandic names of males. By and large Odin was an effective King. | 9 Reasons Explained, Maine Coon Breeders Nova Scotia | Kittens & Cats for Sale. Valdis is the goddess of the dead. Our website, podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages. Do you know any other cats in Reykjavk? Then name him after the dwarf, Andvari. They were much nastier back then, perhaps sharing the same dark nature with their reputed mother and other trollish creatures, but nowadays, they have become almost nice, especially when compared to Grla and the Cat. Now onto some Icelandic female cat names. They defined what was traditionally Icelandic in what was then (as now) a bourgeois festival with traditions copied from Denmark, Germany, the UK and US. This is Skuggi, perhaps a distant relative to the Christmas Cat judging from those teeth! This cat is owned by the parents of Iceland's 13 santa clauses, Grla and Leppali. Armann means messenger. Here are some of our favorite Scandinavian cat names. Popular Icelandic Girls' Names Margret Pronunciation: Mar-GRET Meaning: Pearl Derived from the Old Persian ( margrta) and Sanskrit ( majar) words for "pearl," and coming directly from the French version of the name - Marguerite - Margret has been a popular name in Europe since the Middle Ages. Charging through the sky upon flying horses, these fierce women were not to be messed with. She mentions that the idea of not getting new clothes for Christmas being considered particularly bad is also known from old Scottish sources. Perla, photo with permission from Spottai Ktt. Photo with permission from Spottai Ktt. If you're not only a fan of Iceland's cats but all animals,be sure to read up on the Icelandic horse, the Arctic Fox, birdlife in Icelandor seals in Iceland. Needless to say, Loki wasn't too pleased since he was usually the trickster, not the trickee. Puffin Small, cute birds that are commonly seen in Iceland. Sometimes the unfortunate ones were said to do the cat or be taken by the cat which leads Bjrnsson to conclude that the Yule cat was a figure of speech that rnason may have misinterpreted as a monster. In one reinterpretation the cat is so unruly that only Stfur, the smallest of the Yule lads (and every childs favorite), is able to control it, using it as a steed to ride around the countryside. I KNOW. Although Dreki can no longer be spotted on the streets of Reykjavk, he'll find newfound fame in images in this post through his insane cuteness! Cat in Icelandic is Kttur, but as Icelandic words take on different forms depending on the sentence, then it can also be Ktt, Ketti and Kattar. 2023 PetPress. Iceland is very strict about baby naming laws. A hike and Hvalfjordur & Hvammsvik Hot Springs, Free Fall (Plunge like a Puffin!) These names are elegant and stylish, and theyre sure to make your cat stand out from the crowd. 120 Cat Names Beginning With Letter V For Your Cute Kitten, 140 Complete Cat Names Begin With Letter U For Your Kitten, 140 Cat Names That Start With Letter R For Your Feline Friend, 90+ Cat Names Beginning With The Letter Q For You Cute Kitten. Thor is one of the most important Scandinavian gods and Thordis is an Icelandic name that literally means woman of Thor. Some people would claim that their appeal needs no explanation at all. Frida A Nordic word from the Viking age meaning peace. Continue with Recommended Cookies. There is an Icelandic facebook group called Spottai ktt (e. Spotted a Cat), solely for the purpose of posting pictures of cats that have been spotted around town. But cats in Icelandcome in all colours and sizes. Like her counterparts, Aphrodite, Isis, Venus, and Ishtar, she concerned herself with sex and all that goes with it. The Yule cat had in the 1970s become part of Christmas decorations in Icelandic homes, just like the Scandinavian Christmas goat which is now primarily known as a traditional decorative figure made of straw.
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