Heimir

Heimir is a masculine given name of Old Norse origin, derived from the element heimr meaning "home". It is a cognate of the Anglo-Saxon mythological name Hama, both stemming from Proto-Germanic *haimaz (home). The name is most recognized in the Germanic heroic legend preserved in the Völsungasaga, where Heimir is recorded as a king of Hlymdalir.

Mythological Significance

In the Old Norse tradition, Heimir appears in poems such as Grípisspá and Helreið Brynhildar, and is prominently featured in the Völsunga saga. He is portrayed as a maternal uncle of the valkyrie Brynhildr and serves as the foster-father (and possibly spouse) of Bekkhildr, Brynhildr's sister. After Sigurd is killed and Brynhildr dies, the infant Aslaug (daughter of Sigurd and Brynhildr) is entrusted to Heimir to protect her from the vengeance of the Burgundian kings. Heimir disguises the child by hiding her inside a harp and travels as a wandering minstrel, eventually reaching Spangereid in southern Norway. There, a local couple, Áki and Grima, suspecting the harp contained hidden gold, murder Heimir in his sleep to seize supposedly valuable treasure. The harp is never opened during the event, allowing Aslaug to escape harm and later be discovered.

Linguistic and Cultural Context

Heimir belongs to a family of names built on the home concept, including Germanic Heino (German), Haimo (Germanic), and Anglo-Saxon Hama. The root element heimr is common across Norse toponymy and personal naming, consistent with the Viking Age and early medieval naming patterns. In modern usage, Heimir is primarily found in Iceland, though it remains rare even there, and it is also recorded as a surname via the Icelandic patronymic Heimisson. A related etymology also appears in the English name Hamnet (diminutive of Hamo) and other medieval forms such as Hamo and Hamon.

• Meaning: "home"
• Origin: Old Norse (Germanic)
• Type: Given name
• Usage: Icelandic, Norse historic
• Usual Gender: Masculine