The True Meaning of Odin's Name (Odin, Wotan, Woden, Wodan)

In this video, I discuss Odin's name in PGmc *wōðanaz and its various forms throughout the Germanic languages.
0:45 - Wōðanaz (Proto-Germanic)
2:58 - Wōdans (Gothic)
3:50 - Uuôden (Old Saxon)
5:08 - Woden/Wœden (Old English)
5:51 - Óðinn/Óðann (Old Norse)
7:54 - Wuotan (Old High German)
The argument for Óðinn/*Óðann is from Liberman's In Prayer and Laughter. Essays on Medieval Scandinavian and Germanic Mythology, Literature, and Culture (2016).
Books:
Kershaw's The One-eyed God: Odin and the (Indo-) Germanic Männerbünde:
amzn.to/3O9n8rU
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Link to the Continental Germanic Facebook page:
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[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Wōðanaz is more like an incarnation, not an exercise of authority. In other words, the Leader of the Insane/Furious/Ecstatic ones is who literally enthused them. He is a representation of this quality within his followers. The idea of the god embodying makes the most sense to me. After all, even words like Freyfaxi imply that the gods embody these things. Freyfaxi does not mean ‘Frey’s horse.’ It literally means ‘Frey-horse.’ The god embodied this horse. If it was simple possession, as in Frey owned it, the Old Norse form would be Freysfaxi. And again, in the greater IE tradition, this concept is similar to Neptune who both personifies and presides over the watery domain. Compare this also to the goddess Silvānus (silvā by itself means ‘forest, woods’).

[@differous01]

Odin/Odinic dancers are depicted with stylised Ravens, like horns on a helm, but actually flying out of the head. Injury to one hemisphere of the brain effects short-term, conscious Thought (Huginn), the other long-term, unconscious Memory (Muninn). The interaction depicted by their intertwined (Raving?) beaks, their 'active/reflection', is how we incarnate Odin.

[@feelthenihilism]

This is a really great video, thanks! It would be interesting to compare these forms of the name with "Godan" which is known to be the name of Odin in the language of the Lombards/Langbards (which unfortunately doesn't have almost any written sources).

[@sarah8383]

Oh yes i would like to learn where the G form of it comes from, which can also be found in some modern Saxon speaking areas.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

@@sarah8383 I believe it's a systematic sound shift specific into Longobardic. I'll look into it and get back to you.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

As promised, I'd get back to you ;) The situation is a little strange, but here it is. The original (older) form of Odin in Langobardic was Wōdan. However, as the Langobardic language became more and more influenced by the Gall-Romance area, the g- was added to the back vowel, ō. This is how we get Gōdan. This is also sometimes spelled as Guodan. The uo form might be from an Old High German sound shift from ō > uo (like in the Wuotan form in the video). Another instance of where this happened can be found in Langobardic wangia ('cheek'). In Gall-Romance-Lombardic, this became guancia ('cheek'). I know it was a bit much, but that's what's going on.

[@sarah8383]

@@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464 Interesting, thank you very much. 🙂

[@feelthenihilism]

@@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464 thank you very much for your time :) In italian we have a lot of words coming from Langobardic, and now that I know this added "g-" before "w" I can see some of them that follow this sort of rule: guancia, as you said; guarire (to heal) from "warjan"; gualdo (forest, archaic but present in some place names) from "wald". Fascinating :)

[@Tirsson]

Nice to get a handle on the various known forms of the name! Thanks Scott! Have a nice Wôdensdach. We have still preserved "v" in front of vowels in some words in southern Jutland in Denmark. It is also found in theophoric place names dedicated to "(W/V)Óðinn", such as Vonsild, Vognsild, Vojens, Vonsmose and more.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Good to know. Thank you, Tirsson!

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Quick question: do you actually pronounce these words with the [v] or is it just an archaic spelling?

[@Tirsson]

Well, a few words in different dialects can still be pronounced with v-sound in front, even if the “v” has disappeared in writing. For example, the word “ondt”, “hurt”, which can be pronounced “vondt” (the same in Norwegian). I have heard an audio recording of a dialect (probably from Northern Funen -?), after 1969 where a man pronounces “onsdag”, "Wednesday" as “*wodnsdaw". The opposite, however, can also apply in dialect. The word “vores”, “our” can be pronounced in South Funen and island dialect (Tåsinge, Ærø) without “v”, “*ores” even though it is only found in writing with a “v”. Place names, such as Vojens, Vonsild or similar (certain theophoric Odin place names) in Southern and Eastern Jutland, on the other hand, have retained the “v” both in writing and speech.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

@@Tirsson Excellent! Thanks so much!

[@ivystuart1736]

Another great video! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us so freely

[@ROALD.]

There is also a late Anglicization of the Danish, in Aelfric’s De Falsis Diis written as “Oðon”.

[@sethaniel1]

I would've never had the time to look up the structure of words, especially specifics like the ending you mention. Keep up the good work!

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Thanks!

[@ErichM.L.]

Thank you, Professor Shell.

[@gcanaday1]

I'd like to hear a bit more about Ódr vs Ódin. I had approximated them as one the god, the other the effect.

[@johannisak1652]

What i sometimes do, is that i connect the norwegian word "vite" is in knowing. So i connect the word "vitne" witch means " the knowing" to "Wotan" or "wodanaz" That gives me a knew meaning to his name witch becomes "the knowing"

[@johanbtheman]

”Vittne” in Swedish is also ”the knowing” more or less. Then you have ”veta” which is ”to know”.

[@ravensgaldr7705]

Thanks for sharing the great information! I'm really appreciating the content of your channel, Scott. Keep up the fine work!

[@jakkernsa]

I am Batavian, we call him Wodan. But whatever you call him, May the all-father's blessing be upon you my brothers and sisters may we meet in walhalla.

[@jenkins80526]

Hello Scott. I really enjoyed the video and it really gave some important insight into Odin's name. I've just started a project that's requres me to have a deep insight of Odin and so the first step for me is to look into the meaning of Odn's name. I now know that his name means Leader of the insane, furious/ ecstatic ones. That is the information I've been looking for so thanks for posting this video! During my initial research, I've seen other meanings of his name like Master of Ecsasy, God of Art, Wisdom and Law. It's interesting that he might be known as the God of Law. To think that Odin had a hand in our laws and rules that we now use in our cultures to this day is amazing and something that I am going to look into. Thanks again, and I'm going to subscribe and and check out all of your other videos here! 😎

[@torstenscott7571]

This is just so good, thank you for putting forth this great glimpse into the origins of the language and history associated with this subject.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Thanks, man! Glad you appreciate it!

[@charlesp.8555]

Would you kindly share the name of the music from your intro? It is amazing.

[@theoderich1168]

Interesting video, thank you ! I had read some time ago that W(u)otan is the source of the modern "Wut"= (intense) agitation, arousal, rage, anger; the meaning has changed a little over the centuries. 9:10 A lot of the Old Saxon survived in today's German: innan - in them - dem thes - des folkes - Volkes brinnit - brennet/brennt usun - unser(e) hallun - Hallen heliðo - Helden gestos - Geister

[@southernnordic7027]

Just found your channel from a friend on Telegram, very interesting! Subbed :)

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Good to know! Thanks!

[@richardschafer7858]

Outstanding, and especially on a Wednesday!

[@ValeriePoynter]

Thanks!

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Of course!

[@margomaloney6016]

Excellent explanation - thank you! :)

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@AnisB.-mu1it]

Thanks for the info

[@HroduuulfSonOfHrodger]

Where do you stand on the debate of whether Odinn was a real person (chieftain who attained godlike status) or representative of something similar to Thor, who we know was never a real person? Same would go for Freyr. Kings trace their lineage to Odinn and Frey. I'd love your take.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Euhemerism was a common practice in the Catholic church. Pagan gods becoming saints and ancestors were allowed in the Catholic system as long as God was seen as the dominant figure. In short, they were gods. Even as it states in the bible (Exodus 20:3) : "No other gods shall stand before me." Catholics acknowledged that there were other gods. So long as the gods were subverted (made into ancestors, saints, etc.), that's all that mattered.

[@HroduuulfSonOfHrodger]

@@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464 Makes sense. Thanks for your answer.

[@thruthebook]

That's very interesting! So PIE 'na' means 'leader'. I notice that in ancient Semitic languages such as Akkadian, 'ni' means 'man'. The name Nimrod in the Bible means 'man of Marad' or 'man of rebellion'. 'Ni' might also mean leader, so Nimrod could also mean 'leader of rebellion'.

[@thenorroenasociety]

Great video! Love what you are doing!

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Thank you!

[@ryanorionwotanson4568]

Imagine seeing you here 💪🏻👍🏻

[@Wolf.88]

Wotan ✊

[@cloudtoad4056]

Scott.. can you comment on the Strangnas (Sweden) stone, dated to 5th or 6th century? ---> "In 1962 an app. 20 cm long quartzitic Jotnian sandstone with an inscription in the older futhark was found when dismantling an iron stove from the 1870s (Carl Gustaf Blomberg) or 1920 or later (Elisabeth Svärdström) in a house in Strängnäs. The inscription reads from the right: ...ri(laR ∙ wodinR. Due to the apparent freshness of the inscription and the unclear circumstances concerning the find there has been long-lasting doubt about the authenticity of the inscription. Several recent geological and technical investigations indicate, however, that that the inscription most probably is authentic."

[@cloudtoad4056]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Str%C3%A4ngn%C3%A4s_stone

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

​@@cloudtoad4056 I have to agree with what Höfler wrote. It appears genuine. Especially since the word erilaR wasn't even known until 1918. In addition to that, if you look at my video on politics (part 1), I talk about the issues of even scholars having problems on how to transcribe the Elder Futhark around this period. If trained academic scholars were having issues transcribing Elder Futhark inscriptions in the 19th century, I doubt some layman could have come up with such an accurate rendition of (e)rila͡ʀ •wodinʀ. In short, it looks genuine to me.

[@johanbtheman]

Very intersting, what i am curious about is the the name Valhall, in Sweden you could say Valhöll, how should that be pronounced in old germanic or old norse? Because it’s definitely not Valhalla which bothers me a lot in different Hollywood productions and games. Thank you a lot for this video.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Hi Johan, The Valhall(a) form is from earlier (primarily German) scholars who chose to feminize the name and add an -a at the end. It's Valhǫll in Old Norse and Valhöll in modern Icelandic. The name in Swedish undoubtedly is a borrowing.

[@HroduuulfSonOfHrodger]

Please tell me that you are working on a book about Germanic Heathenry, the god names, verses we can use to praise our ancestors and gods in Old Saxon or Proto-Germanic or both, etc?!?! Basically just put all of these video subjects into one big book. I hope you plan to write this one day! I think many Heathens, myself included, choose Norse Heathenry over Germanic because so much more is known and available. I am mostly Germanic with only a small portion supposedly Norwegian, along with Celtic and Polish (Slavic? I've been told the Poles are not Slavs, but the internet says differently). Of course, these bloodlines come from a DNA test, and I know not to trust them completely. However, I was raised knowing I was German, Irish, and Polish, and the DNA test does confirm this, so maybe they are somewhat reliable after all!?!

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

The book is already done ;) I’m just waiting to hear back from my publisher. It will be published through Arcana Europa. And yes, much of the information you are seeing on YT is coming from the book that I’ve already written.

[@HroduuulfSonOfHrodger]

@@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464 Sweet! I'll be the first in line to buy it. Will it be available on Amazon? Or where?

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

​@@HroduuulfSonOfHrodger And now I remember the book you were asking about. It's done. It's just up to Arcana Europa to publish it. They're trying to catch up right now. If it doesn't get published this year, I'll just look into self-publishing it. The book here is called "Honoring the Saxons: Bringing the Past to the Present."

[@shansational1803]

@@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464 update on book? Did not see it at the publisher's website.

[@faramund9865]

Great video. I had nu clue that the -na- part meant ‘leader of something’. How do we know this? Also, listen to any Dutch football match and you’ll hear so many times how ‘woedend’ players get over something. I’m pretty proud that that word survived only in our language! Also, Woensdag! (Woensdrecht, placename).

[@theoderich1168]

Well not only in your language - people can get quite "wütend" in Germany, too. I guess you also have the noun "Wut" in Dutch as well....

[@faramund9865]

@@theoderich1168 Jazeker Diederik! Woede. Alleen wel jammer dat in Duitsland Woensdag Midweek heet...

[@karencarlson1693]

Two questions: (1) You lost me a bit on woðaz (whence the first a in woð-a-na-z). Is this a separate word? Is woð a word by itself, or just the root of (among others) woðaz? (2) When did the pronunciation of W in German change from English W to English V? This is really cool stuff!

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

(1) Yeah, I thought that might have been a bit confusing after I listened to the recording. Really, what happened is that wōðaz had the na and then the z attached to to it. When the na attached to wōðaz, the z fell off. This is how we get wōða-. So, you have wōð (root of the word) + a (left over a-stem vowel) and then +na (master suffix). Then the na attaches. This is wōðana- and then finally the -z creates a new class of noun. Finally you have wōðanaz. So wōðanaz is made up of wōðaz + na + z. Does this make sense? And yes, wōðaz can be a word by itself. This is "raging," "furious," "ecstatic." (2) The [w] became a [v] in Early New High German (1350-1650 CE).

[@karencarlson1693]

@@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464 Thanks, yes, that clarifies it. I see a little more, looking between Ringe (who is frankly beyond me for the most part) and the American Heritage Dictionary of IE Roots, that we have PIE "wet" - to blow, inspire, spiritually arouse (oldest form h2wet, related to wē, to blow) => post-PIE "wātis" - seer => PGmc "wōdaz" - possessed, crazy.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

​@@karencarlson1693 yeah, the *we- + dental enlargement. I wasn't trying to get into the many different interpretations of Odin's name in the wider PIE context. I appreciate you bringing it up, though. It's just that an intense linguistic discussion like this would be overkill imo for the general audience. Ringe is also just recycling the same old stuff in terms of Odin's name. Look into Anatoly Liberman's 2016 "In Prayer and Laughter. Essays on Medieval Scandinavian and Germanic Mythology, Literature, and Culture." If you can't get ahold of it, message me on FB and I'll send you his chapter on Odin's name. It's quite extensive. I also wrote a review of the book you can find on academia.edu if you want to read the review before you check the book out.

[@widukindbooks9934]

What word did you say Odr comes from?

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

From PGmc. *wōðaz

[@germanicgems]

The Old Norse -inn can not be from the definite; it is earliest attested on the 400s-500s Vindelev bracteate (*wodinas*), and 500s Strängnäs stone (*wodinʀ*). If you want to be conservative, the late 700s Ribe skull fragment has *uþin*. The suffixed definite on the other hand is not attested until the end of the Viking age. It is almost never seen in any Uppland rune stone, nor in Skaldic poetry until the 1100s, at least 400 years after being securely attested in runes. Neither, is the name conjugated like a masculine noun in the definite; the nominative is Óðinn, but the dative is Óðni, rather than *Óðinum. Morphologically, it is thus completely analogous to dróttinn 'lord'.

[@scottt.shellcontinentalger2464]

Yup! Exactly. I am totally onboard with this. the -inn suffix became analogized later. This is clear because of how the name Óðinn declines in both ON and modern Icelandic.

[@TheEnigmaticmuse]

Is there any possibility that Wodan has anything to do with a tribal designation such as the tribe of Dan?

[@3chmidt]

So it were the Norse going off script and not the Germanics after all. Ha, Odin and Thor, more like Wotan and Donar

[@WilhelmOfAwe]

Or wooden ..like the little garden gnome version you can buy at a local new age store. You need to get DNA tests because you look like the singer of Grand Magus That's not a bad thing.