Nine Daughters of Ægir

The Daughters of Ægir are the nine daughters of Ægir and Rán, a giant and goddess who both represent the sea in Norse mythology. Their names are poetic terms for different characteristics of ocean waves.

In the Skáldskaparmál section of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the names of Ægir's daughters are recorded:

The daughters of Ægir and Rán are nine, and their names are recorded before:
Himinglæva, Dúfa, Blódughadda, Hefring, Udr, Hrönn, Bylgja, Dröfn, Kólga. - Brodeur's translation
Brodeur gives the following translations of the names:

Himinglæva - That through which one can see the heavens (a reference to the transparency of water).

Dúfa - The Pitching One.

Blóðughadda - Bloody-Hair (a reference to red sea foam).

Hefring (or Hevring) - Riser.

Uðr (or Unn) - Frothing Wave.

Hrönn - Welling Wave.

Bylgja - Billow.

Dröfn - Foam-Fleck (or "Comber" according to Faulkes).

Kólga - Cool Wave.

 

Aegir’s original name seems to have been Hler, which scholars translate as either “shelterer” or “concealer”, and he was the third and youngest son of an ancient giant named Fornjotr by an island-giantess. Later, after becoming the chief of the growing number of sea-giants, he took on the name Aegir, which simply means “ocean”.