The Name 'Óðinn' (Odin): Some Thoughts

A few different homonyms could explain the óð- in Odin's name, but only one is particularly plausible.

Logos by Elizabeth Porter (snowbringer at gmail).

[alriktyrving]

Maybe the name Óðinn is multilayered, so that it can mean both “the mad/furious one” aswell as “the Spirit/Mind” and also being connected to poetry. For instance, if Óðinns name is also connected to the concept of Mind you get a perfect explanation why his two ravens are named Huginn and Muninn, meaning “Thought” and “Memory”, and why he sacrifizes his one eye in the well of Mimir (“the one who remembers”).

[LemonadeMouthSomebod]

Where would we be without Prof Jackson wishing us all the best

[ConstantijnII]

I can agree with this explanation. Especially since the name Wodan also comes from the same root as the word 'woede' in Dutch. 'Woede' is mostly used these days in the meaning of 'rage', but it can also mean 'madness'.
'Verwoed' is derived from that and can mean different things, but 'possessed' is the most important one. Or rather it might be closer to 'obsessed'.

[zlessly]

as the intro plays Jackson points a revolver at us, lol, never change man, never change

[SwordTune]

I'm glad that my idle thoughts and questions can be another man's profession.

[bobbehwitchie]

I have a ton of respect for the work you do and have slowly been chipping away at your content. I've learned so much.

[Son-of-Tyr]

Love the intro with the revolver bud. I am an avid consumer of your videos and I appreciate so much that you present so much knowledge freely for everyone. Thank you

[angelam.johnsonfantasyroma]

I cannot get enough of this content. I really appreciate that this is a channel!

[beardyauthor]

Stumbling on your channel has been very informative, especially for research for my upcoming novel! Thank you Jackson!

[shruggzdastr-facedclown]

That last meaning makes me wonder if the English word "oath" might've descended from this Old Norse word "othr" etymologically dissected here by Prof. Crawford

[patrichausammann]

@Jackson Craford Nice explanation, but from my perspective as a Russian learner, you may not know that the Russian word for "one" is "один" (odin> pronounced like "adin").
Modern Russian may not be that old, but from my point of view it has Greek and Germanic roots. The Russians actually came from a Germanic tribe called "Rus". This is very similar with the Vikings, who were actually also Northern Germans. If we think further, we find that another name of Odin was "Wodan" (sometimes called "Wotan").
Now I ask you, can you see the likely connection?

If not, I'll try to make it clearer to you. First of all, what is the most essential thing for living beings?
I would say it is water. In Russian it is "вода" (voda> spoken like wada) and in German "Waßer" (Wasser). How is water in the nature when you think of rivers or the sea, for example?
It can be crazy, mad, sour, agressive, terrific, insane, raging, incensed or it can seem to be angry or furious.

In Eddic poetry, Odin functions as the father of gods. He is considered the god of war and the god of the dead, but also the god of poetry and runes, as well as magic. So he is also creatively active because the word "magic" has a connection to the word. But he also has shamanic traits and if one has dealt with the oldest known magic, one recognizes the connection to the rainmaker, but also to the rain dance. This in turn explains why Odin is also often associated with ecstasy. Water also makes noise, which could explain the connection to the term "ode".
However, I am assuming more connections, but I think that would go beyond the scope here.

[goodmorning]

I love the new intro... Your the best Dr Crawford

[lloovvaallee]

As far as Norse specialists go you don't look all that old ...

[oldmanofthemountains]

Based on the lore behind Odin, is it possible that the two lesser homonyms could be poetic references to Odin since one has to do with the Mind and the other, Poetry? Both are associated with Odin's mythology.

[SaxonWald]

I've often herd that the continental Saxon version of his name (Woden) meant madness, ecstasy, battle madness/fury. So it makes sense that the Norse version would have the same theme

[trestabernae]

hello Prof, à côté de chez moi en Alsace, France, se trouve une micro région où la toponymie est axée sur la religion nordique/germanique. Il y a justement le Wuestenberg, ou "montagne de Wotan", qui est aussi appelée "montagne de la colère" ! le nom désigne aussi la "montagne des déserts" ou encore le "champ de bataille". Un endroit où alternent la vie et la mort, la colère et la réconciliation.
hello Prof, next to my home in Alsace, France, is a micro region where the toponymy is based on the Nordic / Germanic religion. There is precisely the Wuestenberg, or "mountain of Wotan", which is also called "mountain of anger"! the name also designates the "mountain of deserts" or the "battlefield". A place where life and death alternate, anger and reconciliation.

[chrixthegreat]

I can believe this. I always thought of Odin as the god of wisdom and magic. So he was like the mad scientist type in the old Norse days.

[scaldedape]

One of the first explanations I ever heard was "the Horned god of divine madness and The Wild Hunt." So this was really interesting.

[mver]

If Odin means angry, mad, furious etc it would also explain the name of the more southern Wodan. 'Woeden' is the modern Dutch word for fury/furious.

""woeden" in English · anger · wrath · angriness · furor · fury."

[juanchitaro]

It's always interesting to know who the king of gods is in a certain pantheon and to think of why, it helps a lot to understand the culture.

Plus it's also interesting that this king of gods is also characterized by the power of his words or written language (runes).