Odin?

[daisyrosegem]

I love this name!! Not very popular at all on the name list though, only 70 babies named Odin in 2017. What do you think of the name?

puddock and JeanPagett make good points.

In the Norse/Germanic myths, Odin is pretty sinister - he's associated with madness and savage 'berserk' battle-fury, and with hanging (there are descriptions of Viking human and animal sacrifices, who were hanged). He even sacrifices himself to himself in an ordeal to win the power to read runes... and so on.

He's also associated with the Valkyries, war goddesses who chose which warrior was to live or die. All this may not matter to you, but please read up about Norse/Germanic Odin before making your choice.

Sorry, but imo Odin is a really wanky and pretentious name. I would have trouble not laughing out loud if I saw that name on a school coatpeg.

Yep, I'm with lavender on this one.

Also, a king and a god??? That's a lot for any kid to live up to. Plus, he's Odin is the god of war and death ... not exactly cheery or positive.

Ye gods! I don't want to be impolite but really can't understand how anyone can call the Norse god Loki 'cheeky'. In the myths, he really is one of the nastiest, most twisted characters you can imagine (even his name probably means 'Loop' or 'Knot') . He's mean, spiteful, treacherous, dishonest, malicious, cruel and delighting in suffering. Many of the stories told about him are pretty nasty - and full of weird semi-sexual references. His duplicity causes an innocent, beautiful god to be killed. And his actions lead to a crisis that bring the world to an end, in terrible violence.

I know a Zeus, lovely boy. His siblings have really normal names which is a little odd.

What, like Emily, George and Zeus?

I agree Odin is not a great choice. What about Omar, Otto or Oswald if you want something starting with O that isn't Oliver or Oscar? I'm not a big one for nicknames but if we'd had an Oswald he would have become Ozzie for sure. I rather like that.

Ok thanks everyone, I get the point. As I said, DH suggested it to me and I liked the name. I asked him where it was from and he said Norse mythology. That's all I knew about it, hence coming on MN to ask for opinions. Well and truly vetoed now. Thanks again!

If you like names from Norse mythology, then perhaps it would be better to pick something obscure. That way the name will have a story, but it won't be associated with comics, movies, scary cults or white nationalism.

There is an Odin at dds nursery! He’s a great big ball of energy and drama and it suits him perfectly!

I would have trouble not laughing out loud if I saw that name on a school coatpeg.

Says a poster called Lavenderbush.

I think about Nazi associations are valid but most gods are fairly violent so that aspect is irrelevant. Odin is also associated with poetry, wisdom, shamanism/magic...

TatianaLarina do you mind? My DCs Holly Bush, Laurel Bush, Rose Bush and Rather Unkempt Full 70s Bush feel only rightful pride as they hang their little coats up every day.

Ye gods! I don't want to be impolite but really can't understand how anyone can call the Norse god Loki 'cheeky'. In the myths, he really is one of the nastiest, most twisted characters you can imagine (even his name probably means 'Loop' or 'Knot') . He's mean, spiteful, treacherous, dishonest, malicious, cruel and delighting in suffering. Many of the stories told about him are pretty nasty - and full of weird semi-sexual references. His duplicity causes an innocent, beautiful god to be killed. And his actions lead to a crisis that bring the world to an end, in terrible violence.

Glad to know I live up to my name 😂😂

What, like Emily, George and Zeus?

Exactly like that! It is strange.

It’s awful.

I’d also laugh/cringe if I saw this on a nursery peg.

It’s really wanky and pretentious

I was thinking of Odin! It's a lovely name :)

I love it! My son is named Icarus and I know its marmite but I love it. If you like it it really, really doesn't matter what anyone thinks and its actually very popular this year x