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Photo of Tait's Closs Sign in Lerwick, Shetland
Tait is a common Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse 'teitr', meaning cheerful. Many surnames and place names in Shetland have a Norse origin.
Photo of Twageos Road Sign in Lerwick, Shetland
Twageos is a place name incorporating the common Norse place name element 'gjá', meaning 'ravine' and rendered in Shetland as 'geo' or 'gjo'. Twageos may refer to the 'two ravines'.
Photo of Copeland Pier Sign in Lerwick, Shetland
Copeland is a common placename and surname deriving from Old Norse kaupa land, meaning 'bought land'. This example is from Lerwick in Shetland.
Photo of Midgarth Crescent Sign in Lerwick, Shetland
Midgarth is a common Norse placename, and Anglicisation of Miðgarðr, meaning in this case 'Middle Enclosure / Farm' . Miðgarðr is also the 'Middle Realm', and home of mankind, in Norse Mythology.
St Sunniva Street in Lerwick, Scotland
This street sign in Lerwick refers to the tenth-century Norwegian Saint Sunniva (ON Sunnifa), who is associated with Selja on the West Coast of Norway, and according to legend fled from Ireland and was persecuted by the pagan Jarl Hákon…
King Harald Street in Lerwick, Shetland
This street sign probably refers to Haraldr Hárfagri (Harald Fairhair), ruler of Norway from c. 872 to 930, who recaptured Shetland and Orkney from his rivals in c. 875. Many streets in central Lerwick are named after Scandinavian Kings, Queens and…
King Haakon Street in Lerwick, Shetland
This street sign probably refers to Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Many streets in central Lerwick are named after Scandinavian Kings, Queens and Saints, particularly from the medieval period.
St Magnus Street in Lerwick, Shetland
This sign refers to the early twelfth century Earl of Orkney, Magnus Erlendsson, who was martyred in 1115 according to Orkneyinga saga. Many streets in central Lerwick are named after Scandinavian Kings, Queens and Saints, particularly from the…
King Erik Street in Lerwick, Shetland
Many streets in central Lerwick are named after Scandinavian Kings, Queens and Saints, particularly from the medieval period. This sign probably refers to the thirteenth century Norwegian king Eiríkr Magnússon, who married princess Margaret of…
Photo of St Olaf's Wynd Street Sign in Orkney
Photo of the street sign 'Olaf's Wynd' in Kirkwall, Orkney. Wynd is a placename element from the Norse verb venda, meaning 'to turn' or 'to wind'. St Olaf refers to the Norwegian king Ólafr Haraldsson, who reigned from 1015 to 1028 and was…
Street Name: Frøyasvei
Frøyasvei (Freyja's Way) is named for the Vanir goddess Freyja who owned the Brisingamen necklace.
Street Name: Lokesvei
Lokesvei (Loki's Way) is named for the trickster god Loki who causes much of the trouble in Asgard and then has to fix it.
Street Name: Sleipners vei
Sleipners vei (Sleipnir's Way) is named for Odin's eight-legged horse who is able to slide between worlds.
Street Name: Urdsvei
Urdsvei (Urd's Way) is named for Urd, one of the three norns who determine the fates of people. Her name means 'fate'.
Street Name: Odins vei
Odins vei (Odin's Way) is named for Odin, king of the gods.
Street Name: Balders vei
Balders vei (Balder's Way) is named for Balder who was killed with a dart made from mistletoe.
Street Name: Brages vei
Brages vei (Bragi's Way) is named for the Norse god of poetry.
Street Name: Trymsvei
Trymsvei (Thrym's Way) is named for the giant Thrym, who stole Thor's hammer. Thor had to dress up as Freyja to recover it.
Street Name: Tors vei
Tors vei (Thor's Way), named for the god of thunder and smiter of giants.
Street Name: Kong Sverres gate
Kong Sverres gate (King Sverre's street) is named for King Sverre who was part of the Birkebeinere faction in the Norwegian civila wars of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.