Ingvi

Ingvi is an Old Norse form associated with the deity Freyr, a major fertility and prosperity god in Norse mythology. In sources from the medieval period, the theonym Yngvi-Freyr or Ingvi-Freyr is used, indicating that Ingvi is either an epithet for Freyr or a closely linked figure. The name derives from the Proto-Germanic root Ingwaz, a name that underlies various cognate forms across Germanic languages.

In myth, Freyr is a prominent Vanir god connected with fertility, peace, and abundance. The epithet Ingvi emphasizes his status within certain traditions or poetic contexts. Scholarly interpretations vary: some passages treat Ingvi as another name for Freyr, while others present Ingvi as a distinct, legendary figure who becomes tightly associated with Freyr in ritual or dynastic storytelling. This ambiguity reflects the overlapping ways in which divine names and royal genealogies intertwine in Old Norse discourse.

A key tradition connects the name to kingship in Sweden. The Ynglinga saga, part of Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, presents Yngvi-Freyr as the progenitor of the Yngling dynasty, the legendary royal line said to descend into the historic kings of Sweden. Because of this, Ingvi/Yngvi functions in part as an emblem of royal legitimacy, linking divine fertility and prosperity with dynastic authority.

Modern scholarship generally treats Ingvi as a variant name or title linked to Freyr and the Yngling lineage rather than as a wholly separate deity. The figure illustrates how Norse mythology weaves together divine agency with royal memory and legitimacy.