Mæri

Mæri is a term that appears in Nordic-language sources and is not a common word in modern usage. In historical Icelandic and Old Norse contexts, the form would be written with the letter æ, reflecting the orthography of the period. The exact meaning of mæri is not established because the attestation is sparse, and scholars have not reached a consensus on its definition.

In onomastic studies—that is, the study of names—mæri is sometimes discussed as a possible given name or surname in medieval manuscripts. However, due to the limited and fragmentary nature of the surviving texts, confident conclusions about its function or origin are elusive. It may also appear as a component of longer names or as a glossed element in lexical documents, depending on the manuscript.

Modern Icelandic, Danish, and Norwegian usage does not include mæri as a common noun or frequently used name. As a result, references to mæri are mostly encountered in linguistic, philological, or historical discussions rather than in contemporary language.

Because reliable primary sources are scarce, any interpretation of mæri should be treated cautiously and with attention to manuscript context. Further study of medieval Icelandic corpora and runic or glossed materials could clarify whether mæri represents a personal-name element, a place-name, or another linguistic category.