dagr

Dagr is a figure in Norse mythology who represents the daytime and is also the Old Norse word for day. The term appears in myth as the personification of daylight, distinct from night time figures such as Nótt. In various sources, Dagr is described as moving across the sky in a chariot, bringing daylight to the world. His horse is commonly named Skinfaxi, whose shining mane is said to illuminate the landscape.

Etymology and language use

The name dagr comes from Old Norse and is cognate with other Germanic words for day, such as Old English dæg and Gothic dags. In modern Icelandic, the everyday word for day is dagur, reflecting the same linguistic roots. In scholarly and literary contexts, dagr frequently serves as the basis for discussions of day as a personified force within Norse storytelling.

Mythological role

Dagr functions primarily as a mythological personification of daytime rather than as a central cultic deity. Sources from the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda make clear the existence of day as a personified entity in the Norse cosmology, paired conceptually with Nótt (Night). Aside from the image of a daylight chariot and the horse Skinfaxi, there is no extensive narrative about Dagr’s deeds; he serves to illustrate the cycle of day and night in the mythic world.

In modern usage

Today, dagr appears mainly in academic discussion of Norse myth and in translations of Old Norse texts. The term also informs modern literary and linguistic references to day in Old Norse-derived languages, preserving the cultural memory of day as a personified force within Norse tradition.