Þórketill

Þórketill is a given name of Old Norse origin. The name is composed of two elements: Þórr, the name of the Norse god of thunder, and ketill, meaning "kettle" or "helmet." The name was common among Norse peoples during the Viking Age and is found in various sagas and historical records.

Notable individuals named Þórketill include Þórketill Flatnefr, an Icelandic settler in Greenland who lived in the 10th century. He is mentioned in the Eiríks saga rauða (Saga of Erik the Red) as the father of Þjóðhildr, the wife of Erik the Red. Another figure is Þórketill Guðmundarson, an Icelandic chieftain from the 11th century, who appears in Njáls saga.

The name Þórketill reflects the religious beliefs and cultural practices of the Norse people, with its direct invocation of the powerful god Þórr. The popularity of such names highlights the importance of the gods in everyday life and identity. The name has largely fallen out of common use in modern times, though variants might exist in some Scandinavian languages. Its historical presence, however, offers insight into the naming conventions and societal structures of medieval Scandinavia.