Comments (Meaning / History Only)
During the Christianization of Scandinavia, many pagan names were replaced with Christian names. An example of this is the common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris). This plant used to be called 'Freya’s hair', but it was later renamed after the Virgin Mary.
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The attributes and form of Freya lave been influenced by similarity of the name to that of the rival Frigg in the various Germanic languages. Freya "Lady" is derived from the root "for-" (before, foremost, superior, prior), while Frigg (love, affection) is derived from the root "frij-", in most languages surviving with the sense "free" (if you love someone, set them free). However the title "lady", especially in the name of the goddess, has in most languages became similar or coincident with the word "free" (possibly influenced by the sense free-born, noble). Thus OE freo, Dutch vrouw, German frau, Danish/Swedish/Norwegian fru, Icelandic frú lady, mistress, madam (while a housewife works in a house, a hausfrau is the "lady" of the house), and the corresponding freo, frij, frei, fri, frij- free. That the name of Freya's husband Oðr is a variant of Frigg's husband Oðinn (both meaning "possessed" "mad", in A Midsummer Night's Dream, "wood") further indicates that the identities of the two goddesses have been confused.
Freya's putative brother is formally Freyr Yngvi (Ingwe, Ing, or Eng). In the 12th C. Eddas the son of Njorðr, but in the 1st C. Tacitus writes that in their songs Ingwe is one of three fathers of the German peoples, all sons of Mannwe, or Mannuz. His brothers are Istwae (otherwise unidentified) and Herminius, possibly the god Tacitus identifies with Hermes, the later Norse Jǫrmun, OE Eormen, Saxon Irmin who is identified with Odin (the sense of the name implies that Odin originally referred to a prophet or incarnation of Jǫrmun).
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Freya's putative brother is formally Freyr Yngvi (Ingwe, Ing, or Eng). In the 12th C. Eddas the son of Njorðr, but in the 1st C. Tacitus writes that in their songs Ingwe is one of three fathers of the German peoples, all sons of Mannwe, or Mannuz. His brothers are Istwae (otherwise unidentified) and Herminius, possibly the god Tacitus identifies with Hermes, the later Norse Jǫrmun, OE Eormen, Saxon Irmin who is identified with Odin (the sense of the name implies that Odin originally referred to a prophet or incarnation of Jǫrmun).
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The lusty and busty Norse goddess of fertility and riches. Freyja is a tall slender blonde, resembling the members of the Swedish Bikini Team. Her gifts are coveted by many and experienced by many others. She once engaged in a dwarf orgy in return for a beautiful gold necklace; this didn't make Odin too happy upon hearing about it from Loki. Also the leader of the Valkyries.
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Freya is most often known as the goddess of war, battle, death, magic prophecies and wealth. So, if you're into mythology "stuff" then you might like it. I have to say, I wouldn't want to be named after something meaning war battle and death!
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In Norse mythology Freya had a twin brother, who was rather unimaginatively called Frey, who was the god of fertility and crops. Their father was Njorth, the god of the sea, and their mother was Njord's sister, Ingun. (A bit warped if you ask me. Wouldn't Frey and Freya have been deformed or something?)
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The mother of Freya was actually Skadi a giant from the mountains who picked out Njord to be her husband because she liked his feet. Don't know how that works out but apparently it does.
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Skadi chose Njord because of his small feet. It was the only thing she saw of a row of Gods. She didn't know that it was Njord. She thougt it was Balder.
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