4. Thor
Thor is Odin’s most famous son. Thor is associated with thunderstorms and oak trees, and he also protects mankind and is a representative of healing and sanctification. Not only did he have a hammer, but also a magical belt, which doubled his strength. During a thunderstorm, Thor would ride his chariot across the heavens and lightning would strike whenever he threw his hammer.
The name of Thor’s hammer is Mjollnir, and his belt is called Megingjard. Mjollnir could crush mountains, which was very handy for Thor as he was often involved in a number of battles, most notably against the terrifying serpent Jormungandr. During Ragnarök, the day the world will end, Thor will kill Jormungandr, but unfortunately will die from the serpent’s poison. Upon Thor’s death, his sons will inherit his hammer.
Thor was not against shaking up the establishment. The story of him dressing up as a bride was a courageous act in a society where cross-dressing provoked great anger. During the theft of his hammer by one of the giants, Thor dresses up as a bride to woe the giant, he takes part in the wedding ceremony, but as soon as the hammer is delivered as part of the bargain, Thor grabs it and destroys the giant in a single blow.
Thor’s popularity can be measured in a number of ways, most notably the many pagan temples dedicated to him. Excavation of large numbers of “Thor’s Hammer” pendants also point to his popularity. We can also gauge his popularity by the number of personal names in the Viking Sagas that include the component ‘thor’, for example, “Thorstein” for men, and “Thorunn” for women. We also have the red-haired, bearded god to thank for the word Thursday.