Germanic Mythology Dog Names

In essence, Fenrir is the quintessential lone wolf of not just Germanic Mythology but of all World Mythology as well. The visage and namesake of the Fen Wolf Fenrir are evoked even to this day in video games, films, books, and more. Most recently, a gigantic wolf by the name of Fenris appeared in Thor: Ragnarok and faced off against the Incredible Hulk near the end of the film. In both design, name, and backstory, Fenris was heavily inspired by Fenrir. So if you were evenly slightly unnerved by the Marvel Cinematic Universe's depiction of the Fen Wolf, then you may very way be shaken to your core once you learn a bit more about the creature that inspired Fenris.

Though details concerning Fenrir's physical description tend to vary depending on what source you use to read about him, one of the things that's unanimously agreed upon is that the beast is absolutely massive; some accounts say that Fenrir is merely larger than most mortal men, others have gone as far as to suggest that Fenrir's size rivals that of a mountain. To further add to Fenrir's terrifying appearance, the wolf is said to have pitch black fur and fangs as sharp as spears. 

The details behind Fenrir's parentage are equally as strange and outright bone chilling as the Fen Wolf's appearance. To horror and dismay of the Aesir, Fenrir's parentage traces back to none of than Loki himself; the Norse God of Mischief fathered three children with a Giantess by the name of Angrboða. Those three children included Hel, the Goddess of Death, the Jormangundr , a serpent so large it could wrap its entire body around the world, and Fenrir. The Aesir's initial disdain for Fenrir devolved into full blown despair once they learned of a prophecy which stated that the wolf would one day slay Odin in an apocalyptic battle known as the Ragnarok. 

In an attempt to prevent this event from transpiring, the Aesir resolved to bind Fenrir in chains. However Fenrir proved to be too massive and too powerful to be bound for long; the wolf was said to be capable of increasing his size and power at will, making it virtually impossible for him to be contained or restrained. Near their wit's end, the Aesir obtained a mystical rope called Gleipnir in order to restrain the beast. Fenrir refused to allow the Aesir to bind him unless one of them agreed to stick their hands in his mouth as a show of faith. Tyr, the god of Law, accepted Fenrir's terms. Once Gleipnir was fastened around Fenrir, the wolf realized he had been tricked and bit off Tyr's hand as recompense. The legend says that Fenrir will remain bound by Gleipnir until the time of the Ragnarok, where he'll set about his grim task of ending the life of Odin the Allfather.