Norse symbol

Huginn & Muninn

Thought and memory

Pronounced HOO-gin and MOO-ninAlso known as Odin's ravens

  • Odin
  • knowledge
  • insight
  • memory
  • the mind

Researched & written by the VikingsBrand team

Huginn and Muninn are the two ravens of the god Odin — Huginn ("thought") and Muninn ("memory") — who fly across the whole world each day and return to whisper all they have seen into his ears. Together they symbolise the searching mind and the power of knowledge.

Huginn and Muninn are the two ravens who perch on the shoulders of Odin, the Allfather. Their names mean thought and memory, and they are among the clearest images in Norse myth of how deeply the Norse prized the life of the mind.

The daily flight

Each dawn Odin sends the ravens out across the nine worlds. They roam every land, see every deed, and return at evening to murmur the news of all things into his ears. So central are they that one of Odin's own names is Hrafnaguð — "raven-god". The poem Grímnismál even has him confess a quiet fear that they might one day not return: a god's anxiety that thought and memory could be lost.

Thought and memory

Together the pair form a complete picture of the knowing mind — the part that reaches outward in curiosity, and the part that holds and treasures what it learns. They are a reminder that wisdom is not only gathered but kept. That love of insight ties them to the fate-knot of the Valknut and to the woven destiny of the Web of Wyrd.

How to wear it

The ravens are worn by those who value knowledge, perception and a sharp, questing mind. Carried on an engraved Viking wooden watch, they make a thoughtful mark for a thinker or a seeker. Explore the full lexicon of Norse symbols to find the one that speaks to you.

Related symbols

ValknutThe knot of the slain Web of WyrdThe net of fate Triple Horn of OdinWisdom and the mead of poetry

Huginn & Muninn — common questions

Huginn and Muninn are the two ravens of the god Odin in Norse mythology. Their names mean 'thought' and 'memory', and they fly across the world each day to bring Odin news of all things.

They symbolise the mind, knowledge and perception — Huginn the reaching, curious thought and Muninn the memory that holds what is learned.

Because Huginn and Muninn served as his eyes across the nine worlds, Odin was even called the 'raven-god' (Hrafnaguð), and ravens became a sign of his wisdom and far-sight.

Join the inner circle

15% off your first order

Stories forged in Norse tradition, early access to new pieces, and the occasional offering to the gods.