In Norse mythology, Jotuns, Jötunn or Jotnar of Utgard, Jötunnheim were the race of supernatural beings called giants (thurs), separated into categories such as frost giants (rime giants, hrimthurs), fire giants, sea giants and storm giants. The first race drowned in Ymir's blood, and were repopulated by Bergelmir.
The word Jotun first appeared in Old English as Yotun, and eventually spawned the variants such as Geottin, Eottan, and Eontann, whence we get Yettin, Ettin, and Ent, respectively. Yettin is a false cognate with Yeti.
The thorn-rune ᚦ is called thurs "giant" in the Icelandic and Norwegian rune poems:
- Þurs vældr kvinna kvillu;
- kátr værðr fár af illu.
- Giant causes anguish to women;
- misfortune makes few men cheerful.
- Þurs er kvenna kvöl
- ok kletta búi
- ok varðrúnar verr.
- Saturnus þengill.
- Thurs is torture of women
- and cliff-dweller
- and husband of a giantess.
In Anglo-Saxon England, the same rune was called thorn and it survives as the letter Þ.
List of giants:
- Aegir
- Baugi
- Bergelmir
- Bestla
- Bolthorn
- Geirrod
- Gerd
- Gilling
- Gjalp
- Greip
- Gunnlod
- Gymir
- Hrod
- Hrungnir
- Hymir
- Ivaldi
- Jarnsaxa
- Kari
- Loki
- Olvaldi
- Saxa
- Skadi
- Suttung
- Thiazi
- Thrudgelmir
- Thrym
- Utgardaloki
- Vafthruthnir
- Ymir
