Falcon names in Mythology | 16 Greek, Norse, Celtic, and More Legendary Birds of Prey

Falcons are some of the most majestic and wonderful birds in the world and have earned a lot of attention in mythology over the years. Some of this attention has been very positive and has seen this bird praised for its beautiful look and amazing hunting skills. However, there’s some negative symbolism though there’s usually an interesting context for these negative feelings.

In this post, we’ll discuss falcon names in mythology with sections that have a 3 minute reading time or less. We’ll discuss popular topics like Greek and Norse mythology, as well as lesser-known uses of falcons throughout mythology. If you love falcons and want to learn more about how they’ve been viewed in history, you couldn’t have picked a better article to read!

Falcons in Greek Mythology

Apollo

Falcons are a common bird throughout much of Greek mythology. Their most common connection is with the Greek god Apollo, the God of prophecy, music, and the use of the bow. Apollo is one of the most beloved of all Greek gods because he was youthful, the source of life and healing, an important art patron, and was heavily worshiped throughout Greece.

Even today, he is one of the most popular of all Gods from this mythological tradition. In particular, he was worshiped at Delphi and Delos, having been born on the latter island. His mother was impregnated by Zeus (many Greek gods were born of Zeus’ legendary infidelity to his wife, Hera), who hid Apollo on Delos to keep him safe. After eating Ambrosia, he turned from child to man immediately.

Kirke (Circe)

Kirke, a minor goddess of magic, is also associated with falcons as her very name means “falcon” in Greek. She is also known as a nymph, witch, sorceress, or enchantress. While not a major part of Greek mythology, she transformed individuals into animals if they offended her. Best known for her actions in the Odyssey, she plays a minor, but important, part in that tale.

In it, she lived in a mansion in the dense filled with transformed animals who prowled the grounds. These lions and wolves were actually friendly to all newcomers. Kirke invites the Odysseus crew to her mansion and ends up turning them all into pigs. While they were eventually rescued, Kirke remained a dangerous presence in mythology, though one rarely used.

Who is the Greek God of Falcons?

While there’s no Greek god specifically set aside for falcons, many gods are associated with birds and falcons. For example, Athena is one of the most important goddesses in Greek mythology. She descended from the Bird Goddess of Ancient Europe and become known as the Greek god of war. Falcons were particularly connected with war in ancient Greek, making her a natural symbol for these birds.

Athena

Athena was often the focus of many interesting myths, including her origin jumping out of the head of Zeus already armed with a shield, spear, and crested helmet. She was also an important part of many Greek wars and was heavily worshiped by the Trojans and other similar war-like Greek city-states.

Anthus

However, Anthus is the Greek god of birds and is also highly connected with falcons and other similar species.

His story is fascinating, as he was transformed into a bird (along with his family) after his father’s horses devoured him in hunger. Zeus and Apollos, in a rare kind move, decided to help the grieving family by transforming them and Anthus into a bird. Anthus, as a bird, imitated horses with his calls and always fled from horses. His place in mythology is minor, but important as a rare instance of kindness from the gods.

Hermes

Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is also highly connected with falcons and other birds. His winged sandals helped him move quickly between various places, and he is often compared to birds throughout Greek mythology. As the protector of human heralds, thieves, merchants, orators, and travelers, he plays an important role in many myths and is surprisingly common throughout these stories.

Falcons in Celtic Mythology

Celtic mythology is a fascinating mix of various symbols and concepts spread throughout various bird types. Ravens were particularly important in Celtic mythology, as they were often considered the most intelligent of all birds and were often shown as messengers from other worlds. Falcons are particularly connected with the goddess Morrigan because of her ability to transform into a raven.

Morrigan

Morrigan was particularly praised by warriors as a battle goddess and is connected with a particularly poignant story. The warrior Cu Chulainn was mortally wounded during a major battle. In order to hold off his enemies, he tied himself to a rock standing up to scare off warriors. For three days, his enemies stayed away, amazed at his fortitude. However, a raven landed on his shoulders to alert them that he had passed.

What do falcons symbolize in Celtic mythology?

As for falcons, Celts worshiped these birds of prey as figures of war, power, and strength. They were also considered messengers, as they are in many other mythological traditions. The Celts did integrate the falcon into their Zodiac system. This bird came to represent someone with great insight and intuition or an individual with strong visual ability. There were a lot of expectations put on someone who was born under this sign, as they were typically likely to complete big projects and become leaders of men. Falcons were considered intelligent birds with vast and extensive knowledge.

The peregrine falcon in Celtic Myth

The peregrine falcon was also considered an important omen: if you saw one, you were to be very careful and avoid dangers as much as possible. There’s another Celtic story that includes a long conversation between a human and a falcon, as they discuss their lives and their successes. In the end, this human has an epiphany before death and seeks forgiveness for their behavior.

Bran the Raven King

Beyond falcons, the Celts also integrated many other birds into their mythology.

For example, a Welsh tale includes Bran the Raven King, a figure who presented a gift to the Irish King at a wedding to help establish peace between the two tribes. This gift was a cauldron that restored people to full health when used properly. Unfortunately, the Irish King took advantage of this gift to destroy Bran and regain power throughout the island. Ravens are still considered a figure of tragedy in Wales culture.

Swans in Celtic Mythology

Another Celtic myth from Ireland centers on swans and their beauty. The story, “The Children of Lir,” includes four royal children turned into swans. These birds held their ability to sing and speak and become legends in their region. Amazingly, they remained swans for nearly 1,000 years before hearing a bell announcing Saint Patrick’s landing in Ireland.

These myths are unique because they combine both Celtic and Christian mythology and helped the island transition from a pagan belief system to a Christian one. As a result, myths of falcons throughout the region were transformed because of different Christian views on falcons. That said, Christian falcon symbolism is something to discuss in a later section.

Falcons in Norse Mythology

Norse mythology is filled with many falcons and birds and is a fascinating look into the way this unique culture thought.

What do falcons symbolize in Norse mythology?

In Norse mythology, falcons symbolized glory, freedom, and royalty, and were particularly prized for their hunting abilities. As much of Norse culture was centered on war and constant movement, the falcon’s strength and speed were particularly praised by these people.

For example, they were not only consistently connected with war and speed but fertility and love. Just as importantly, they were connected with messages and death. As strong birds of prey with amazing speed, their ability to quickly destroy their prey made them an obvious symbol of death. They were also heavily connected with travel between various worlds, including Valhalla.

Falcons in the Norse afterlife

Valhalla was the majestic home in Asgard, the Norse afterlife myth. Valhalla was heavily connected with battle, as half of all warriors who died in battle were taken to this hall to be with the god Odin. The other half would travel to Folkvangr, a majestic field where they would spend time with the goddess Freyja.

Those who go to Valhalla and Folkvanger would help Odin prepare for Ragnarok, the apocalyptic war between the gods and the giants so important to Norse mythology. Falcons helped transport these spirits to these different realms to prepare for this important battle.

Falcons as symbols of love

The connection to fertility and love might seem more tenuous, but it makes sense. Falcons were often seen mating throughout Norse territory and were often heavily present throughout these areas. Norse culture had a lengthy falconry history and often handled falcons and other birds of prey every day when hunting or simply for sport and competition among other warriors. Falconry also created a strong bond between the hunter and their bird of prey.

Falcons as symbols of freedom

Falcons were also praised for their nomadic nature, which mirrored that of the Norse people so well. Norse warriors would see falcons traveling between various sites and would track their vast hunting grounds as they raised them. In this way, Nordic cultures had a strong empathetic connection with these birds and often used their feathers for decoration or emblazoned their shields and crests with falcons.

You might also enjoy these over 50 cool bird name ideas!

What Norse God is Associated With Falcons?

Due to the heavy importance of falcons in Nordic culture, there are many gods associated with these birds. Nordic gods are often fun to study because they typically differ heavily from Greek and Roman tradition. The myths between these varying cultures were so different because they reflected each tradition’s preferred lifestyle. For example, Greeks and Romans were much less mobile than Norse cultures. As a result, Nordic cultures had far more unique connections to birds than Greeks.

Odin

The god most commonly connected to falcons is likely Odin, the most celebrated and worshiped deity in Nordic mythology. Odin was the god of wisdom, healing, knowledge, war, battle, poetry, frenzy, victory, death, and much more. He was often flanked by two birds, Huggin and Muninn, who sat on his shoulders when he appeared in human form. Though often connected more to ravens than falcons, he is also considered the most important god in Nordic culture and is often considered a general god of all birds.

Frigg

Frigg is another goddess heavily connected with falcons. As Odin’s wife, she was the goddess of wisdom, war, strategy, motherhood, and queens, she was symbolized by the owl. This bird represented courage, beauty, and strength in Nordic culture. However, Frigg also wore falcon feathers that let her change into a falcon and travel quickly or fight in various wars. Frigg and Odin were also the parents of Hermod, their third son and an important part of general Nordic mythology.

Hermod

Hermod was the god of messaging, communication, courage, and bravery. As a result, he is strongly connected with falcons and his spirit animal is the gyrfalcon. This bird is the largest falcon and represents courage and opportunity in Nordic culture. Hermod is often considered one of the most important and powerful of all minor gods and is a critical part of many unique Nordic stories.

Freya

Freya, the twin sister and (possible) lover of Freyr, was the goddess of fauna, battle, hunting, love, and fertility. Constantly riding her boar Hildisvini, Freya was also heavily connected to falcons because of her cloak of their feathers. These feathers let her fly through the air during her travels, providing a unique spin on the falcon’s legacy in Nordic mythology. Most falcon names in mythology come directly from the Nordic tradition, which makes it important to study.

What Does a Falcon Symbolize in Norse Mythology?

Falcons represent many different things in Norse mythology. For example, they are solitary predators that hunt and move heavily in different regions. In this way, they represent the Nordic lifestyle and were often considered important messengers and spirits to follow. That said, Nordic culture also loved ravens for their close social structures and were often heavily connected to both birds.

Other Nordic myths focus heavily on raven speed, their clever personalities, and their hunting spirit. Reading through these myths shows that Nordic culture loved and feared falcons. Compare that to the Nordic love of ravens, which showed a deep commitment to family life and cultural connections. This unique contrast illustrates the fascinating range of Nordic culture and its self-awareness.

Peregrine Falcon Mythology

The Peregrine Falcon is often celebrated for its speed and hunting abilities in various mythological traditions. It can dive bomb at over 200 miles per hour and kill prey quickly and efficiently. Native American culture was particularly enamored with these birds, such as the Mississippian Tribes. They used this bird as a symbol for various tribes and praised it for its amazing hunting capabilities.

The peregrine falcon as a spirit messenger in mythology

It was often considered a messenger between the upper and underworld and was also a messenger deity in many cultures.

They were also connected to Viking and Egyptian mythologies, with the Egyptians basing their god Horus as having a falcon head. Ra and Sokar are also falcon gods, with the Peregrine Falcon being considered the king of the air. Even African mythologies praised the falcons for their speed, skill, and wisdom as hunters.

That said, they were also considered death omens in many cultures. The reason for this ominous connection is obvious. The Peregrine Falcon was seen as one of the most deadly and strong hunters in the world. As a result, it wasn’t uncommon to see cultures that worshiped it for this ability or connected it to their own hunting and warring abilities. Many cultures believed that seeing a Peregrine Falcon before a battle could be both good and bad.

Falcon Symbolism in the Bible

While the Bible regularly discusses various birds of prey and other animals, the writers of the Old and New Testaments did not know the word falcon. While there were falcons throughout the old Biblical world, they were often called vultures rather than falcons. As a result, there’s been some debate about just what people of the time thought of falcons because references to vultures throughout the Bible might be to carrion birds or the majestic bird of prey we now call falcons in modern society.

There are many different quotes in the Bible that reference birds of prey and vultures, with the translation into “falcons” depending on the text you read. For example, the quote

“That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it”

is in the King James Version of the Bible. The writers of this edition preferred the word falcon to vulture because, in their times, falcons were more highly praised. However, vultures have better eyesight than falcons, which decreases the line’s effect.

As a result, it’s not uncommon to see falcons (as vultures or otherwise) referred to as carrion birds, unclean, dishonorable, and as a symbol of death and judgment. Interestingly, Jesus spoke of vultures throughout his teaching and often used them as a symbol of spiritual cleansing. As a result, some Christian faiths have a more positive view of falcons, though this may vary depending on their interpretation of the Bible and other factors related to their beliefs.

Wrap up- Falcon names in mythology

Falcon names in mythology appear all around the world, from Ancient Greece, Norse, Celtic myth, to Ancient Egypt, and more! We hope you’ve enjoyed exploring these fascinating legends with us. I certainly enjoyed learning about the wide number of aspects and portents they are associated with around the globe.