Hugin and Munin - Definition and Overview

Hugin and Munin are a pair of ravens associated with the Norse god Odin. Hugin and Munin travel the world bearing news and information to Odin. Hugin is "thought" and Munin is "memory". They are sent out at dawn to gather information and return in the evening. They perch on the god's shoulders and whisper the news into his ears. It is from these ravens that the kenning 'raven-god' for Odin is derived.

The name Munin has its roots in the Old Norse word for memory, minni, a word which became a kenning for a toast to someone's memory at, for example, symbel.

From Grimnismál:

The whole world wide, every day,

Fly Hugin and Munin;

I worry lest Hugin should fall in flight,

Yet more I fear for Munin.

Alternative spellings: Huginn and Muninn