Menu Close

Thor

Of Norse origin.

From the Old Norse word “Þórr”, meaning “thunder”, originally from the Germanic word “Þunraz”.

In Norse mythology, Thor is a god associated with storms and thunder, with strength and the protection of human kind.

Thor, is the son of god Odin and goddess Jord.

He is also associated with oak trees and healing.

Feminine forms are Thora and Tora.

Alternative forms of the name are: Thoren, Tor, Thorin, Tyrell, Thorvald, Ty, Thoren.

Famous bearers are Thor Heyerdahl, Thor Freudenthal, Thor Hushovd, Thor Vilhjálmsson, Thor Fields.

Thor’s famous pop culture reference is popular fictional superhero of the same name, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, adapted for the movies.

In the following excerpt from Wikipedia you may learn about a prominent bearer of the name, Thor Heyerdahl, who’s adventurous spirit was dipicted in the 2012 film “Kon-Tiki”.

“Thor Heyerdahl (October 6, 1914 – April 18, 2002) was a Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer with a background in zoology, botany, and geography. He became notable for his Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947, in which he sailed 8,000 km (5,000 mi) across the Pacific Ocean in a hand-built raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands.

The expedition was designed to demonstrate that ancient people could have made long sea voyages, creating contacts between separate cultures. This was linked to a diffusionist model of cultural development. Heyerdahl subsequently made other voyages designed to demonstrate the possibility of contact between widely separated ancient people. He was appointed a government scholar in 1984.

In May 2011, the Thor Heyerdahl Archives were added to UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” Register. At the time, this list included 238 collections from all over the world.

The Heyerdahl Archives span the years 1937 to 2002 and include his photographic collection, diaries, private letters, expedition plans, articles, newspaper clippings, original book, and article manuscripts. The Heyerdahl Archives are administered by the Kon-Tiki Museum and the National Library of Norway in Oslo”.