Like so many good things that come to be, Wolfgard’s name came as a suggestion from a friend.
But what does it mean?
The intended meaning comes from Old Saxon. “Gard” literally means “an enclosed space.” Our vision is to become a wolf refuge, and for this, the name is particularly apt (perhaps even too literal). But gard also means “dwelling,” and evokes thoughts of hospitality and family. Further still, gard can mean “region” or “land” which sets a more hopeful tone – we envision Wolfgard as a regional precursor for the wild wolf in the gard of the Northeast. A dream, to be sure.
Why an Old Saxon name? The regions where Germanic languages were spoken (Old Saxon as well as Old Norse, Icelandic, etc.) evoke stories of the wolf. Let’s not forget Geri and Freki, the wolves who sit by the god Odin’s side in Asgard, or of the heroes Sigmund and Sinfjötli who don wolf skins in the Volsunga saga. Yet still, these cultures also bring us the controversial Fenrir, who devours Odin at Ragnarok, and his sons Skoll and Hati who devour the sun and the moon.
We love names that tell a story or evoke an image. Wolfgard does this, and it’s an appropriate beginning for a project that blends storytelling and mythology into the greater vision of advocating for the wolf in our modern time.
Image: Odin, Manual of Mythology 1874
