Thor's brother; one of the most thinly attested figures in Norse mythology.
Meili (Old Norse Meili) is one of the most thinly attested divine figures in Norse mythology. He is named as Thor's brother, and therefore a son of Odin, but his mother is not identified. The only certain attestation in the Poetic Edda comes from Hárbarðsljóð 9, where Thor in his verbal contest with Harbard (Odin in disguise) calls himself 'Meili's brother'. This single reference provides no information about Meili's character, attributes, or deeds.
In Skáldskaparmál Snorri Sturluson lists Meili among Odin's sons in a list of kennings, but without further detail. The absence of narratives about Meili makes it impossible to determine his role in the Norse pantheon. The etymology of the name has been discussed by scholars and has been linked to a word meaning 'mild' or 'pleasant', but the connection is uncertain. Meili appears as a figure whose mythological context has been largely lost.
Sources in the Eddas
- Hárbarðsljóð 9
- Thor calls himself 'Meili's brother' in his verbal contest with Harbard, the only Poetic Edda attestation.
- Skáldskaparmál
- Snorri lists Meili among Odin's sons in a kenning enumeration, without further description.
Interpretive traditions
A What we know
Meili is named as Thor's brother in Hárbarðsljóð 9.
Snorri counts him among Odin's sons in Skáldskaparmál.
B What we think we know
The name's etymology has been linked to 'mild' but the connection is uncertain and debated.
It is unclear whether Meili had an original mythological narrative that has been lost.
C What we do not know
It is unknown what role Meili played in Norse mythology beyond being Thor's brother.
Any cultic connection or ritual function is entirely without evidence.