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Nótt, a MythSource painting
Norse

Nótt

Daughter of Norfi · Mother of Dagr · Rider of Hrímfaxi

01Identity

Nótt in Norse tradition

Night is placed before day in the traditional reckoning of time, reflecting Nótt’s role in the daily cycle. She is a Norse-Germanic being, daughter of Norfi and mother of Dagr, and she rides the dark horse Hrímfaxi. Unlike the Roman Nox and Greek Nyx, Nótt belongs to the Norse tradition and is associated with hoarfrost and dew from her horse.

Top questions

The quick answers

  • Who is Nótt?

    Nótt is a Norse being associated with night, darkness, the daily cycle, and the passage of time.
    Source

    Source

    • Dictionary of northern mythology
    • Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland

  • What is Nótt associated with?

    Nótt is associated with night, darkness, the daily cycle, and the passage of time.
    Source

    Source

    • Dictionary of northern mythology
    • Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland

  • What family links are recorded for Nótt?

    Father: Narfi, Spouse: Annar, 5 children.
02Family

Nótt’s family, at a glance

Narfi
Nótt

with Annar, Dellingr, Naglfari

AuðrDagrJörðMániQ16647766
03The names

The names Nótt answers to

Nótt

Night

SourceDictionary of northern mythology

Nott

Anglicized spelling of Nótt

SourceDictionary of northern mythology

Natt

Scandinavian-language form meaning night

SourceDictionary of northern mythology

Night

English translation of Nótt

SourceDictionary of northern mythology

04The myths

The myths of Nótt

1 myth, with sources recorded for each.

Nótt’s Lineage and Three Marriages

Alföðr took Nótt and Dagr and set them in the heavens to travel around the earth. He gave each a horse and a chariot. They travelled in separate turns, each lasting half a day. Nótt rode first on Hrímfaxi, whose name means Frost-Maned. Each morning, foam from the horse’s bit fell upon the earth. This foam became dew.

Dagr followed on Skinfaxi, the Shining-Maned. Light from the horse’s mane spread across the sky and the earth. Nótt therefore passed before Dagr, and night came before day in the ordered course of the heavens.

Nótt was born to Narfi. She first married Naglfari, and their son was Auðr. She then married Annar, whose daughter was Jörð. Her last husband was Dellingr, who belonged to the race of the Æsir. Their son was Dagr, or Day. He was light and fair, like his father.

This account appears in Snorri Sturluson’s Gylfaginning. The arrangement of night before day also appears in older poetic tradition. Old expressions placed night before day, and people counted time by nights rather than days. The account therefore presents Nótt’s journey as the first part of the daily cycle, followed by Dagr’s passage and light.

Nótt’s Lineage and Three Marriages, a MythSource painting of the scene

3 sources· checked 2026-08-19

  1. 1Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the NorthlandT1
  2. 2the ancient sourcesT1

    Quote

    “Nótt was born to Narfi, married Naglfari, Annar, and Dellingr in turn, and travelled before Dagr, while dew fell from Hrímfaxi and light shone from Skinfaxi.”

    the ancient sources

  3. 3Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the NorthlandT1

Also mentioned in

Stories elsewhere on MythSource that mention Nótt, each on that figure’s page.