Draw a random giant name from 116 giants of myth and folklore: the jötnar of Norse myth, the Giants and Cyclopes of the Greeks, Gogmagog and Cormoran of Britain. Every name comes from a story, and none is invented.
Read the full guide
Choose a tradition
The Any tradition menu keeps the draw to Norse, Greek and Roman, British and Irish, or Other traditions, where Paul Bunyan stands beside Kuafu of China and the Basque Tartalo. Each card ends with who the giant is, worded from the opening of its encyclopedia article.
For a story or a game table
A name that already belongs to a myth brings its story along: Hrungnir is made of stone, Hræsvelgr is an eagle whose wings make the winds, Argus Panoptes has many eyes. Old Norse names are spelled as their articles spell them, with the letters Þ and ð.
Tips
Need a giantess? Angrboða, Gunnlöð, Hyrrokkin and Cymidei Cymeinfoll are four.
Questions and answers
Are these giant names made up?
No. Each is the name of a giant in a myth, a legend or a folk tale, checked against its own encyclopedia article. The line on the card says which story it belongs to.
What is a jötunn?
A type of being in Norse mythology, often translated as giant; the plural is jötnar. Ymir is called the ancestor of them all.
Which giants have one eye?
The Cyclopes of Greek myth, here Arges, Brontes, Steropes and Polyphemus; the Basque Tartalo; and Bungisngis of Philippine folklore. Balor of Irish myth is often described as a giant with one large eye.
Why are Atlas and Goliath not on the list?
Atlas is on the random god list, and no name appears on both. Figures of scripture, Goliath among them, are left out of this list.
AlvaldiA jötunn of Norse myth, the father of Þjazi.
AngrboðaA jötunn of Norse myth, the mate of Loki and the mother of the wolf Fenrir.
AurboðaA jötunn of Norse myth, married to Gymir and the mother of Gerðr.
BaugiA jötunn of Norse myth, the brother of Suttungr, who held the mead of poetry.
BeliA jötunn of Norse myth who, in eddic poetry, fell to the god Freyr.
BergelmirA jötunn of Norse myth.
BestlaA jötunn of Norse myth, the mother of Odin, Vili and Vé.
BölþornA jötunn of Norse myth, the father of Bestla and so the grandfather of Odin.
EggþérA jötunn of Norse myth, a herder who sits on a mound in the poem Völuspá.
FárbautiA jötunn of Norse myth, named in every source as the father of Loki.
FornjótA jötunn of Norse myth, the father of the sea, fire and wind in person: Hlér, Logi and Kári.
GangrA jötunn of Norse myth, the son of Alvaldi and the brother of Þjazi and Iði.
GeirröðrA jötunn of Norse myth, the father of Gjálp and Greip and a foe of Thor.
Show all 116 giant names (103 more)
Norse, continued
GillingrA jötunn of Norse myth, the father of Suttungr.
GjálpA jötunn of Norse myth, a daughter of Geirröðr and the sister of Greip.
GreipA jötunn of Norse myth, a daughter of Geirröðr and the sister of Gjálp.
GríðrA jötunn of Norse myth, the mother of Víðarr the Silent. A moon of Saturn is named after her.
GunnlöðA jötunn of Norse myth, the daughter of Suttungr, for whom she guards the mead of poetry.
GymirA jötunn of Norse myth, the spouse of Aurboða and the father of Gerðr.
HarðgreiprA jötunn of Norse myth, the nurse of the Danish hero Hadingus in Gesta Danorum.
HelblindiA jötunn of Norse myth, the brother of Loki and Býleistr.
HljodA jötunn of Norse myth, the daughter of Hrímnir and the mother of Sigmund and Signy.
HrímgerðrA jötunn of Norse myth.
HrímgrímnirA jötunn of Norse myth, called on by Freyr's servant Skírnir.
HróðrA female jötunn of Norse myth, named in the poem Hymiskviða.
HrungnirA jötunn of Norse myth, described as made of stone, who fights a duel with Thor.
HrymrA jötunn of Norse myth who leads the jötnar to the last battle of Ragnarök.
HræsvelgrA jötunn in the form of an eagle, who sits at the edge of the heavens and makes the winds with his wings.
HymirA jötunn of Norse myth, the owner of the great cauldron that Thor fetches.
HyrrokkinA female jötunn of Norse myth who launched the largest of all ships.
ÍmA jötunn of Norse myth, the son of Vafthrudnir.
IðiA jötunn of Norse myth, the son of Alvaldi and the brother of Þjazi and Gangr.
JárnsaxaA jötunn of Norse myth, the mother of Thor's son Magni in the Prose Edda.
ÞjaziA jötunn of Norse myth, the brother of Iði and Gangr and the father of Skaði.
LeiknA female jötunn of Norse myth, named by a 10th-century skald among Thor's foes.
LogiA jötunn of Norse myth and fire in person, a son of Fornjótr.
MögþrasirA jötunn of Norse myth, named only in one stanza of the poem Vafþrúðnismál.
ÞökkA jötunn of Norse myth who alone refuses to weep for Baldr.
ÞrívaldiA jötunn of Norse myth whose name means thrice mighty, a foe of Thor.
ÞrúðgelmirA jötunn of Norse myth, the son of Aurgelmir and the father of Bergelmir.
ÞrymrA jötunn of Norse myth who stole Thor's hammer in the poem Þrymskviða.
SinmaraA gýgr, a giantess of Norse myth, usually taken as the consort of Surtr.
StarkadIn Norse legend, either an eight-armed giant or that giant's human grandson.
SurtrA jötunn of Norse myth, the guardian of Muspelheim.
SuttungrA jötunn of Norse myth, the son of Gilling.
Útgarða-LokiOne of the jötnar of Norse myth, the ruler of the castle Útgarðr.
VafþrúðnirA wise jötunn of Norse myth; some read his name as mighty in riddles.
VíðblindiA jötunn of Norse myth.
VörnirA jötunn of Norse myth, found only in a name list of the Prose Edda.
YmirIn Norse myth, the ancestor of all the jötnar.
Greek and Roman 30
AgriusOne of the Giants of Greek myth, named by Apollodorus.
AlcyoneusOne of the Gigantes of Greek myth, an opponent of the hero Heracles.
AlmopsA giant of Greek myth, a son of Poseidon; the region of Almopia is said to be named for him.
ArgesOne of Hesiod's three Cyclopes; his name means bright, for the flash of lightning.
Argus PanoptesA many-eyed giant of Greek myth who served the goddess Hera as a watchman.
AristaeusOne of the Giants of Greek myth, the earth-born children of Gaia, and the one survivor of their battle with the gods.
AsteriusA giant of Greek myth, the child of Gaia and Uranus, who fought the goddess Athena.
AthosA giant of Greek myth who fought Poseidon, known for the making of Mount Athos.
BriareusOne of the three Hundred-Handers of Greek myth, monstrous giants with fifty heads and a hundred arms each.
BrontesOne of Hesiod's three Cyclopes, the one-eyed giants; a brother of Steropes and Arges.
CacusA fire-breathing giant of Roman myth, the son of Vulcan, who met Hercules.
ClytiusOne of the Giants of Greek myth, an opponent of Hecate in Apollodorus.
CottusOne of the three Hundred-Handers of Greek myth, monstrous giants with fifty heads and a hundred arms each.
DamasenA Lydian giant, a son of Gaia, in the late epic poem the Dionysiaca.
DamysusThe fastest of all the Giants of Greek myth.
EnceladusOne of the Giants of Greek myth, the opponent of Athena in their war with the gods.
EphialtesOne of the Aloadae, twin giants of Thessaly in Greek myth; the brother of Otus.
GeryonA fearsome giant of Greek myth who lived on the island Erytheia in the far west.
GrationA giant of Greek myth, an opponent of Artemis.
GygesOne of the three Hundred-Handers of Greek myth, monstrous giants with fifty heads and a hundred arms each.
MimasOne of the Gigantes of Greek myth, the offspring of Gaia.
OrionA giant huntsman of Greek myth, placed among the stars as a constellation.
OtusOne of the Aloadae, twin giants of Thessaly in Greek myth; the brother of Ephialtes.
PallasOne of the Gigantes of Greek myth, the offspring of Gaia.
PicolousOne of the Gigantes of Greek myth, who fought the Olympian gods.
PolybotesOne of the giants of Greek myth, who fought Poseidon in the war with the gods.
PolyphemusThe one-eyed giant son of Poseidon, the Cyclops of Homer's Odyssey.
PorphyrionOne of the Gigantes of Greek myth, the offspring of Gaia in Hesiod's telling.
SteropesOne of Hesiod's three Cyclopes, the one-eyed giants; a brother of Brontes and Arges.
TyphonA monstrous serpentine giant of Greek myth.
British and Irish 16
AscapartA legendary giant of English folklore, said to have been won over by Bevis of Hampton.
BalorA leader of the Fomorians in Irish myth, often described as a giant with one large eye.
Bertram de ShottsA legendary giant said to have roamed the village of Shotts in Scotland.
BlunderboreA giant of Cornish and English folklore, best known from the tale Jack the Giant Killer.
Brân the BlessedA giant and king of Britain in Welsh myth, a son of Llŷr.
ColbrandA legendary giant of English folklore, the opponent of Guy of Warwick.
CormoranA giant of Cornish folklore, linked with St. Michael's Mount and said to have made the island.
Cymidei CymeinfollAn Irish giantess named in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi.
GalehautA half-giant knight of the Arthurian legend, and a close friend of Lancelot.
GogmagogA legendary giant of Cornwall in Geoffrey of Monmouth's history, beaten in a wrestling match.
Jack o' LegsA giant of Hertfordshire folklore, an archer said to have robbed the rich to give to the poor.
Jack-in-IronsA giant of Yorkshire lore who haunts lonely roads, covered with chains.
Maelor GawrAn early king and giant of Welsh myth, who lived at Castell Maelor near Aberystwyth.
ThunderdellA two-headed giant of Cornwall in the Jack the Giant-Killer stories.
YernagateA legendary giant of English folklore, said to guard the New Forest in Hampshire.
YsbaddadenThe Chief of Giants in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen, and the father of Olwen.
Other traditions 20
Alfred Bulltop StormalongA sailor and a giant of American tall tales that began in Massachusetts.
AmalaA giant who holds up the world in stories of the Tsimshian and other peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast.
Antero VipunenA giant of Finnish myth who lies under the ground and holds valuable spells and knowledge.
BungisngisA one-eyed giant of Philippine folklore, described as always laughing.
Druon AntigoonA giant of Belgian folklore who lived in Antwerp.
FasoltA giant or knight of German heroic legend, in the Middle High German poem Eckenlied.
GayantA processional giant that stands for the French city of Douai and is carried through it each July.
HaymonA giant of Tyrolean legend.
KuafuA giant of Chinese myth who wished to capture the Sun.
MaushopA hero and giant of Wampanoag folklore.
MixtecatlOne of six giant brothers of Aztec myth who peopled the Earth after the Great Flood.
OjáncanuA cyclops-like giant of Cantabrian myth.
OtomitlOne of six giant brothers of Aztec myth who peopled the Earth after the Great Flood.
Paul BunyanA giant lumberjack and folk hero of American and Canadian tall tales, with Babe the Blue Ox.
Suur TõllA giant hero of Estonian myth who lived on the island of Saaremaa.
TartaloA very strong one-eyed giant of Basque myth, said to live in caves in the mountains.
ThyrsusA giant of Tyrolean legend, named in the legend of the giant Haymon.
UlmecatlOne of six giant brothers of Aztec myth who peopled the Earth after the Great Flood.
XelhuaOne of the giants of Aztec myth, said to have built the Great Pyramid of Cholula.
XicalancatlOne of six giant brothers of Aztec myth who peopled the Earth after the Great Flood.
How this list was compiled: 116 names of giants from myth and folklore, every one a figure of a story and none made up. Read by script from English Wikipedia on 2026-10-01: the list pages https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_giants_in_mythology_and_folklore and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_j%C3%B6tnar_in_Norse_mythology gave the candidates, with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giants_(Greek_mythology), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclopes, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecatoncheires and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloadae for the Greek names; then each giant's own article where it has one (x.src; six Greek names that have no article of their own are sourced to one of the four Greek pages). A name is listed only if the opening of that article calls the figure a giant, a giantess, a jötunn, a gýgr, a half-giant, one of the Gigantes, a Cyclops or a Hundred-Hander, and the line on the card is our own wording of what that opening says; a script checked the name and the key words of every line against the fetched text after this file was written. Left out: giants of modern novels, films, comics, games and toy lines; kinds and peoples of giants with no name of their own (Fomorians, Laestrygonians, oni); every name on the random god list (Ægir and Skaði are there); Rübezahl and Talos, whose articles do not call them giants; figures whose stories are not for children; and every figure of scripture while owner decision RGHQ-25 is open, so Goliath and Og are not here, nor the giants of the Hindu epics. Names are spelled as their articles title them, with the Old Norse letters Þ and ð. The four groups are the tradition the article places the figure in. Licence: Facts from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); the selection and the wording of every line are ours.