Loki’s family tree is a tangle of marriages, monstrous offspring, and blood-brotherhood with Odin, making him one of the most complex figures in Norse mythology. His parents are the giants Fárbauti and Laufey, and his children include the wolf Fenrir, the World Serpent Jörmungandr, and the ruler of the dead, Hel.
Parents and Siblings
Loki is the son of two giants, though his father’s identity is rarely mentioned. His father is Fárbauti, a giant whose name likely means “cruel striker” or “dangerous hitter,” and his mother is Laufey, sometimes called Nál (meaning “needle”). In the Prose Edda, Loki is described as “the son of Fárbauti” and “the son of Laufey,” but his mother is the one more often named in kennings—poetic circumlocutions—such as “Laufey’s son.”
Loki’s siblings are almost never mentioned. Some late and unreliable sources name two brothers, Býleistr and Helblindi, but they appear only in passing in the Poetic Edda and have no stories of their own. In practice, Loki is treated as an only child in most myths.
Marriage and Consorts
Loki’s primary wife is Sigyn, a goddess associated with loyalty and endurance. She appears in the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda as the mother of his son Narfi (also spelled Nari) and as the one who holds a bowl over Loki’s face to catch venom dripping from a serpent while he is bound. The Prose Edda says she is “the wife of Loki.”
Loki also fathered children with the giantess Angrboða, whose name means “she who offers sorrow” or “harm-boding.” She is mentioned in the Prose Edda as living in Jötunheimr, the land of giants, and as the mother of three of Loki’s most famous offspring: Fenrir, Jörmungandr, and Hel.
Children with Angrboða
Loki’s children with Angrboða are central to Norse cosmology and the events of Ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world.
- Fenrir – A monstrous wolf, prophesied to kill Odin during Ragnarök. The gods bound him with a magical fetter called Gleipnir, but he will break free at the end of the world.
- Jörmungandr – The World Serpent, who encircles Midgard (the human world) and bites its own tail. At Ragnarök, he will fight Thor, and they will kill each other.
- Hel – The ruler of the underworld, also named Hel. She is described as half living, half dead—her body is normal on one side and corpse-blue on the other. The gods cast her into Niflheim to rule over those who die of sickness or old age.
The Prose Edda tells how the gods, learning that these children would bring great harm, decided to control them. They threw Jörmungandr into the sea, cast Hel into the underworld, and raised Fenrir in Asgard under their watch, eventually binding him.
Children with Sigyn and Others
Loki’s sons with Sigyn are Narfi and Váli—though this Váli is not the same as Odin’s son Váli. The Prose Edda says that when the gods captured Loki after the death of Baldr, they turned one of his sons into a wolf, and that wolf tore the other son apart. The gods then used the torn son’s intestines to bind Loki to a rock. The names are confusing in the sources: the Prose Edda says the son who became a wolf is Váli and the torn one is Narfi, while the Poetic Edda’s Lokasenna mentions only Narfi as Loki’s son.
Loki also transformed into a mare and gave birth to an eight-legged horse, Sleipnir, after being impregnated by the stallion Svaðilfari. Sleipnir became Odin’s steed and is described as the best of all horses. This story appears in the Prose Edda’s Gylfaginning, where Loki, in horse form, lures the builder’s stallion away from his work, causing the giant builder to fail his deadline and lose his payment.
Loki’s Relationship with Odin
Loki is not Odin’s son, but he is Odin’s blood-brother. In the Poetic Edda’s Lokasenna, Loki reminds Odin that they once mixed their blood together and swore to never drink without the other. This oath made Loki a member of the Æsir, the main group of Norse gods, despite his giant ancestry. It also explains why Loki lives in Asgard and appears in many myths as a companion to Thor and Odin, even though he is often hostile to them.
Some scholars have suggested that Loki’s role as a trickster and his blood-brotherhood with Odin make him a liminal figure—part god, part giant, part ally, part enemy. The sources themselves do not give a single clear answer, and Loki’s family ties reflect that ambiguity.
Common Misconceptions
A frequent mistake is calling Loki a full god. In the sources, he is a giant by birth, though he lives among the gods and is often counted as one. Another misconception is that Loki is the father of all monsters; in fact, only his children with Angrboða are monstrous, and his other children are ordinary or tragic.
Another error is confusing Loki’s son Váli with Odin’s son Váli. Odin’s Váli was conceived specifically to avenge Baldr’s death, while Loki’s Váli is a separate figure who appears only in the binding story. The similarity in names is coincidental and causes confusion in modern retellings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Loki Thor’s brother?
No, not in the original myths. Loki is Odin’s blood-brother, not his son, so he is not Thor’s brother. The Marvel comics and films made Loki Thor’s adopted brother, which is a modern invention that has no basis in Norse sources.
Who is Loki’s wife?
Loki’s wife is Sigyn, a goddess who remains loyal to him even when he is bound and tortured. She holds a bowl over his face to catch serpent venom, but she must empty it from time to time, and the drops that fall on Loki cause him to writhe so violently that earthquakes occur.
Who are Loki’s children?
Loki’s children are Fenrir the wolf, Jörmungandr the World Serpent, Hel the ruler of the underworld (all with the giantess Angrboða), Narfi and Váli (with Sigyn), and Sleipnir the eight-legged horse (born after Loki turned into a mare and was impregnated by a stallion).
Is Loki a god or a giant?
Loki is a giant by birth, but he lives among the gods and is often called a god in the sources. His father is the giant Fárbauti, and his mother is Laufey. He was accepted into the Æsir through his blood-brotherhood with Odin.
Does Loki have a sister?
No, Loki has no sister in the original Norse sources. Some modern retellings invent a sister, but that is not attested in the Eddas or other medieval texts.
What happens to Loki’s family at Ragnarök?
At Ragnarök, Fenrir breaks free and kills Odin, then is killed by Odin’s son Víðarr. Jörmungandr fights Thor, and they kill each other. Hel is not described as fighting; she leads the army of the dead against the gods. Loki himself fights Heimdallr, and they kill each other. Sigyn and Loki’s other children are not mentioned in the Ragnarök accounts.
Related
- Sol in Roman Mythology: Sun God Explained
- Laufey in Norse Mythology: Loki’s Mother
- Cai Shen: Chinese God of Wealth Explained
How pages are sourced and corrected: Sources and editorial policy.