In Old English poetry, many descriptive epithets for God were used to satisfy alliterative requirements. These epithets include:
| Main | Name (Old English) | Name meaning | Attestations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyning "King" |
wuldres Cyning | "King of Glory" | The Dream of the Rood | |
| Dryhten "Lord" |
ece Dryhten | "eternal Lord" | Cædmon's hymn | |
| dryhntes dreamas | "the joys of the Lord" | The Seafarer | ||
| heofones Dryhten | "heaven's Lord" | The Dream of the Rood | ||
| Ealdor "Prince" |
wuldres Ealdor | "Prince of Glory" | The Dream of the Rood | |
| Fæder "Father" |
Heahfæder | "Highfather" | The Dream of the Rood | |
| Wuldorfæder | "Glorious Father" | Cædmon's hymn | ||
| Frea "Lord" |
Frea ælmihtig | "Master almighty" | Cædmon's hymn | |
| Frea mancynnes | "Mankind's Master" | The Dream of the Rood | ||
| God "God" |
God ælmihtig | "God almighty" | The Dream of the Rood | |
| weruda God | "God of hosts" | The Dream of the Rood | ||
| Hælend "Healer" |
Hælend | "Healer" | The Dream of the Rood | |
| Metod "Maker" |
Metod | "Maker" | Beowulf (110) | |
| eald Metod | "Old Maker" | Beowulf (945) | ||
| Wealdend "Ruler" |
Wealdend | "Ruler" | The Dream of the Rood | |
| Al-wealda | "all-ruler" | Meters of Boethius | ||
| wuldor alwealda | "Glorious all-ruler" | Codex Exoniensis | ||
| fæder alwealda | "Father all-ruler" | Beowulf | ||
| Weard "Warder" |
heofonrices Weard | "the heavenly kingdom's Warder" | Cædmon's hymn | Beowulf |
Famous quotes containing the words names, god, english and/or poetry:
“A knowledge that people live close by is,
I think, enough. And even if only first names are ever exchanged
The people who own them seem rock-true and marvelously self-sufficient.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)
“That the Jews assumed a right exclusively to the benefits of God will be a lasting witness against them & the same will it be against Christians.”
—William Blake (1757–1827)
“I don’t wish to give offense when I suggest that this country should select a king, or even a queen, rather than a president. One isn’t that quick to shoot a king or a queen—the majesty of royalty, you see.”
—David Webb Peoples, screenwriter. English Bob (Richard Harris)
“Much verse fails of being poetry because it was not written exactly at the right crisis, though it may have been inconceivably near to it. It is only by a miracle that poetry is written at all. It is not recoverable thought, but a hue caught from a vaster receding thought.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)