Meaning and background
The story behind Fenris
Fenris is a wolf name used in older English retellings of Norse mythology. H. A. Guerber’s Myths of the Norsemen recounts the wolf’s immense strength, failed attempts to bind him and the magical restraint eventually used by the gods. The same episode includes Tyr placing his hand in the wolf’s mouth as a pledge. A reader choosing Fenris for a dog is therefore invoking a formidable mythological figure. That story association is better supported here than a guessed literal translation of the spelling.
- Association
- Wolf figure in English retellings of Norse mythology, including the story of his binding and Tyr’s pledge. Source
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Everyday moments“Fenris, come here!”
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About Fenris
Recorded as a dog’s name
Fenris appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2016 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- City of Seattle Seattle Pet Licenses — DOG-only name aggregate, current source dated 6 October 2026 — Secondary spelling corroboration from dog-only licence rows. No cats, owner fields, national ranking or unique-dog claim.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.