# Needing a mythological-influenced name for fire & electricity based weapons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292 "2008-11-18T16:05:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/1 "2008-11-18T16:05:43Z")
It is, of course, for my novel. Both weapons in questions are shaped basically rifles, as they are used by humanoids; I’d been using the word “shock-stave” for the electrical weapon but am considering changing. For the electricity-based weapons, I’m vacillating between a phonetically-spelled variants of [Mjöllnir](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mjollnir) and [Gromoviti znaci](http://www.wulflund.com/old-slavs/gromoviti-znaci---slavic-pendant.html). But I’d welcome other concepts. For the fire weapon, I currently have nothing, as I decided to look into changing it only this morning. The best possible word would be the weapons of fire and storm gods/demons Mjöllnir is nearly ideal, but I’d like to avoid adding another word from Norse (or Greco-Roman) myth. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/2 "2008-11-18T16:22:02Z")
Wagner used the name “Loge” for the Norse god of fire Loki in his operas. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/3 "2008-11-18T16:32:29Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Wagner used the name “Loge” for the Norse god of fire Loki in his operas. I just thought of a variant of that: \*Logi \*was the name of the incarnation of fire against whom the trickster Loki lost an eating contest while in Jotunheim. It has the virtue of being brief but the drawback of being Norse. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/4 "2008-11-18T16:46:46Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I just thought of a variant of that: \*Logi \*was the name of the incarnation of fire against whom the trickster Loki lost an eating contest while in Jotunheim. It has the virtue of being brief but the drawback of being Norse. Also has the disadvantage of sounding like something gross. Surtr had a flaming sword - also Norse. Gabriel was apparently the angel guarding Eden and also had a flaming sword. from wikipedia: Vajra: the thunderbolt weapon of Indra, who is the God of Thunder and Lightning, akin to Zeus and Jupiter in Greek and Roman mythology. Agniyastra: the fire weapon, incepted by God Agni, master of the flames. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/5 "2008-11-18T16:48:14Z")
Promethen-blasters ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/6 "2008-11-18T16:53:17Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > Also has the disadvantage of sounding like something gross. [Bugs Bunny] The man’s name is _LOW Guh._ [/Bugs Bunny] ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/7 "2008-11-18T16:59:08Z")
For fire weapons, how about calling them Mulcibers or Sethlans? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/8 "2008-11-18T17:04:53Z")
How about Stormbreaker and Sunbright. Stormbreaker was the name given to Beta Ray Bill’s hammer. Sunbright was the name given to Surtr’s sword in one of the DC comics. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/9 "2008-11-18T17:08:25Z")
I suggest “salamander” as the descriptor for the fire weapon. [Wikilinkey](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salamander_(legendary_creature)) ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/10 "2008-11-18T18:09:45Z")
There’s an old Swedish word you may be able to bastardize slightly: ‘torar’. Verb, present tense, basically means Thor’s up to his usual noisy and annoying stuff (lit. Thor-ing). Twist it a bit and you’ll get torir (TOO-rir), which has the added benefit of sounding more, um, Norse. Plus it’s not already taken;) There’s also [Rym or Hrym](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hrym) (English page doesn’t mention storms, the Swedish one does, however), the giant of storms that sailed the ship Nagelfar at Rangarök. Fire related suggestions: from Egyptian mythology I offer [Ptah](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptah), creator and god of fire. Stretching a bit, you could go for solar deities, such as the Vedic [Surya](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya) (note similarity to Surtur) or my favourite so far, [Svarog](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svarog) - the Slavic solar deity and spirit of fire. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/11 "2008-11-18T18:20:37Z")
Geek Fire? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/12 "2008-11-18T18:28:34Z")
To go a bit farther afield, there’s “Xiuhcoatl”, the “Fire Serpent” (or “Turquoise Serpent”), the atlatl wielded in some representations of Huitzilopochtli, Aztec god of war and the sun. The name also refers to a fire serpent that evidently was a distinct entity, a personification of drought and scorched earth related to the worship of Xiuhtecuhtli. Further searching reveals that the name is already used for a [model of assault rifle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FX-05_Xiuhcoatl). ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/13 "2008-11-18T19:22:18Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > Also has the disadvantage of sounding like something gross. > > Surtr had a flaming sword - also Norse. > Gabriel was apparently the angel guarding Eden and also had a flaming sword. > > from wikipedia: Vajra: the thunderbolt weapon of Indra, who is the God of Thunder and Lightning, akin to Zeus and Jupiter in Greek and Roman mythology. > Agniyastra: the fire weapon, incepted by God Agni, master of the flames. I can’t find the name of Surtr’s sword; so far as I can see it wasn’t named. Also, as you know the story I’m talking about, you might appreciate that there’s already an entire species named after a Norse character. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/14 "2008-11-18T19:45:52Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > Gabriel was apparently the angel guarding Eden and also had a flaming sword. No that’s Uriel. ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/15 "2008-11-18T20:21:37Z")
The Pele Pistol :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/16 "2008-11-18T20:25:12Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I can’t find the name of Surtr’s sword; so far as I can see it wasn’t named. Also, as you know the story I’m talking about, you might appreciate that there’s already an entire species named after a Norse character. Well, you were objecting to Norse, so… I still like Vajra, not that my opinion matters. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/17 "2008-11-18T20:37:25Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > Well, you were objecting to Norse, so… > > I still like Vajra, not that my opinion matters. I’ve told you in PM why that actually works better than anything I had thought of. Does anybody know whether the first syllable of “vajra” is pronounced “vahj” “vej,” or “vayj”? * * * the endlessly anal rhymer ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/18 "2008-11-18T20:40:07Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I can’t find the name of Surtr’s sword; so far as I can see it wasn’t named. Also, as you know the story I’m talking about, you might appreciate that there’s already an entire species named after a Norse character. I have a request out to my brother, **rincewind** the lurker, to dig through his copies of the Walt Simonson run on Thor and find the answer. In doing so, I hope to curry favor with our evil overlord. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/19 "2008-11-18T20:41:23Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’ve told you in PM why that actually works better than anything I had thought of. Does anybody know whether the first syllable of “vajra” is pronounced “vahj” “vej,” or “vayj”? According to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) it’s vuhj-ruh. Here, they’ve got a soundclip - [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vajra](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vajra) ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292/20 "2008-11-18T20:42:51Z")
How about “pyrocaust” for the fire weapon? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-a-mythological-influenced-name-for-fire-electricity-based-weapons/473292.md?page=2)