The Old Norse term Hnoss has been translated in a variety of ways by scholars and folklorists. David Leeming and Christopher Fee in their joint book The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother[1] claim that Hnoss' name was drawn from the word for "gem," in which she is described as sparkling like a diamond. Given Hnoss is the daughter of the most beautiful goddess Freyja, it should come as no surprise that jewels bear her name.
Hilda Ellis Davidson in her Roles of the Northern Goddess[2] similarly claims that Hnoss' name derives from a great beauty whose name may be "used for treasure in poetry"[2] or simply "treasure."[2] This translation shares semantic and etymological similarities with the Icelandic word hnoss (meaning "nipper") as well as the Old Danish words noss (meaning "sweetheart") and nusse (meaning "infant"). In the Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson states that beautiful things were called hnossir (Old Norse: 'treasures') after her name.
Despite various interpretations, The Concept of The Goddess,[3] states that Hnoss "bears her mother's eyelash-rain,"[3] which translates to "there is gold on the precious object."[3]
In Skáldskaparmál (The Language of Poetry), a þulur (18–22) mentions Hnoss as the daughter of Freyja ("How shall Freyia be referred to? By calling her (...) mother of Hnoss"),Шаблон:Sfn and in Ynglinga saga a passage (Chapter Ten) describes "Hnoss and Gersimi" as her daughters.Шаблон:SfnGersemi (whose name also means 'treasure' and only appears in this passage of the Prose Edda) could be the same figure as Hnoss.Шаблон:Sfn
