Nordic Tattoos Jon Poulson Nordic Tattoos Jon Poulson

Fenrir: The Bound Wolf & the Meaning Behind Norse Wolf Tattoos

Fenrir is one of those symbols that doesn’t pretend to be gentle. In the myths, he’s the monstrous wolf prophesied to kill Odin at Ragnarök, bound by the gods with a ribbon forged from impossible. In tattoo form, Fenrir can be a symbol of breaking bonds, surviving what was meant to hold you down, and refusing to be defined by other people’s fear. Some clients connect to him as pure chaos, others as a guardian wolf, and others as the part of themselves they used to be ashamed of but now claim fully. 

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Jon Poulson Jon Poulson

Yggdrasil: The World Tree & The Nine Realms

Yggdrasil is one of those symbols people think they understand at first glance, but the deeper you go into the mythology, the more you realize how central it really is. It isn’t just a tree — it’s the backbone of the entire Norse cosmos, holding together the realms of gods, humans, giants, ancestors, spirits, and everything in between. Every major story in the Eddas touches Yggdrasil in some way…

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nordic tattoos Jon Poulson nordic tattoos Jon Poulson

Valknut: Odin’s Knot of the Slain & Warrior Symbolism

The Valknut is one of those symbols people recognize instantly, but very few actually understand. It shows up everywhere—tattoos, jewelry, clothing, video games—but its real story comes from archaeology, not pop culture. The Valknut appears beside warriors, rituals, and scenes connected to Odin, death, and the transition between worlds. Even though the name “Valknut” is modern, the symbol itself is ancient, and every historical example ties back to themes of fate, courage, transformation, and the mysteries of life and death.

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