Originating from an
Old Norse and then
Latin word meaning “Halls of the Slain,” versions of the word “Valhalla” have been incorporated into many different names in
America and beyond. For the most part, people do not know what the word originally meant, and the repercussions of this are very interesting. Different names and uses for the word pop up across the world. One of the most interesting references that I have seen was in the
popular video game Max Payne, as the name of a secret project (the “Valhalla Project”) that, in the game, produced the
designer drug Valkyr. Beyond this game there are many other applications of this word in even our current world. As just a taste, here are some other interesting examples:
A
MUD Engine, called
Valhalla Mud, is a
multiplayer game that probably fits the name in the most appropriate way of the different examples listed here.
Located at http://www.valhalla.com
In a less appropriate use,
Valhalla is the name of a small townhome complex just outside of Whistler Village in
British Columbia,
Canada. A winter resort, this small complex was built as a secluded
tourist town within reach of
ski lifts and snow.
Information located at: http://www.vancouver-bc.com/Valhalla/index.html
The
Valhalla Warriors Floorball Club is a group that advocates for a new sport called
floorball.
Read about the club here: http://u1.netgate.net/~mette/lars/floorball/index.html
Last but not least, a
microbrewery in
Pittsburgh, PA, has adopted the name as well. They even have an interesting version of a
Greek/
Roman myth on their
web page, located here: http://valhallamicrobrewery.citysearch.com/
Valhalla, a beautiful word of the ancient
language of
Latin, is used even today in names of everything from
MUDs to microbreweries.
Where will it pop up next?