Poetic kennings in both Hversu Noregr byggðist and Skáldskaparmál treat Ægir and the sea-giant Hlér, who lives on the Hlésey, as the same figure. Both the prose introduction to Lokasenna and Skáldskaparmál state that Ægir is also known as Gymir, the father of the giantess Gerðr. Rudolf Simek argues that it may be an erroneous interpretation of kennings in which different giant-names are used interchangeably.
Skaldic poetry
The name 'Ægir' is identical to a noun for 'sea' in skaldic poetry, itself a base word in many kennings. For instance, a ship is described as "Ægir's horse" and the waves as the "daughters of Ægir". In his treatise of poetry Skáldskaparmál, Snorri Sturluson portrays Ægir as sitting in Ásgard next to the Norse god of poetry Bragi. The latter tells him many stories of events in which the Æsir have participated, then Ægir questions Bragi about the origin of the mead of poetry. In the dialogue, Ægir asks why the gold is called 'fire of the sea' or 'fire of Ægir', then Bragi answers that Gold was used to light Ægir’s hall when he entertained the Æsir. The short conversation has been regarded as a framed master-disciple dialogue in which Bragri's voice is that of Snorri himself discussing skaldic poetry.
Attestations
Host of the gods
Ægir is often portrayed in the eddic poems as the host of the gods. In Hymiskviða, Thor acquires a huge cauldron in which to brew beer as the gods expect to visit Ægir. In Lokasenna, Loki's verbal duel with the gods occurs at a feast hosted by Ægir, and the poem is also called Ægisdrekka by paper manuscripts. During the party, Loki kills one of Ægir’s servant Fimafeng. In Grímnismál, Ægir’s prowess as a host is the final motif Odin reveals to the KingGeirröd. In Skáldskaparmál, Snorri also depicts Ægir as a guest of the Æsir. According to Orchard, this could be a deliberate inversion of the traditional motif of Ægir as a host.
Family
In Skáldskaparmál, the goddess Rán is portrayed as the wife of Ægir, and from their relationship were born Nine Daughters associated with the waves. In several mnemonic þulur name-lists, Ægir is attached to the giants. Lindow notes that since his wife Rán is listed among the goddesses in the same part of the Prose Edda, and as he had a friendly relationship with the gods, Ægir's description as a giant appears questionable. Orchard argues that on the contrary that Ægir's inclusion among the gods is probably a late development since his daughters are described as giants and some sources mention him as the descendant of the giant Fornjót. In what appears to be a Norwegian genealogical tradition, Ægir is regarded as one of the three elements among the sea, the fire and the wind. The beginning of the Orkneyinga saga and Hversu Noregr byggdisk tells that the giant king Fornjót had three sons: Hlér, whom he called Ægir, a second named Logi, and a third called Kári.
