50+ Shield Names From Mythology, Fiction, And History

Georgia Stone
Feb 16, 2024 By Georgia Stone
Originally Published on Jan 04, 2021
a child playing with shield



The shield is a piece of armor made of wood or metal which is held in the hand.

Once considered an indispensable part of a warrior’s arsenal, the shields became less popular with time and with the advent of guns. However, shields will always have its place in history, folklore and fiction.

Shields differ in shapes and sizes. They can be circular, oval, almond-shaped, rectangular and semi-cylindrical. Tower shields used in ancient Rome were long and elongated to cover the entire body. As far as the question of the strongest shield is concerned, Captain America's vibranium-made shield is, arguably, considered to be one of the strongest in the fantasy world.

If you are interested in related articles about legendary weapons check out these two Kidadl articles, Samurai sword names and types or famous and historical sword names.

If you are looking for mythological shields names, cool shields, famous shield names or even ancient shield names, read on.

Mythological Shield Names

Below are shields mentioned in mythology

1. Aegis (Greek mythology) – The Aegis was forged by the Cyclopes and sounded a thundering roar when in battle.

2. Aeneas’ Shield (Greek mythology) – A grand shield forged by the God Vulcan for Aeneas.

3. Ancilia (Greek mythology) – Twelve sacred shield from the Temple of Mars, the God of War.

4. Hippomedon’s Shield (Greek mythology) – Hippomedon was one of the seven leaders to call an attack on the city of Thebes.

5. Jaivardhan (Hindu mythology) – Jaivardhan was the shield of Gods Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.

6. Perseus’ Shield (Greek mythology) - One of the mythological objects gifted to demigod Perseus by Athena.

7. Shield of Achilles (Greek mythology) – The shield is engraved with scenes of war and peace.

8. Shield of Ajax (Greek mythology) – A huge shield made of seven cow-hides and an outer layer of bronze.

9. Srivatsa (Hindu mythology) – Srivatsa is the shield of Lord Vishnu, The Protector.

10. Svalinn (Norse mythology) – This legendary shield stands before the sun to protect the Earth.

11. Belus’ Shield – An urchin-like shield gifted to demigod Belus by his father, Poseidon, the Greek God of Sea.

Fictional Shields

If you are looking for ancient shields, historical shields, legendary shields or mythical shields from fiction, we have you covered.

12. Bracelets of Submission- Worn by Wonder Woman on her wrists, these bracelets deflect almost all incoming melee and ranged attacks.

13. Bubble Shield – A translucent force field that doesn’t let projectile through.

14. Captain America’s Shield – One of the best known shields of the comic universe.

15. Daedric Shield – The Daedric shield is dark in color and is shaped like a dragon’s wing.

16. Greatshield of Artorias – A big shield known for its durability and resistance.

17.Guardian Shield – Gifted to thr 'God of War'  protagonist Kratos by his wife.

18. Hitzfield Shield – A highly-advanced defensive shield that surrounds the user with a protective energy field.

19. Hylian Shield - The most iconic of the big shields in the 'Zelda' series.

20. Pridwen – King Arthurs’s legendary shield, Pridwen, was adorned with an image of the Virgin Mary.

21. Protego – Protego, also known as the Shield Charm, when cast created an invisible shield around the caster.

22. Sir Geralt of Rivia’s Shield – An item given to Geralt for participation in the Toussaint Tournament in 'The Witcher' game series.

23. Shield of Evalach – A shield gifted to King Evalach which was capable of healing wounds.

24. Tower Shield - It is a technology of shields available exclusively to the Lithuanians in 'Age of Empire II'.

25. Wakandan City Shield – Wakandans used their superior technology to created a highly-advanced shield around their territory.

26. Wakandan Shield – Wakandan shields were able to absorb and reflect energy. It is one of the cool shield around with its metallic texture.

27. Wonder Woman’s Shield – Along with her bracelets, lasso and armor, Diana has used two shields that have magical properties.

Historical Shield Types And Names

The history of shields is vast. Take a look at names of shields from ancient civilizations and personas.

28. Australian Aboriginal Shield – These were wood shields used by indigenous Australians.

29. Ballistic Shield - A lightweight, modern shield designed to stop bullets and other projectiles.

30. Battersea Shield – An ancient Celtic shield found in the bed of the River Thames in London.

31. Buckler – A small shield of up to 45 cm in diameter, which was used in hand-to-hand combat. This type of shield was used in Europe.

32. Chimalli - It was made of skin of deers, rabbits and plants such as bamboo and agave. Precious metals like silver and gold were also used.

33. Clipeus – Originally used alongside the large scutum, the round or oval Clipeus became the standard Roman shield around the 3rd century.

34. El Cid’s Shield – The shield of a legendary military leader named Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar in medieval Spain during the 1000s.

35. Glagwa – The Wandala people of northern Cameroon used a bell-shaped shield made of leather or hammered metal called Glagwa.

36. Heater Shield – One of the types of shields that evolved from the longer Kite shield.

37. Hippopotamus Shield - This type of shields were made from Hippopotamus hide skin in Sudan.

38. Hoplon – Ancient Greek infantrymen would carry the Hoplon on the left arm via a bronze strap. One of the cool names for shields.

39. Kite Shield – The Kite Shield was an elongated, almond-shaped shields.

40. Lantern Shield – A small shield similar to the Buckler.

41. Legionaire Scutum - Rectangular or semi-cylindrical shaped large shields which were used mainly by Roman foot soldiers.

42. Macedonian Shields - Macedonian shields were an important part of Alexander the Great’s army.

43. Mantle - A large, portable, medieval shield that was often mounted on wheel, used to protect group of soldiers.

44. Nguni Shield – A pointed oval-shaped shield used by the Nguni people of Southern Africa.

45. Parma - Smaller, rounder shields used by Roman knights and soldiers on horseback.

46. Pavise – A Pavise was built with the intention of protecting archers and crossbowmen. It was large enough to cover the entire body.

47. Pelta - A half-moon shaped shield made from leather used in ancient Greece and Rome.

48. Qauata – A parrying shield used to deflect the enemy’s arrows. It was leaf-shaped and was used in the Solomon Islands

49. Riot Shield - A lightweight protective gear typically used by police for riot control. Most riot shields do not offer ballistic protection.

50. Spartan Shield - For Spartans, their shield was more than a piece of armor.

51. Viking Shield – Iron Age wooden shields circular in shape and made of wooden planking.

52. Yetholm-Type Shield – The shield was made of a copper alloy and its face was covered with ridges and concentric rings.

Kidadl has lots of great names articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for shield names then why not take a look at something different like mythical dog names or demon names.

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Written by Georgia Stone

Bachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

Georgia Stone picture

Georgia StoneBachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

Georgia is an experienced Content Manager with a degree in French and Film Studies from King's College London and Bachelors degree from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures was sparked during her childhood in Switzerland and her year abroad in Paris. In her spare time, Georgia enjoys using London's excellent travel connections to explore further afield.

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