The same way as in the case of Midgar , the name "Nibelheim" mistakenly considered as wrong transliteration of the name "Niflheim", and here it is appropriate to repeat, that if some fact provided by the Game is not clear, it usually means not author's mistake, but our ignorance in one or another area. Nibelheim is a valid and grammatically correct variant of the name "Niflheim" that is used, for example, in epos "The Ring of the Nibelung" . Why the Authors of the Game chose exactly this way of writing? The answer is expounded below.

Niflheim in Norse mythology is a land of mist and cold. In order to find out why inhabited town was called in honor of such gloomy place, let's examine the story of Niflheim in more details.

Niflheim existed when there were nothing alive and exactly from it history of Midgar(d) takes its beginning. In Niflheim the source Hvergelmir appeared and gave rise to twelve streams Elivagar. Their vapors were poisonous, but they crystallized because of Nibelheim cold and gave rise to a new life. Under Nibelheim Hel - a ruler of those who died not a heroic death - was confined.

In FFVII everything also starts in Nibelheim. From there Shinra clan, that gave rise to the race living now, takes its origin ; The first Mako reactor was built there ; Later, Jenova, who can control only those who has weak spirit, was sealed there. Niflheim is a place that closes pass to the land of dead. Those who dare to go there became Hel's servants. Those, who could expose fake Nibelheim, became victims of Hojo's experiments - Jenova's marionettes . There is nothing except ices and mists in Niflheim; in Nibelheim, after reactor was build, grass withers and trees dry up . Analogies with Norse prototypes are obvious.

However, why Nibelheim instead of Niflheim? Nibelheim - is a town at the bottom of Mt. Nibel, probably called in its honor. Mt. Nibel exists in reality. It got its sad fame because of the fact, that in its mines there is one of the biggest burial places of nuclear waste in the world (in FFVII in Mt. Nibel there is an oldest and badly working Mako reactor ). Probably, the choice of transliteration was determined also by that fact giving additional similarity with the town from the Game.

In that way we see, that the name "Nibelheim" was given not by accident, it speaks for itself. Niflheim is a terrible place not destined for life, although exactly from there life takes its beginning. Nibelheim hides terrible secrets inside, not in vain Vincent says about Shinra mention: This mansion is the beginning of your nightmare.", and Cloud agrees with him .