The majority of the 720 historically-known springs in Denmark have been accredited with healing power of supernatural origin, manifested in their names
and/or local folklore tradition still supported by cultic rituals celebrated way into the nineteenth century. While only 2.5 per cent of Danish spring names explicitly appear to be of pagan origin, at least 32 per cent were dedicated to Christian saints or named from other ecclesiastical terms, whereas 25 per cent had the religiously neutral name Helligkilde. Based on a case study of spring names in the region of north-western Sjælland, the whole question of age is discussed, just as several cases show how spring names and their attached folklore etymology are not always to be taken at face value.