if you do an etymology trace the oldest meaning of north means inner or under or inside.

From Pre-Germanic *h₁nŕ̥t(e)ros, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ner- (“inner, under”), from *h₁en (“in”). Compare Ancient Greek ἐνέρτερος (enérteros), νέρτερος (nérteros).

*nurþraz (comparative *nurþrōzô, superlative *nurþrōstaz)

north, northern

en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/nur%C3%BEraz