List of fertility deities
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A fertility deity is a god or goddess in mythology associated with fertility, pregnancy, and birth. In some cases these deities are directly associated with sex, and in others they simply embody related attributes. The following is a list of fertility deities.
African mythology
- Ala, Igbo goddess of fertility
- Asase Ya, Ashanti earth goddess of fertility
- Denka, Dinka god of the sky, rain and fertility
- Mbaba Mwana Waresa, Zulu goddess of fertility, rainbows, agriculture, rain and beer
Armenian mythology
- Anahit, goddess of fertility, birth, beauty and water
- Aramazd, creator-god and source of the Earth's fertility
Aztec mythology
- Tonacatecuhtli, god of sustenance (fertility).
- Tonacacihuatl, goddess of sustenance (fertility).
- Coatlicue, goddess of fertility, life, death and rebirth.
- Chimalma, goddess of fertility, life, death and rebirth.
- Xochitlicue, goddess of fertility, life, death and rebirth.
- Xochipilli, god of love, art, games, beauty, dance, flowers, maize, fertility, and song.
- Xochiquetzal, goddess of fertility, beauty, female sexual power, protection of young mothers, pregnancy, childbirth, and women's crafts.
- Toci, is the "Mother of the Men", see Temazcalteci
- Temazcalteci, goddess of maternity (fertility).
Baltic mythology
- Laima, goddess of luck and fate, associated with childbirth, pregnancy marriage, and death
- Saulė, solar goddess of life and fertility, warmth and health
Canaanite mythology
- Baal, name of a number of gods with possible associations with fertility
In Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia
- Sowathara, A female figure as symbol of the fertile earth.
Celtic mythology
- Brigid, Irish goddess associated with fertility
- Cernunnos, horned god associated with fertility
- Damara, fertility goddess worshipped in Britain
- Damona, Gaulish fertility goddess
- Epona, goddess of horses and fertility
- Hooded Spirits, a group of deities theorised to be fertility spirits
- Nantosuelta, goddess of nature, the earth, fire, and fertility
- Onuava, goddess of fertility
- Rosmerta, Gallo-Roman goddess of fertility and abundance
Catholic hagiology
Note: Catholicism is a monotheistic religion, and as such, saints are not considered deities. See Intercession of saints and Hagiography for details about those aspects of Catholic doctrine.
- St. Anne, patron saint of pregnancy and mothers
- St. Catherine of Sweden, patron saint of protection against abortion and miscarriage
- St. Gerard Majella, patron saint of childbirth, motherhood, children and mothers (unborn children and expecting mothers in particular)
- St. Margaret the Virgin, patron saint of childbirth and pregnant women
- Phallic saints, a group of saints invoked for fertility
- St. Raymond Nonnatus, patron saint of childbirth, midwives, children, and pregnant women
- Theotokos, Mary, Mother of God, Mother of Jesus
Egyptian mythology
- Amun, creator-god, associated with fertility
- Bastet, cat goddess sometimes associated with fertility
- Bes, household protector god associated with music, dance, and sexual pleasure
- Hathor, goddess who personified the principles of love, motherhood and joy
- Heget, frog-goddess of fertility
- Heryshaf, god of creation and fertility
- Isis, goddess of motherhood, magic and fertility
- Mesenet, goddess of childbirth
- Min, god of fertility, reproduction, and lettuce
- Osiris, god of the afterlife, the dead, and the underworld agency that granted all life, including sprouting vegetation and the fertile flooding of the Nile River
- Renenutet, goddess of the true name, the harvest and fertile fields
- Sobek, god of the river, warfare and fertility
- Sopdet, goddess of the fertility of the soil
- Tawaret, goddess of fertility and childbirth
- Tefnut, goddess of water and fertility
- Qetesh, goddess of sacred ecstasy and sexual pleasure
Etruscan mythology
- Fufluns, god of plant life, happiness and health and growth in all things
- Thesan, goddess of the dawn, associated with the generation of life
Finnish mythology
Germanic mythology
- Nerthus, earth goddess associated with fertility
- Freyr, a fertility god.
- Freyja, sister of above god.
Greek mythology
- Adonis, a figure associated with death, rebirth and vegetation
- Aphaea, local goddess associated with fertility and the agricultural cycle
- Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty and sexuality
- Aphroditus, god of male and female unity, the moon and fertility
- Artemis, goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity, fertility, young girls and health and disease in women
- Cybele, Phrygian Earth Mother goddess who embodies the fertile earth
- Demeter, goddess of agriculture and the fertility of the earth
- Dionysus, god of wine and festivity, associated with fertility
- Eros, god of sexual love, fertility and beauty
Priapus, Greek god of fertility, gardens and male genitalia - Gaia, Earth Mother and goddess of the fertile earth
- Hera, goddess of the air, marriage, women, women's fertility, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires
- Hermes, god of roads, commerce, invention, and theft; herald and messenger of the gods
- Ilithyia, (also called Eileithyia) goddess of childbirth and midwifery, likely of Minoan or earlier origin.
- Pan, god of shepherds, flocks, mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music; associated with fertility
- Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter; abducted by Pluto to be queen of Hades, but allowed to return to the surface of earth for part of the year.
- Phanes, primeval deity of procreation and the generation of new life
- Priapus, rustic god of fertility, protection of livestock, fruit plants, gardens and male genitalia
- Poseidon, God of the sea, Storms, earthquakes, and is often associated with Fertility within the Sea.
Hawaiian mythology
- Haumea, goddess of fertility and childbirth
- Kamapua'a, demi-god of fertility
- Laka, patron of the hula dance and god of fertility
- Lono, god associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, and music
- Nuakea, goddess of lactation
Hindu mythology
- Aditi, goddess of space, consciousness, the past, the future, and fertility
- Banka-Mundi, goddess of the hunt and fertility
- Bhūmi, goddess of the earth and the fertility form of Lakshmi
- Chandra, lunar god associated with fertility
- Lajja Gauri, goddess associated with abundance and fertility
- Manasa, snake goddess associated with fertility and prosperity
- Matrikas, a group of 7 - 9 goddesses who are associated with fertility and motherly power.
- Parvati, goddess associated with fertility, marital felicity, devotion to the spouse, asceticism, and power
- Sinivali, goddess associated with fecundity and easy
Hittite mythology
- Shaushka, goddess of fertility, war and healing
Inca mythology
- Mama Quilla, the goddess of the moon, the menstrual cycle, and a protector of women
- Mama Ocllo, mother goddess, associated with fertility
- Sara Mama, goddess of grain
- Pacha Kamaq, Creator of the World
- Pachamama, fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting and causes earthquakes
Indigenous Australian mythology
- Anjea, goddess or spirit of fertility
- Birrahgnooloo, Kamilaroi goddess of fertility
- Dilga, Karadjeri goddess of fertility and growth
- Julunggul, Yolgnu rainbow snake goddess associated with fertility, initiation, rebirth and the weather
- Kunapipi, mother goddess and the patron deity of many heroes
- Ungud, snake god or goddess associated with rainbows and the fertility and erections of the tribe's shaman
- Wollunqua, snake god of rain and fertility
Inuit mythology
- Akna, goddess of fertility and childbirth
- Pukkeenegak, goddess of children, pregnancy, childbirth and the making of clothes
Japanese mythology
- Kichijōten, goddess of happiness, fertility, and beauty
- Inari Ōkami, goddess of fertility, rice, agriculture, foxes, industry
Maya mythology
Native American mythology
- Atahensic, Iroquois goddess associated with marriage, childbirth, and feminine endeavors
- Kokopelli, Hopi trickster god associated with fertility, childbirth and agriculture
Norse mythology
- Freyja, goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death
- Freyr, god associated with farming, weather and fertility
- Frigg, goddess associated with prophecy, marriage and childbirth
- Gefjun, goddess of ploughing and possibly fertility
Oceania mythology
- Gedi (mythology), Fijian god of fertility, who taught mankind the use of fire
- Makemake, Rapa Nui creator-god, associated with fertility
- Tagroa Siria, Fijian god associated with fertility
- Tangaroa, Rarotongan god of the sea and creation, associated with fertility
Persian mythology
- Anahita goddess of fertility, healing and wisdom
Roman mythology
- Bona Dea, goddess of fertility, healing, virginity, and women
- Candelifera, goddess of childbirth
- Carmenta, goddess of childbirth and prophecy
- Ceres, goddess of cereal and of motherly relationships equated with the Greek goddess Demeter
- Diana, goddess of the hunt, wilderness, the moon and childbirth, equivalent to the Greek Artemis
- *Domidicus, the god who leads the bride home
- *Domitius, the god who installs the bride
- Fascinus, embodiment of the divine phallus
- Fecunditas, goddess of fertility
- Feronia, goddess associated with fertility and abundance
- Flora, goddess of flowers and spring
- Inuus, god of sexual intercourse
- *Jugatinus, the god who joins the pair in marriage
- Juno, goddess of marriage and childbirth, equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera
- Liber, god of viniculture, wine and male fertility, equivalent to Greek Dionysus; in archaic Lavinium, a phallic deity
- Libera, goddess of female fertility and the earth
- Lucina, goddess of childbirth
- Mars, god initially associated with fertility and vegetation, but later associated with warfare and the Greek god Ares
- *Manturna, the goddess who kept the bride at home
- Mutunus Tutunus, phallic marriage deity associated with the Greek god Priapus
- Ops, fertility and earth-goddess
- Partula, goddess of childbirth, who determined the duration of each pregnancy
- *Pertuda, goddess who enables penetration
- Picumnus, god of fertility, agriculture, matrimony, infants and children
- *Prema, goddess who holds the bride down on the bed
- Robigus, fertility god who protects crops against disease
- *Subigus, the god who subdues the bride to the husband's will
- Terra, earth goddess associated with marriage, motherhood, pregnant women, and pregnant animals; equivalent to the Greek Gaia
- Venus, goddess of love, beauty and fertility, equivalent to the Greek goddess Aphrodite
- *Virginiensis, the goddess who unties the girdle of the bride
* These 8 gods/goddesses consummate marriage and some of them are listed in the Indigitamenta [1]
Sami mythology
- Beiwe, goddess of fertility and sanity
- Rana Niejta, goddess of spring and fertility
Slavic mythology
- Dzydzilelya, Polish goddess of love, marriage, sexuality and fertility
- Jarilo, god of fertility, spring, the harvest and war
- Kostroma, goddess of fertility
- Radegast, West Slavic god of hospitality, fertility, and crops, associated with war and the sun
- Siebog, god of love and marriage
- Svetovid, god of war, fertility and abundance
- Zeme, goddess of the earth, associated with fertility
- Živa, goddess of love and fertility
Turkic mythology
Vodou
- Ayida-Weddo, loa of fertility, rainbows and snakes
- Guédé, family of spirits that embody the powers of death and fertility
References
- ^ Philip Wilkinson, Neil Philip. Mythology. ISBN 978-1-4053-1820-4. p.17. 2007
