In the beginning, before time there was only Chaos, a great empty void drifting in space. Then out of Chaos came Gaia, the Earth goddess, mother to all life. This is according to Hesiod’s Theogony, which details the evolution of the gods and goddesses in Greek mythology.
Gaia was followed by a few others, Nyx, goddess of night being one of them. Together they are the Primordial gods and goddesses from whom all other deities would descend. Granted, there are some rather spectacular origins stories for some of the Greek deities, but it started there.
In this post I will attempt to collect the names of all the goddesses mentioned in Greek mythology. I am interpreting goddesses as to also mean demigods like the Nymphs and various Daemones (Spirits) as well. As you might know already, most of them were neither all good nor all evil. Instead, much like humans they were multi faceted, with both good and bad sides.
That may very well be why they remain so popular and fascinating even today. This list will be an ongoing project which I will come back to and add to over time. If there is someone you are missing, please do leave a comment below and I will make sure to include her.
Goddesses on A
Achelois
Achelois is a goddess of comfort and healing, associated with the moon. With roots in ancient Greek mythology, her origins and parents are not certain. Possibly daughter of Asclepius, the god of healing.
Aglaea
Aglaea is one of the three Charites (Graces), goddesses of grace, beauty, charm and creativity. Daughter of the nymph Eurynome and Zeus.
Alecto
Alecto is one of the three Furies (Erinyes), the goddesses of revenge and retribution. Her name means unceasing, reflecting her determination.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Olympian goddess of love. She has two origin stories, either being the daughter of Zeus and the Nymph/Titaness Dione, or more spectacularly she is daughter of Uranus, having been born from his blood as it spilled into the sea.
Artemis
Artemis is the Olympian goddess of the hunt. Twin sister to Apollo, daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Leto.
Asteria
Asteria is the Titan goddess of the night sky and falling stars. Daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, she is the sister of Leto, mother to Artemis and Apollo.
Athena
Athena is the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war. Daughter of Zeus and the nymph Metis, born from the head of Zeus.
Atropos
Atropos is the oldest of the Three Fates, known as the Moirai. They are the sisters who decided the fates of all the living. She would cut the thread of life after it had been spun and measured by her sisters.
Goddesses on B
Bendis
Bendis is an ancient Thracian goddess of the hunt, sometimes associated with Artemis.
Goddesses on C
Clotho
Clotho is the youngest of the Three Fates (Moirai), the sisters who decided the fates of all the living. She spins the thread of life on her spindle.
Clymene
Clymene is one of the three thousand Oceanid nymphs, a daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. Wife to Iapetus and mother so several famous sons, Atlas and Prometheus among them.
Goddesses on D
Demeter
Demeter is the Olympian goddess of agriculture and motherhood. Mother to Persephone, by her brother Zeus.
Dike
Dike is the goddess of justice and moral order. Daughter of Zeus and the Titan goddess Themis.
Dione
Dione is a Titaness goddess associated with the oracle of Dodona and in one of the two origin stories’ of Aphrodite, Dione is her mother.
Goddesses on E
Eris
Eris is the goddess of strife and discord. Possibly the daughter of Nyx, she is a companion of Ares on the field of battle.
Euphrosyne
Euphrosyne is one of the three Charites (Graces), goddesses of grace, beauty, charm and creativity. Daughter of the nymph Eurynome and Zeus.
Eurybia
Eurybia is a Titan goddess of mastery of the sea. A daughter of Gaia and Pontus, a Primordial god of the sea also called The Old Man.
Eurynome
Eurynome is the Titan goddess and Oceanid nymph of meadows and pastures. Mother to the three Charites with Zeus. Daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys.
Goddesses on G
Gaia
Gaia is the primordial goddess of the Earth. Mother to all living creatures. She was “born” out of Chaos.
Goddesses on H
Hebe
Hebe is the goddess of youth. A daughter of Hera and Zeus, she is married to the immortalized hero Heracles.
Hecate
Hecate is a Titan goddess of magic and the crossroads, often also associated with the moon. A daughter of the Titans Perses and Asteria, she descended from destruction and the starry sky.
Hedone
Hedone is the goddess of sensual pleasure and joy, free from malice or deceit. A daughter of Eros, she was revered by the ancient Greeks.
Hera
Hera is the Queen of the Olympians and goddess of women, marriage and family. Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, she was married to Zeus, king of the gods.
Hestia
Hestia is the Olympian goddess of the hearth and guardian of the home. A daughter of Cronus and Rhea, she was one of the Olympians, yet sometimes not counted among them.
Goddesses on L
Lachesis
Lachesis is the middle child of the Three Fates (Moirai), the sisters who decided the fates of all the living. She would measure out the thread of life after it had been spun by Clotho.
Leto
Leto is the Titan goddess of motherhood. Daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, she is the mother of the famous Olympian twins Artemis and Apollo by Zeus.
Goddesses on M
Megaera
Megaera is one of the Furies (Erinyes), goddesses of revenge and retribution. Her name means grudging, so she is not one to let a slight go unpunished. Daughter of Nyx or Uranus and Gaia.
Goddesses on N
Nyx
Nyx is the Primordial goddess of night and shadows. Born out of Chaos, sister to Gaia, she was among the very first deities.
Goddesses on P
Persephone
Persephone is the goddess and queen of the underworld Hades. Daughter of Zeus and Demeter, she is married to her uncle Hades after he first abducted her.
Goddesses on S
Selene
Selene is the Titan goddess of the moon. Daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia.
Styx
Styx is the Goddess of the river Styx, which the dead cross on their way to the underworld.
Goddesses on T
Thalassa
Thalassa is a Primordial goddess of the sea, daughter of the deities Aether and Hemera. In one of Aphrodites’ origin stories, Thalassa is her mother.
Thalya
Thalya is one of the three Charites (Graces), goddesses of grace, beauty, charm and creativity. Daughter of the nymph Eurynome and Zeus.
Themis
Tisiphone
Tisiphone is one of the three Furies (Erinyes), goddesses of revenge and retribution. Daughter of the Primordial goddess Nyx, or of Uranus and Gaia. Her name means ‘avenging murder’ so she would deal with the most severe perpetrators.
