List of fertility deities

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. Fertility rites may accompany their worship. 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

Arabian mythology

• Allāt or al-Lāt, fertility goddess associated with the earth
• Al-‘Uzzá, a goddess worshipped at a stone cube at aṭ-Ṭā’if and Mecca.^[1][2][3]

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

Chinese mythology

• Celestial Registrar of Childbirth
  • Lady Yunxiao
  • Lady Yuxuao
  • Lady Bixiao
  • Madam Zhaojing
  • Miss Chenjing
  • Ninth Lady Lin
  • Third Lady Li
• Childbirth Monitors of the Nine Heavens
  • Jiǔtiān Jiānshēng Dàshén
  • Jiǔtiān Wèifáng Shèngmǔ
  • Jiǔtiān Dìngshēng Dàshén
  • Jiǔtiān Gǎnhuà Dàshén
  • Jiǔtiān Dìngtāi Dàshén
  • Jiǔtiān Yìtāi Dàshén
  • Jiǔtiān Zhù Shēngjūn
  • Jiǔtiān Shùn Shēngjūn
  • Jiǔtiān Sù Shēngjūn
  • Jiǔtiān Quán Shēngjūn
  • Liùjiǎ Fúlì
  • Cuīshēng Tóngzǐ
  • bǎoshēng Tóngzǐ
  • Sùshēng Tóngzǐ
  • Nánchāng Fēntāi Gōngcáo
  • Nánchāng Zhǔchǎn Gōngcáo
  • Zhùsǐ Gōngcáo
  • Qǐsǐ Gōngcáo

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
• Turan, goddess of love, fertility and vitality

Finnish mythology

• Äkräs, god of fertility
• Rauni, goddess of fertility

Germanic mythology

• Nerthus, earth goddess associated with fertility
• Freyr, a fertility god.
• Freyja, a goddess of fertility, and sister of the above god.

Greek mythology

• 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
• 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
• 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
• Rhea, goddess of fertility, motherhood and the mountain wilds
• Tychon, a daemon imagined as a boy

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 - 16 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 birth.

Hittite mythology

• Shaushka, goddess of fertility, war and healing
• Nikkal, goddess of fruits

Hurrian mythology

• Nikkal, goddess of fruits

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

• Akna, goddess of motherhood and childbirth
• Ixchel, jaguar goddess of midwifery and medicine

Mesopotamian mythology

• Ama-arhus, Akkadian fertility goddess
• Amasagnul, Akkadian fertility goddess
• Gatumdag, Sumerian fertility goddess and tutelary mother goddess of Lagash
• Inanna, Sumerian goddess of love, fertility, and warfare
• Ishtar, Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war and sexuality
• Nanshe, Sumerian goddess of social justice, prophecy, fertility and fishing
• Ningal, Sumerian mother goddess
• Nin-imma, goddess of the female sex organs
• Sharra Itu, Sumerian fertility goddess

Native American mythology

• Atahensic, Iroquois goddess associated with marriage, childbirth, and feminine endeavors
• Kokopelli, Hopi trickster god associated with fertility, childbirth and agriculture
• Hanhepi Wi, Lakota goddess associated with the moon, motherhood, family and femininity

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
• Thor, god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing and 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 agriculture, grain crops, fertility and 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 ^[4]

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

• Ajysyt, mother goddess associated with childbirth
• Umay, goddess of fertility and virginity

Ugaritic mythology

• Nikkal, Great Lady and Fruitful

Vodou

• Ayida-Weddo, loa of fertility, rainbows and snakes
• Guédé, family of spirits that embody the powers of death and fertility

References

1. ↑ Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad (1955). Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah - The Life of Muhammad Translated by A. Guillaume. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 38. 
2. ↑ Al-Kalbi, Hisham (1952). Kitab Al-Asnam Translated by Nabih Amin Faris. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 17. 
3. ↑ Rice, Edward (May 1978). Eastern Definitions: A Short Encyclopedia of Religions of the Orient. New York: Doubleday. p. 433. ISBN 9780385085632. 
4. ↑ Philip Wilkinson, Neil Philip. Mythology. ISBN 978-1-4053-1820-4. p.17. 2007

See also

• Fertility rite
• Earth Mother

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