Fertility Goddesses 

Fertility Goddesses represent one of the main Goddess archetypes 

Archaeological finds of the earliest fertility Goddesses around the world, show her as the Great Mother Goddess and creator. She is often shown in a simplistic form, modelled with  a swollen belly and large breasts signifying pregnancy and the promise of new life.

In this form the Goddess represents fertility of both people and the land upon which they lived.

The lists below are by no means exhaustive, whilst researching the lists I have felt both daunted and heartened to see so many beautiful myths of the Mother Goddess, surviving in the modern world. These lists will no doubt grow and be refined as my research continues.

List of Fertility Goddesses

Aditi (Hindu)- Mother cosmos, she existed before time and space. She bore many powerful divinities.

Ala (Nigerian) - Mother Goddess responsible for fertility of both animals and man.

Ajysyt (Siberian) - Mother Goddess. Her name means "birth giver".  She visited every mother and provided a soul for the newborn.

Aka (Turkish) - Ancient, Mother Goddess.

Alemonia (Roman) - Goddess responsible for feeding of the fetus in the womb.  Her name may also be spelt Alemona.

Aphrodite (Greek) – Represented fertility.

Ararat (Anatolian) - She is an embodiment of the mountain in Armenia where the Ark was said to have landed after the flood. She was the creator of the new world.

Arianrhod (Welsh) - Associated with fertility.

Aveta (Gaulish) - Goddess of fertility, childbirth and midwives, also linked to fresh water.

Bast (Egyptian) - The cat headed Goddess was associated with both fertility and childbirth.

Bendis (Greek) - One of several Greek fertility Goddesses.

Bona Dea (Roman) - Goddess of fertility, healing, virginity, and  women.

Brigit (Irish) - Was the Goddess of home, hearth, feminine aspects, healing, and fertility.

Ceres (Roman) - Goddess of crops and agriculture.

Corn Mother (Native American) - Responsible for the fertility of the land and people.

Cybele (Roman) - Cybele was the goddess of fertility based on Anatolian Goddess Kybele.

Demeter (Greek) - The Goddess of grain and bringer of fertility to the earth.

Freya (Nordic) - Often confused with Frigg, Freyja was the Norse goddess of sexual activity.

Frigg (Nordic) - Frigg was the Odin wife she protected a man's marriage and made him fertile. Her name was invoked to bring children into a conjugal union.

Gaia (Greek) - Ancient Greek mother goddess who gave birth to the land and the Titans.

Gefjon (Teutonic) -She was one of Frigg's handmaidens and associated with fertility of both man and the land.

Haumea (Hawaiian) - Haumea was perpetually reborn, allowing her to continually mate with her offspring.

Juno (Roman) - Often called upon by infertile women.

Khona-Ma (Tibetan) - The ancient mother Goddess of Tibet.

Lakshmi (Hindu) - A mother goddess who represents the feminine aspect of God.

Macha (Irish) - Fertility goddess who primarily concerned with male virility.

Mami (Sumerian)- This fertility Goddess created mankind from bricks of clay.

Mastor-Ava (Russian) - Earth Goddess.

Nile Goddess (Egyptian) - One of the prehistoric fertility Goddesses worshipped in the Nile Delta. She had the head of a bird.

Omecihuaatl (Mexican) - Together with her mate she gave birth to a stone knife which shattered as it hit the ground and became 1600 heroes who were sent to the underworld to collect the ashes and bones that created the first humans.

Rainbow Snake (Aborigine) - She represented the fertile rains, and sea she flows through her people's lives bringing children.

Rhea (Greek) - Replaced her mother Gaia as the earth and fertility goddess. Rhea gave birth to the first Olympians.

Tiamat (Babylonian) A dragon Goddess whom with her mate created many monsters, Gods and Goddesses.

Tlalteutli (Aztec) - Goddess of Creation. The Universe was made of Her body.

Urd (Teutonic) - Norse Earth Goddess.

Venus (Roman) - Roman equivalent to Aphrodite. She represented one of the main fertility Goddesses.

Zaramama (Incan)- An ancient "grain mother" from Peru. Offerings and dances were offered to her in return for an abundant harvest.

Lajja Gauri (Hindu) - Was the lotus headed, fertility Goddess who is shown here in a traditional birthing pose. This figure is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum. 

Lakshmi (Hindu) - A mother goddess who represents the feminine aspect of God.

Macha (Irish) - Fertility goddess who primarily concerned with male virility.

Mami (Sumerian)- This fertility Goddess created mankind from bricks of clay.

Mastor-Ava (Russian) - Earth Goddess.

Nile Goddess (Egyptian) - One of the prehistoric fertility Goddesses worshipped in the Nile Delta. She had the head of a bird.

Omecihuaatl (Mexican) - Together with her mate she gave birth to a stone knife which shattered as it hit the ground and became 1600 heroes who were sent to the underworld to collect the ashes and bones that created the first humans.

Rainbow Snake (Aborigine) - She represented the fertile rains, and sea she flows through her people's lives bringing children.

Rhea (Greek) - Replaced her mother Gaia as the earth and fertility goddess. Rhea gave birth to the first Olympians.

Tiamat (Babylonian) A dragon Goddess whom with her mate created many monsters, Gods and Goddesses.

Tlalteutli (Aztec) - Goddess of Creation. The Universe was made of Her body.

Urd (Teutonic) - Norse Earth Goddess.

Venus (Roman) - Roman equivalent to Aphrodite. She represented one of the main fertility Goddesses.

Zaramama (Incan)- An ancient "grain mother" from Peru. Offerings and dances were offered to her in return for an abundant harvest.

Later in history the fertility Goddesses embody the fertile nature of the earth itself, these female archetypes are also usually mothers of other deities and so seen as patrons of motherhood.

Over time Goddesses become increasingly differentiated, representing a multitude of different aspects of the female and the natural world.

The fertility Goddesses listed below are linked to the various aspects of the mother. Some are grain or Earth Goddesses; others represent fertility, pregnancy and childbirth.

You will also discover several moon Goddesses since the phases of the the moon are linked to a woman's menstrual cycle. In many tribal societies, even today, women are at their most fertile at the time of the full moon.

How to Work with Fertility Goddesses

If you want to invoke the fertility Goddesses you can choose to work with a Goddess from the first list. The high-lighted ones provide links to Goddesses I have covered in more detail elsewhere on this site. You can then invoke the Goddess or set up an altar to her in your home or garden asking that your requests may be granted. Many of these Goddesses can also be called upon to promote growth in other areas of your life.

In the Pagan and Wiccan tradition the mother represents one aspect of the Triple Goddess: Mother, Maiden and Crone

For information about Goddesses for Pregnancy and childbirth or Goddesses for children and teenagers please follow the links.

If you want to find out more about Goddesses associated with the fertility of the land and Springtime Please click on Spring Goddesses