This is a listing of all the known goddess names, including the heiti (or by-names of the great goddesses) together with the regional variations of their names.
As the original of their names would have been passed orally or via writing in a futhark/futhorc script, the names have to be transliterated into modern speech.
| S | Scandinavia |
| H | Holland/Frisia |
| CG | Continental German |
| AS | Anglo-Saxon |
| F | Finland (but linked to Norse god) |
Name |
Location |
Notes |
| Berchta/Bertha/Brechta | CG | See Frauen below |
| Bil | S | A companion to the moon (MALE in the North) and sister of Hiuki. Listed by Snorri Sturluson as one of the asyniur. |
| Cisa | CG | Variant spelling of Zisa |
| Eir | S | Listed as one of Frigg's handmaids. Associated with healing. |
| Eostre | AS | Identified as goddess of spring and/or the dawn. There is a question over her existence due to questioning of the record by the Venerable Bede. |
| Erda/Ertha | AS | See footnote 1 |
| Fold/Folde | S | Another name for Mother Earth |
| Fjorgynn/Fiorgynn | S | Another name for Mother Earth but also known in a masculine form |
| Frauen | CG | Figures from Germanic folklore identified as likely survivals of heathen goddesses and they include: Berchta, Gode, Harke, Holda, Holle (who is often associated with the Norse Hel) Perchta (which is a variation of Berchta) Wode(which is a variation of Gode)HOLDA |
| Frea | Lombards | Regional version of Frigg |
| Freo | AS | Regional version of Freyja |
| Freyja/Freya | S | Great goddess. Associated with fertility, love and magic. |
| Fricka | H/CG | Regional version of Frigg |
| Frige | AS | Regional version of Frigga |
| Frigga/Friga/Frig/Frigg | S | Great Mother goddess of the North. 'Queen of the Asyniur' who knew all fates but said nothing.FRIGG FRIGG & THOR |
| Frija | CG | Early regional version of Frigga |
| Fruwa | Merseburg | Regional version of Frigga |
| Fulla | S | One of Frigg's handmaids. Her name means 'filler,' suggestive of abundance, and she carries Frigga's casket. Wears a golden snood. |
| Gefion/Gefjion | S | Danish goddess. Myths survives of her carving out the island of Seelund. Said to look after virgins who die. |
| Gefn | S | One of Freyja's name, meaning 'giver'. |
| Gerð/Gerdr/Gerda/Gerth | S | Known from myth where she is wooed by Skirnir on behalf of the god Freyr. Very beautiful and shining arms were the notable elements. |
| Germanic 'Mothers' | CG | See Appendix 1 |
| Gifiende/Gifole | See footnote 2 | |
| Gna | S | Frigg's messenger. Her horse could travel through the sky and over the sea as well as over land. |
| Gode | CG | See Frauen above |
| Grund | CG | Another name for Mother Earth |
| Gullveig | S | Her name means 'gold intoxication'. She is known from the Voluspa. Usually identified as the goddess Freyja. |
| Heith/Heið | S | Her name could mean 'shining one'. Described in the Voluspa as a seer. |
| Hel/Hela/Hella | S | Norse goddess of the underworld and the dead |
| Hlin/Hlyn | S | Heiti of Frigg |
| Hlodynn | S | Mother of the god Vidar One translation of her name means 'kind friend'. Possible form of Mother Earth. |
| Hludana | H | There are Latin inscription in Friesland and the Lower Rhine to her. Possible regional variation of Hlodynn. |
| Hnoss | S | Listed by Snorri Sturluson amongst the asyniur. Daughter of Freyja whose name means treasure. |
| Holda/Holde/Hulda | CG | See Frauen above |
| Holle | CG | See Frauen above |
| Horn | S | One of Freyja's names and it means(possibly) flax |
| Horsel | CG | This goddess has been interpreted in modern times from a medieval account (Thuringian Chronicle) of 'fires in the air' which came to rest on Horselberg - a holy mountain. |
| Hrethra/Hertha | AS . | Known from the writing of the monk Bede. This name was associated with the equivalent of March and the root of this name means 'glory' or 'honour' in Anglo-Saxon. |
| Iðunna/Idunn/Iduna/Idun/Ithun | S | Keeper of the apples of immortality. The consort of the poet god Bragi and daughter of Ivald, who may have been an elf. |
| Ilm | S | Listed amongst the asyniur by Snorri Sturluson. |
| Iord/Jorð/Jorth | S | Another name for Mother Earth |
| Irpa | F | Described in Njal's Saga. Had power over nature. |
| Lin | S | Variant spelling of Hlin |
| Lofn | S | Minor goddess of love. |
| Mardoll | S | One of Freyja's names, possibly meaning 'light over the sea' |
| Menglad/Mengloth | S | Recorded in Svipdagmal. Sometimes identified with Frigg and sometimes identified with Freyja. |
| Nanna | S | Wife of Balder who dies of a broken heart and is burnt with him on his funeral pyre |
| Nehallennia/Nehellenia | H . | 'The Seafarer'. Known through carved Roman stones which were washed up. Shown with cornucopia, baskets of fruit and dog or on a ship. |
| Nerthus | CG | Presumably Latin version of original name. Known through Roman historian Tacitus who said she was Mother Earth |
| Niorun | S | Listed by Snorri Sturluson as one of the asyniur. Her name is used in a kenning for night 'dream-Niorun' (possibly a Norse goddess of the "night-mare" or vision in sleep?) |
| Nornir (The Norns) | S | See footnote 3 |
| Ostara | CG | Regional version of Eostre |
| Perchta/Perchte | CG | See Frauen above |
| Ran | S | The sea is the 'land' or 'husband' of Ran. The phrase 'to fare to Ran' meant to be drowned at sea. Her name means 'robbery' or 'plunderer'. |
| Rheda | AS | Variant form of Hrethra |
| Rind/Rindr | S | Mother of the god Balder's avenger, Vali, by the god Óðinn. |
| Saga | S | Probable heiti of Frigg. Her hall was Sokkvabekkr where she drank with Óðinn. |
| Skadhi/Skaði/Skathi | S | The snow-shoe goddess. A huntress called the 'wise god-bride'. Myths record the death of her father and unsuccessful marriage to the god Njorð. |
| Skialf | S | One of Freyja's names |
| Sif | S | Consort of thunder god Þórr and mother of the god Ullr and goddess Þrud. Her very beautiful long hair was cut off by Loki in one myth and replaced with a fantastical dwarf creation of gold.SIF |
| Sigyn | S | Wife of Loki. One kenning for her is 'incantation-fetter'. Sits by the bound Loki catching the poison that drips on him. |
| Sjofn/Siofn | S | A handmaid of Frigg - her name means 'affection'. |
| Snotra | S | Possible heiti of Frigg - her name means 'wisdom' |
| Sol | S | Sun goddess - 'shining face deity'. |
| Sunna | S | Variation of Sol |
| Syn | S | She keeps the door of Frigg's hall. Was invoked when a proposal was vetoed at a tribunal. |
| Thorgerd Hordabrudr/Holgabrudr | F | Sister of Irpa above |
| Thrud | S | Daughter of Sif by Þórr. Her name means 'strength'. |
| Thrungva | S | One of Freyja's names |
| Vanadis | S | One of Freya's titles, meaning 'goddess of the Vanir' |
| Var | S | A handmaid of Frigg. She heard all vows made and punished those who broke their oaths. |
| Vegdavercustis | CG | Known from a Roman stone altar in Cologne. |
| Volla | Merseburg | Regional version of Fulla |
| Vor | S . | A handmaid of Frigg. Very wise and asked many things. |
| Vrou-elde | H | Regional version of Frigg. The Milky Way was called Vrou-elden- straat |
| Walburga or Valburga | CG | See footnote 4 |
| Zisa | CG | Not described in any original sources or on any archaeological remains but Tacitus wrote of one Germanic tribe who worshipped 'Isis' and Jacob Grimm made a connection between Isis and Isa/ Cisa/Zisa (patroness of Ausberg in Germany). Possible consort of Teiwaz to whom Zisa is etymologically close. |
1 In some older occult writing, and in the Wagner operas, this is the goddess listed as an earth mother but she is not known from any primary literary source or archaeology.
2 These are modern suggestions by the historian Kathleen Herbert, derived from the Anglo-Saxon language and in the tradition of 'Gefn' and 'Gefion', but created to describe Mother Earth in England
3 Often described as goddesses of fate. They are extraordinarily powerful beings yet almost stand outside the gods and goddesses as described in the mythology. The main ones, described as weaving or carving out wyrd by the Well of Wyrd are Urð, Verþandi and Skuld.
4 Although this is often considered to be the name of a pagan goddess, and it was certainly used by a seer, it appears to have been the name of a notable christian saint whose name was superimposed onto the May Eve festivities (Walpurgisnacht). 1