A welcoming guide to the gods and goddesses of myth and magic: Celtic, Greek and Roman, Norse and Egyptian deities, the moon gods and goddesses, the Triple Goddess, and how to honour them with respect
People have always told stories about the powers they felt in the world around them: the moon and the sea, the harvest and the storm, love, wisdom and the dark of winter. Those powers became gods and goddesses, and many of them are still honoured today. Whether you are simply curious, drawn to one name in particular or beginning a practice of your own, this guide is a place to start. Each tradition below has a short introduction, the names to know, and a link to read more.
Gods and Goddesses at a Glance
- What this guide covers: Celtic, Greek and Roman, Norse and Egyptian deities, plus moon gods and goddesses from around the world
- Good starting points: Brigid, Hecate, Selene, Cernunnos, the Morrígan, Freya and Isis
- Festivals: many deities are honoured on the Wheel of the Year, kept by people of many paths
- The heart of it: learn their stories, know what is ancient and what is modern, and give before you ask
What Are Pagan Gods?
“Pagan” comes from a Latin word for people of the countryside, and over time it came to mean the old religions of Europe that came before Christianity. Pagan gods, then, are the gods and goddesses of those older faiths: the deities of the Celts, the Greeks and Romans, the Norse and the Anglo Saxons, and of ancient Egypt and the Near East.
Most of these religions honoured many gods at once, each with their own concerns: one for the sea, one for the harvest, one for healing, one for the home. Today the word pagan also describes modern spiritual paths that draw on these old traditions, from modern witchcraft and druidry to people who simply light a candle for a goddess they love. Some people honour these deities as real beings, some as powerful symbols, and many somewhere in between.
Celtic Gods and Goddesses
The Celtic gods of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the old Celtic world are deeply tied to the land. They live in rivers, hills, wells and groves, they often come in threes, and many carry the idea of sovereignty, the bond between the ruler and the land itself. Most of their stories come from medieval Irish and Welsh manuscripts, along with ancient carvings and inscriptions from continental Europe.
Names to know:
- Danu, mother of the Irish gods
- The Dagda, the good god with his cauldron of plenty
- The Morrígan, the great queen of fate and crows
- Brigid, goddess of poetry, healing and the sacred flame
- The Cailleach, the winter hag of Ireland and Scotland
- Lugh, the bright god of every skill
- Cernunnos, the antlered god of the wild
- Rhiannon, Arianrhod and Cerridwen, the great goddesses of Wales
Read the full guide: Celtic Gods and Goddesses: Names, Myths and Meanings.
Moon Goddesses and Moon Gods
Almost every culture has looked up at the moon and seen a deity there. Because the moon waxes, grows full, wanes and returns, moon deities are often linked with cycles, renewal, dreams, the tides and the mysteries of the night. In Greek and Roman myth the moon was usually a goddess, but in many other places it was a god.
Moon goddesses to know: Selene and Artemis from Greece, Luna and Diana from Rome, Hecate of the dark moon, Chang’e from China, and Arianrhod, the silver wheel of Wales.
Moon god names to know:
- Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and writing, often shown with the head of an ibis and a crescent moon
- Khonsu, the Egyptian moon god whose name means “traveller”, for the moon’s journey across the night sky
- Máni, the Norse moon, who drives the moon across the sky while chased by a wolf
- Nanna, also called Sin, the moon god of ancient Mesopotamia, honoured at the city of Ur
- Tsukuyomi, the moon god of Japanese myth, brother of the sun goddess Amaterasu
- Chandra, the moon god of Hindu tradition
Read the full guide: Moon Goddesses: Names, Myths and Meanings from Around the World, and pair it with our guide to the moon phases.
Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses
The Greek gods are the ones most of us grew up with: a great family living on Mount Olympus, full of personality, quarrels and love affairs. The Romans honoured many of the same gods under Latin names, so Greek Artemis became Roman Diana, and Aphrodite became Venus. Their stories come from poets and writers such as Homer and Hesiod, and they have shaped art and storytelling ever since.
Names to know:
- Hecate, goddess of crossroads, keys, torches and magic
- Selene, the moon herself, who drives her silver chariot across the night sky
- Artemis, goddess of the hunt, wild places and the crescent moon
- Diana, her Roman counterpart, goddess of the hunt and the moon, traditionally honoured on 13 August
- Athena, goddess of wisdom, crafts and strategy, with her owl
- Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, born from the sea foam; Venus to the Romans
Norse Gods and Goddesses
The Norse gods belong to the peoples of Scandinavia, and through the Vikings their stories reached Britain too. Our days of the week still carry some of their names: Wednesday is Woden’s day, Thursday is Thor’s day, and Friday may be named after Frigg or Freya, which is still debated. Most of what we know comes from Icelandic writings of the thirteenth century, set down after the conversion to Christianity, so the old stories reach us through later hands.
Names to know:
- Odin, the wandering god of wisdom, poetry and magic, who gave an eye for wisdom and hung on the world tree to win the runes; his two ravens fly out each day to bring him news. One tradition gives December to Odin or Cernunnos, celebrated on New Year’s Eve, a night for prophecy
- Freya, goddess of love, beauty and magic, who rides in a chariot drawn by cats and owns a cloak of falcon feathers
- Frigg, Odin’s wife, queen of the gods, linked with the home, marriage and foresight; she knows what will happen but does not say
- Thor, the thunder god with his hammer, protector of ordinary people
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
The gods of ancient Egypt were honoured for more than three thousand years, and they are some of the most recognisable in the world, often shown with the heads of animals and birds. They watched over the Nile, the sun, the dead and the order of the universe, and their temples were often aligned with the movements of the sun, moon and stars.
Names to know:
- Isis, the great mother goddess of magic and healing, wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, who in later times was also linked with the moon
- Thoth, god of wisdom, writing and the moon, keeper of knowledge and record keeper of the gods
- Khonsu, the young moon god of Thebes, the traveller across the night sky
The Triple Goddess
The Triple Goddess is one of the best known ideas in modern goddess spirituality. She is one goddess in three forms, each matched with a phase of the moon and a stage of life:
- The Maiden, the waxing crescent: youth, fresh starts and growing potential
- The Mother, the full moon: fullness, care, abundance and creativity
- The Crone, the waning moon: wisdom, reflection and the knowledge that comes with age
Three fold goddesses are genuinely ancient. Hecate was shown with three faces at the crossroads, Brigid and the Morrígan appear as three sisters, and three Mothers were carved together on hundreds of altars in the Celtic world. The Maiden, Mother and Crone pattern as most people know it today, however, took shape in the twentieth century, much of it through the poet Robert Graves, and was then taken up by modern witchcraft. It is a modern way of seeing the old goddesses, and many people find it deeply meaningful. It is the reason the triple moon symbol, a full moon between two crescents, is so widely loved.
How to Know Which Deity Is Calling You
Many people describe feeling drawn to a particular god or goddess, sometimes long before they know anything about them. A name keeps appearing, an animal turns up again and again, or a story moves you more than it should. In the Celtic tradition this is seen as two way: you choose them, and they choose you.
Gentle signs to notice include a name or image that keeps finding you, a pull towards a certain animal, plant or place, dreams that feel unusually vivid, or a deep sense of calm when you read about one particular deity. None of these is proof alone, and there is no rush. Our guide to how to know which goddess is calling you walks through the signs and offers a short quiz.
Working Respectfully with Gods and Goddesses
However you understand the gods, the old traditions agree on a few simple things.
- Learn their stories first. Read their myths, learn where they come from, and practise saying their names properly. Knowing a deity well is the first act of respect.
- Know what is ancient and what is modern. Many beloved ideas are recent. That does not make them wrong, but it is good to know the difference and to be honest about it.
- Give before you ask. Offerings are at the heart of almost every tradition: a candle, fresh water, milk, bread, honey, flowers, a poem, a song, or simply your full attention. It does not need to be large; it needs to be sincere.
- Keep a small space for them. A shelf or windowsill with a candle, an image, a stone and a dish for offerings is enough. Snuff your candle when you are done rather than blowing it out. See our guide to candle colour meanings for colours, and remember a white candle can stand in for any colour.
- Be patient. A relationship with a deity grows slowly, like any friendship. Speak, listen and notice what you feel, and write it in a journal.
- Treat living traditions with care. Some deities are still honoured within living religions and cultures today. Approach them with the same respect you would give any faith.
Questions People Ask
What are pagan gods?
Pagan gods are the gods and goddesses of the older religions that came before Christianity in Europe and nearby lands, such as the Celtic, Greek, Roman, Norse and Egyptian deities. Today they are also honoured in modern pagan paths, including witchcraft and druidry.
Who are the main Celtic gods?
The best known are the Dagda, Lugh, Manannán mac Lir and Cernunnos, alongside the goddesses Danu, Brigid, the Morrígan, the Cailleach, Rhiannon and Cerridwen. Our guide to Celtic gods and goddesses covers each one with names and pronunciations.
What are the names of moon gods?
Well known moon gods include Thoth and Khonsu from Egypt, Máni from Norse myth, Nanna or Sin from Mesopotamia, Tsukuyomi from Japan and Chandra from Hindu tradition. Moon goddesses include Selene, Artemis, Luna, Diana, Hecate and Chang’e.
Who is the goddess of the moon?
In Greek myth the moon goddess is Selene, and in Roman myth she is Luna. Artemis, Diana and Hecate are also strongly linked with the moon, as are Chang’e in China and Arianrhod in Wales.
What is the Triple Goddess?
The Triple Goddess is one goddess seen in three forms, the Maiden, Mother and Crone, matched with the waxing, full and waning moon. Three fold goddesses are ancient, while this particular pattern is a modern idea shaped in the twentieth century.
Can you work with more than one god or goddess?
Yes. The old religions honoured many deities at once, and many people today keep a relationship with more than one. It helps to get to know each one properly, and to give each their own time and offerings.
Many people keep a figure of the divine feminine on their altar while they work with a goddess. Our goddess body crystal carving collection includes volcano agate and titanium aura sphalerite, and the palm sized mini goddess body carvings come in black obsidian, crazy lace agate, labradorite and grey calcite.
Keep reading: Celtic Gods and Goddesses · Moon Goddesses · Hecate · Cernunnos · Which Goddess Is Calling You?