Top 10 Love Goddesses from Mythology

Most people have heard of Norse gods like Thor and Odin, but one of the lesser known deities in this belief system is their goddess of love. Not much is known about Sjöfn, and pretty much the only source of information we have about her is a 13th century document, Prose Edda, which was written by Snorri Sturluson. Some even posit that Sjofn is actually Frigg, the goddess typically depicted as Odin’s wife - simply operating under a different name. Strangly, there is a second love goddess in Norse mythology, Lofn, who is the champion of the oddly contradictory themes of forbidden love and arranged marriages.

This Germanic goddess is more commonly known as being the purveyor of foreknowledge and wisdom, but as one of the primary female deities in the Norse tradition, she is also associated with love. This goddess goes under several different names, being referred to as Frija in Old High German and Frige in Old English. In fact, the word Friday is actually derived from her name, originally being known as "Frīge's Day". And, as we've mentioned, Frigg is the wife of Odin, and is also mother of the god Baldr.

Oh, we ain't talkin' 'bout love. Rati is the goddess of lust and sexual pleasure in the Hindu tradition, and is generally depicted as the romantic and sexual partner of the god of love, Kama. In fact Rati’s origin story is that she rose from the sweat of the Vedic deity known as Daksha. In Sanskrit, many of the names for sexual positions and sexual acts take their names from this goddess. The etymological root of her name is the Sanskrit word “ram,” which means to enjoy or delight in something. So if you’re looking for some divine improvements in the bedroom, this might be the goddess to talk to.

The Norse might be most known for being warriors, but they seem to have some love to go around as well. Though scholars have debated whether this Norse goddess and the Germanic goddess Frigg were originally one and the same, the two cultures have separated the two figures and given them distinct characteristics. Freyja is an all encompassing goddess in Norse mythology, representing not only love but also sex, fertility, war, death, and beauty. Freyja is prevalent in Scandinavia, and as the centuries have worn on, her name has become considered a counterpart to the Roman goddess Venus. She is even mentioned in the Danish national anthem!

One of the most prominent figures in the Egyptian pantheon is the goddess Hathor. She represents feminine love and fertility, and was often seen as the figure who would aide women during childbirth. She also held the role of "Mistress of the West," who would usher the dead into the next phase of their existence. In a tradition that is common in Egyptian mythology, the deities’ forms and roles were ever changing , so while at sometimess Hathor was depicted as Ra’s mother, she was also sometimes shown as his wife, and other times his daughter.

In the Hindu tradition, it’s not uncommon for one god or goddess to go by many different names depending on the aspect of their person that is being represented. The goddess Parvati is a well known example of this, acting as the goddess of love and fertility but also of strength and power. She sometimes takes the form of Shakti, the divine being who represents feminine power. She is also married to Shiva, who is known as "destroyer of evil and the transformer". The legend of Parvati has spread even beyond India, with depictions of the goddess being found throughout Asia.

While many of the cultures who originated the myths we’re looking at today have continued to thrive and evolve throughout history, this one is settled staunchly in the past. Ancient Mesopotamia declined as the advent of Christianity took place in the period that ranged from the 1st to 5th century CE. But during the height of Mesopotamia’s importance, one of the primary figures worshipped in the culture was Ishtar, the goddess of love and beauty. And like many of the goddesses on our list, she also represented the counterparts of war and power.

Her name may be tricky to pronounce, but once you get that figured out, Xochiquetzal is an interesting figure from Aztec mythology worth getting familiar with. Also known as Ichpochtli - which means maiden - this goddess protects pregnant women and aids with fertility as well as representing love and female sexuality. She stands for humanity's physical desires and is typically shown as a young and beautiful woman. Her name is a compound word that can be interpreted in several ways: with xōchitl meaning “birth” and quetzalli meaning “precious feather”.

Popular in art and pop culture, Venus is definitely one of the best known goddesses in the historical pantheon. Venus was created by the Romans as an adaptation of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, which is why the two figures share so much in common. In fact, this is the case for many of the Roman deities. Like Aphrodite, Venus represents romantic love and sexuality as well as fertility and beauty. There is definitely an emphasis on her more sensual powers though, with the original word “venus” in Latin literally meaning sexual love or desire.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.


Áine


Oshun

In the poem Theogony by Hesiod, Aphrodite’s somewhat repulsive origin story was outlined. She was apparently born of the sea foam that formed after Cronus cut off Uranus’ genitals. The Iliad, however, has her as the daughter of Zeus. She is the goddess of love and fertility and her association with the planet Venus is what inspired the name of the Roman goddess of similar qualities. She was known for having many lovers, both in fellow deities and mere mortals. She is, therefore, without a doubt, the most iconic of all the goddesses of love.