Nymphs
In Greek mythology, nymphs are minor female nature deities; different from goddesses, they are usually considered to be personifications of nature. They are usually depicted as beautiful maidens who lived much longer than humans; they were typically tied to a specific natural entity.
Alseids
Alseids were the nymphs of glens and groves.
Auloniads
Auloniads were the nymphs of mountain pastures and vales; they were often found in the company of the god Pan.
Anthousai
The Anthousai were the nymphs of flowers; they had hair that supposedly resembled hyacinth flowers.
Anigrides
The Anigrides were the nymphs of the river Anigrus; the river is now part of thermal springs in the Greek spa of Kaiafas.
Crinaeae
The Crinaeae were a type of water nymph (Naiad) associated with fountains or wells.
Dryads
Dryads were tree nymphs; although the term is now used for tree nymphs in general, dryads were specifically the nymphs of oak trees.
Daphnaie
Daphnaie were the nymphs of laurel trees; like other tree nymphs, they spend most of their time sleeping, only coming out to dance when the coast is clear.
Epimeliads
The Epimeliads are the nymphs of apple trees; the ancient Greek word for “apple” is also the word for “sheep”, so they are also the protectors of sheep and goats. Their hair is white, like undyed wool or apple blossoms.
Eleionomae
These were the nymphs of freshwater marshes and wetlands.
Hyades
Hyades were nymphs that brought rain; they are sisters to the Pleiades and the Hesperides.
Hesperides
The Hesperides were the nymphs of the golden light of sunsets and the evening. They were also called atlantides, since they were reputedly the daughters of the Titan Atlas.
Hamadryads
The Hamadryads were tree-dwelling nymphs; some sources say that a hamadryad means the tree itself, and a dryad is simply the spirit that dwells in that tree.
Heliades
The Heliades were the daughters of the sun-god Helios and the Oceanid nymph Clymene.
Ionides
The Ionides were a sisterhood of water nymphs; they lived in a sanctuary near a spring that flowed into the river Cytherus.
Limnades
The Limnads were a type of water nymph (Naiad) who lived in freshwater lakes.
Leimakids
Also known as Leimoniads, these were the nymphs of meadows.
Lampads
The Lampads were the nymphs of the Underworld; they were also companions of Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft and crossroads.
Maenads
The Maenads were the female followers of the god Dionysus.
Meliae
Also known as Meliads, the Meliae were the nymphs of the ash tree.
Nysiads
Also known as Nysiades, these were Oceanid nymphs who dwelt at the mythical Mount Nysa; they were entrusted by Zeus with the care of the infant god Dionysus.
Naiads
The Naiads are freshwater nymphs; distinct from river gods, they presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks, and other freshwater bodies.
Nereids
The Nereids are the nymphs of the sea; they are the daughters of the old sea god Nereus and the Oceanid Doris.
Napaeae
The Napaeae were nymphs that inhabited wooded valleys, glens, and grottoes.
Oreads
The Oreads were mountain nymphs; their groups were named according to which mountains they inhabited.
Oceanids
Different from other nymphs in that they are not specifically categorized, the Oceanids were daughters of the Titan Oceanus and the sea goddess Tethys.
Pleiades
The Pleiades were nymphs associated with rain. The daughters of the Titan Atlas and the sea-nymph Pleione, and the sisters of the Hyades and the Hesperides.
Pegaeae
The Pegaeae were a type of Naiad that lived in springs; they were often considered great aunts of the river gods.
Potamides
The Potamides were a class of water nymphs (Naiads), and were part of a group that presided over rivers and streams.
Thriae
These were a trio of water nymphs (Naiads) of the sacred springs of the Corycian Cave of Mount Parnassus; they were also the patrons of bees.
