38 Greek God Names and 34 More Figures From Greek Myths

Zeus may be the most famous of the enormous pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses. rudall30 / Shutterstock

Greek mythology is made up of a vast collection of stories about gods, goddesses, Titans and other legendary figures. Ancient Greek religion was the practice of worshipping these deities, and ancient Greeks believed that these divine beings played a crucial role in their lives and the workings of the cosmos.

It can be challenging to remember all the Greek god names, and there are multiple interpretations and minor variations in the stories. For instance, many major gods resided on Mount Olympus, but there are many other Greek gods that are part of the vast Greek pantheon.

Let's explore a sampling of the many Greek gods and goddesses, as well as other important figures of ancient Greece. These lists provide a brief description of each figure's primary roles.

21 Greek Gods

Many of these deities are familiar in Greek myths, worshiped in temples, honored in festivals and depicted in art and literature.

1. Aeolus

God of the winds; often referred to as the keeper or controller of the winds.

2. Apollo

God of music, prophecy and healing.

3. Ares

Ares stands tall in armor with a shield and no helmet on a battlefield — The god of war was busy in ancient Greece.
Nicole Antonio/DALL-E

God of war. (Read more about Ares.)

4. Dionysus

God of wine, revelry and theater. (Read more about Dionysus.)

5. Hades

God of the underworld. (Read more about Hades.)

6. Hephaestus

God of fire, metalworking and craftsmanship.

7. Hermes

God of travel, trade and messengers; known as the messenger god.

8. Pan

God of shepherds, flocks, the wilderness and rustic music.

9. Poseidon

God of the sea, earthquakes and horses.

10. Zeus

Buff old man wearing a toga, standing on a mountain and holding lightning — Zeus, the Greek god of lightning and the one often cited as ruler of all the gods, has never been known as a quiet or subtle character.
Nicole Antonio/DALL-E

King of the gods, god of the sky and thunder. (Read more about Zeus.)

11. Boreas

God of the north wind and winter.

12. Hypnos

God of sleep.

13. Morpheus

God of dreams.

14. Notus

God of the south wind.

15. Zephyrus

God of the west wind.

16. Poseidon

Poseidon holding a trident standing in front of a stormy ocean — Did you know that Poseidon once competed with Athena to be the patron god of ancient Greece's capital city?
Nicole Antonio/DALL-E

Primary god of the sea, rivers, earthquakes and horse races. (Read more about Poseidon.)

17. Priapus

God of fertility and gardens.

18. Phobos

God of fear.

19. Deimos

God of terror.

20. Glaucus

Minor god of the sea and fishermen.

21. Eros

God of desire and procreation.

17 Greek Goddesses

The goddesses of Greek mythology held power over love, wisdom, the hunt and more. They influenced both divine and mortal realms with their guidance and wrath. Many of them were considered virgin goddesses or protectors of specific aspects of life.

1. Aphrodite

Goddess of love and beauty.

2. Artemis

Virgin goddess of the hunt, wild animals and childbirth.

3. Athena

Goddess of wisdom, warfare and strategy. (Read more about Athena.)

4. Demeter

Goddess of agriculture, fertility and the harvest.

5. Eris

Goddess of strife and discord.

6. Hebe

Goddess of youth.

7. Hera

Queen of the gods, goddess of marriage and family. (Read more about Hera.)

8. Hestia

Goddess of the hearth and home.

9. Nike

Goddess of victory.

10. Tyche

Goddess of fortune.

11. Nemesis

Goddess of revenge and retribution.

12. Chloris

Goddess of flowers and spring.

13. Harmonia

Goddess of harmony.

14. Iris

Goddess of the rainbow and a messenger.

15. Ananke

Goddess of necessity and fate.

16. Hecate

Goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts and the underworld. (Read more about Hecate/Hekate.)

17. Persephone

Queen of the underworld and goddess of spring.

19 Titans

The Titans were primordial deities who ruled before the Olympian gods. They represented fundamental forces of nature and were overthrown in the Titanomachy.

1. Atlas (First Generation)

Titan who held up the heavens.

2. Coeus (First Generation)

Titan of intelligence and the axis of heaven.

3. Crius (First Generation)

Titan of constellations.

4. Cronus (First Generation)

Leader of the Titans, god of time and the harvest.

5. Hyperion (First Generation)

Titan of light and heavenly observations.

6. Iapetus (First Generation)

Titan of mortality and craftsmanship.

7. Mnemosyne (First Generation)

Titaness of memory and mother of the Muses.

8. Oceanus (First Generation)

Titan of the primordial ocean.

9. Theia (First Generation)

Titaness of light, sight and wisdom.

10. Themis (First Generation)

Titaness of divine law and order.

11. Prometheus (Second Generation)

Titan who gave fire to mankind.

12. Epimetheus (Second Generation)

Titan of afterthought.

13. Pallas (Second Generation)

Titan of warfare.

14. Perses (Second Generation)

Titan of destruction.

15. Dione (Second Generation)

Titaness sometimes considered an early consort of Zeus.

16. Helios (Second Generation)

Titan of the sun.

17. Eos (Second Generation)

Titaness of the dawn.

18. Selene (Second Generation)

Titaness of the moon.

19. Metis (Second Generation)

Titaness of wisdom and deep thought.

15 Other Figures in Greek Mythology

Beyond the gods and Titans, many other beings played critical roles in Greek mythology, including heroes, spirits and monstrous creatures.

1. Achilles

Greek hero of the Trojan War.

2. Chiron

Wise centaur and tutor of heroes.

3. Daedalus

Master craftsman and creator of the Labyrinth.

4. Gaea

Primordial Earth goddess, mother of most Titans.

5. Medusa

Gorgon whose gaze turned people to stone, after a curse from Athena. (Read more about Medusa.)

6. Thanatos

Personification of death.

7. Cerberus

Three-headed guard dog of the underworld.

8. Orpheus

Legendary musician and poet who traveled to the underworld.

9. Scylla

Sea monster who terrorized sailors.

10. Sisyphus

King condemned to roll a boulder uphill for eternity.

11. Echidna

Mother of many Greek monsters.

12. Ladon

Serpent-like dragon who guarded the golden apples.

13. Pygmalion

Sculptor who fell in love with his statue brought to life.

14. Nyx

Primordial deity of the night.

15. Charon

Ferryman of souls of the dead to the underworld.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.