A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important. Another important focus of worship of water deities has been springs or holy wells. As a form of animal worship, whales and snakes (hence dragons) have been regarded as godly deities throughout the world (as are other animals such as turtles, fish, crabs, and sharks). In Asian lore, whales and dragons sometimes have connections. Serpents are also common as a symbol or as serpentine deities, sharing many similarities with dragons.

Africa

Akan

Bantu

Dahomey

Dogon

Egyptian

Ewe / Fon

Lugandan

Serer

Yoruba

Asia-Pacific and Oceania

East Asia

Taoism and Chinese folk religion

Japanese

Ainu

Korean

South Asia

Hindu

In Hindu culture, each water body is worshipped as a form of God. Hence, the rivers are worshipped as goddesses and the ocean is worshipped as a god.

Meitei

Southeast Asia

Filipino

Indonesian

Cambodia

Vietnamese

Western Asia and Central Asia

Armenian

Canaanite

Hebrew

Hittite

Mesopotamian

Ossetia

Persian and Zoroastrian

Turkic

Oceania

Polynesian

Fijian

Hawaiian

Māori

Samoan

other island nations

Cook Islands

Aboriginal Australian

Europe

Baltic

Lithuanian

Celtic

Gaulish

Irish

Welsh

Lusitanian

Germanic

Ancient

English folklore

Scandinavian folklore

Greek

Slavic

Illyrian

Uralic

Finnish

Americas

Central America and the Caribbean

Lencan

Mexico

Mayan

Pech

Taíno

North America

Inuit

South America

Tupi-Guarani (Brazilian Myth)

Incan

Panche/Muisca