Nymphs are personifications of the creative and fostering activities of nature.

Classification by type of dwelling (not the authentic Greek classification; intended as a guide)

• Celestial nymphs
  • Aurae (breezes)
  • Asteriae (stars)
    • Hesperides (nymphs of the west, daughters of Atlas)
      • Aegle (dazzling light), Arethusa, Erytheia, Hesperia
    • Hyades (star cluster)
    • Pleiades (daughters of Atlas and Pleione; constellation)
      • Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Asterope, Merope
  • Nephele (clouds)
• Land nymphs
  • Alseides (glens and groves)
  • Auloniades (pastures)
  • Leimakides (meadows)
  • Napaeae (mountains, valleys, and glens)
  • Oreads (mountains and grottoes)
• Wood and plant nymphs
  • Anthousai (flowers)
  • Dryades (trees)
  • Hamadryades
    • Daphnaeae (laurel tree), Epimeliades (apple trees), Kissiae (ivy), Meliae (manna-ash tree)
  • Hyleoroi (watchers of woods)
• Water nymphs
  • Halieae (sea and seashores)
    • Nereids (the 50 daughters of Nereus, the Mediterranean Sea)
  • Naiads (fresh water)
    • Crinaeae (fountains), Elionomae (wetlands), Limnades (lakes), Pegaeae (springs), Potameides (rivers; Tagides (Tagus River))
  • Oceanids(Daughters of Oceanus and Tethys; in any water, usually salty)
• Underworld nymphs
  • Cocytiae (daughters of the rover god Cocytus)
  • Lampades (torch beareres in the retinue of Hecate)
  • Orphne (representation of the Styx; consort of Acheron, the god of the river in Hades; mother of Ascalaphus, the orchardist of Hades)
  • Leuce (white poplar tree; lover of Hades)
  • Minthe (mint; lover of Hades; rival of Persephone)
  • Melinoe (Orphic nymph, daughter of Persephone and Zeus/Pluto)
• Other nymphs
  • Hecaterides (rustic dance; sisters of the Dactlys; mothers of the Oreads and the Satyrs)
  • Kabeirides (sisters of the Kabeiroi, enigmatic deities beneath the earth (spirits of the underworld))
  • Maenads (frenzied nymphs in the retinue of Dionysus)
    • Lenai (wine-press), Mimallones (music), Naides, Thyiai (thyrsus bearers)
  • Melissae (honey bees)
  • The Muses
  • Themeides (daughters of Zeus and Themis, prophets and keepers of certain divine artifacts)