Austėja

Origin: Lithuanian
Gender: Female
Meaning: "To weave"
Pronunciation: N/A
Other forms: Austė

Hello everyone! Sorry it's been such another long break, but I'm back today with a beautiful name from Lithuanian Mythology. Austėja is the Goddess of bees, primarily, but also blossoms, honey, and fellowship. She is also said to protect families, brides, and pregnant women.

A Lithuanian tradition called "biciulyste", which is about making friends through bees. People had to share hives, and because of this became good friends, and sometimes families ended up related through marriage. Bees were thought to be able to tell a person's personality, whether they were good or bad, and were said to sting angry or jealous people. Bees and beekeeping are extremely important in Lithuanian culture - there is even a museum dedicated to it - "The Lithuanian Museum of Ancient Beekeeping". During the "Bičkopis", a honey gathering feast, people would invite their friends over and share honey with them, and also make sacrifices of honey to Austėja.

I'm unsure of the pronunciation of this name (I have almost no knowledge of Lithuania or the Lithuanian language), but if anyone does, please let me know!