Frogs are highly symbolic in the modern world. They’re present in various works of art and culture, such as fairy tales and folklore tales, such as The Frog Prince from the Brothers Grimm tales, Kermit the Frog, as well as Pepe the Frog.
The primary frog symbolism is of transformation and fertility.
Historically, frogs were also widely present in many cultures. Ancient Egyptians saw this animal as a symbol of fertility, while the Greeks and Romans connected it to harmony. It’s also seen as the connecting animal of the Water and Earth symbol, as it spends most of its time relocating between the two habitats.
You’ll find many different meanings of frogs – from being used in memes and today’s culture, to being seen as symbols of fertility in the ancient cultures. We’ll try and discover some different meanings of this animal and also find out what they represent as spirit animals and in dreams.
> This article is from our A-Z series on animal symbolism.
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Frog Symbolism and Meanings
What do frogs represent?
1. Transformation
In The Frog Prince tale from Brothers Grimm tales, the frog is seen as the ultimate symbol of transformation. In it, the Frog Prince, which is enchanted by a witch’s spell and can’t return back to the normal human form, is befriended by the princess. She manages to remove this spell by kissing the frog, which allowed the prince to return to his human form.
This symbolic meaning is the most widespread we see about these animals. They’re interesting creatures that undergo a specific period of transformation as they go from their egg state into larvae state, and then they metamorphose into adults.
Frogs are thought to be one of the earliest animals on planet Earth. Some sources say that frogs were present as the asteroid struck the Earth that wiped off the dinosaur population. This makes them one of the oldest creatures on Earth, with some sources saying that they date back up to 330 million years.
Related: Frog on Doorstep Meaning
2. Fertility
This might be a surprising symbolic meaning to some, but if you consider how these animals breed, it’s not that surprising anymore. They’re one of the most capable breeders on planet Earth, as they’re able to lay more than 50 eggs at once, and perhaps much more than that if the breeding season is good.
The males arrive at the breeding location waiting for females that are ready to breed. They’ll breed almost throughout the entire year, so they’re able to reproduce very fast.
This is why many cultures perceived frogs to be symbols of fertility. Ancient Egyptians as well as the Greeks and the Romans all saw the frog as a symbol of fertility. Today, we might not connect it to that meaning so much, but it’s definitely a symbolic meaning that’s commonly seen with these animals.
Related: Frog in House Symbolic Meaning
3. Water Symbol and Cleansing
Frogs are normally seen in habitats where water is present. But these animals will do well both on land and in the water, although they prefer areas where the air is moist and humid.
And because we connect them to the Water element normally, they’re also seen as symbols of cleansing. This element has cleansing capabilities, so we often perceive the frog to be symbolic of cleansing – this can play a role in your cleansing whether it’s in your soul, or cleansing with water.
4. Wisdom
Because frogs have been around for so long, many perceive these animals also as symbols of wisdom. They’ve been there and done it all as a species. They’ve been around for hundreds of millions of years, far exceeding the life span of the human species.
And with age, they’ve developed the wisdom needed to survive in the harsh reality of the world. So they can act as your guide towards wisdom as your spirit animal, and they can also help you recognize your internal feelings and change them or project them onto the world around you.
5. Healing
For some Native American tribes, frogs were thought to have a healing capacity. That’s why some tribes even used frogs and their poison for some healing potions that were believed to bring eternal health for Native Americans. That meaning was not shared by all Native tribes, though – others perceived it as a negative symbol that brought illness and death.
6. Creativity
If you come across a tadpole and are questioning the potential meaning it can have on your life, then it can inspire you to get creative. That’s especially helpful if you’re undergoing a period of transition in your life and are looking to change a thing or two.
Tadpoles also go through a tough period of development and transformation. They’re creative and energetic by nature, so they can inspire you to be like that in your life, too.
7. Rebirth
A frog tadpole is also symbolic of rebirth and renewal. Partly, it’s because these animals are representatives of the Water element, which in itself means cleaning and rebirth. But these animals are very proficient breeders, which helps them keep their generations going.
When they undergo a breeding cycle, frogs are giving birth to new families of frogs that will carry their traditions forwards. And this cycle can be symbolic of rebirth.
Frog Spirit Animal
The frog spirit animal may help you undergo tough periods of transition and transformation in your life. They’re constantly evolving and transforming their entire lives, so they can give you guidance if you’re in transition yourself, whether you want it or not. It can also give you the determination to complete your transformation when you do it willingly.
It also tells you not to be afraid to change. Instead, you should look to embrace change and accept is a fact. All of us change in our lives, and you’ll have to accept it and carry on with your life if you want to strive in today’s world.
The frog spirit animal also signals abundance and a period of fertility in your life. Because a tadpole represents a sperm and frogs are so prolific breeders, they are indicating to you that you’re about to hit a period of abundance in your life. This might be in financial terms, or it may also mean that you’re about to expand your family and get a new family member.
This spirit animal also helps you jump over your obstacles in life and overcome obstacles that might seem too high for you. Frogs are capable of jumping 50 times the height of their size, which tells you that you should not be afraid of big challenges and take them on instead. It provides you some guidance on how to get over these issues yourself.
Frog Totem Animal
Those with the frog totem animal have a clear affinity towards the Water element. This means that you prefer the water over other elements and that you can do well even when rainy days come into your life.
You’re also someone who likes the night and you can consider yourself to be a Night person. This is because the frog is also closely tied to the Moon symbol. These animals do most of their work during the night, so this means that you prefer to stay active at night and you’re not much of a morning person.
The frog totem animal also allows you to pay close attention to your inner working and your emotions. You’re someone who’s closely tied to your emotions and are constantly in touch with your feminine energy. That can be a positive sign even if you’re a male – it’s telling you to listen to your feminine instincts sometimes, too.
Frogs in Dreams
What do frogs represent in dreams? Have you recently encountered one and are wondering what it can mean to you? Here’s what it might bring to your life.
A frog appears more frequently in dreams of females rather than males. When you see one in your dreams, you can closely connect it to an upcoming positive period in your life. It might mean that you’re about to hit a period of abundance in life, whether it’s in financial terms or in your personal life.
Alternatively, seeing a frog in your dreams means that you’re undergoing a transformation in your life. But you shouldn’t be scared of it – instead, this symbolism encourages you to embrace change in your life instead of fighting it.
Frogs might also appear in your dreams in different colors. For instance, a green frog symbolizes that you’re going through hard times but you’re capable of overcoming them with ease. A gold frog normally represents a period of abundance – especially a financial one. A red frog represents passion.
Conclusion
Frog symbolism has been present for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all saw the frog as the ultimate symbol of fertilty. Today, we mostly connect it to meanings of transformation and rebirth. And as a spirit animal, it’s telling you to not be afraid of change in your life.
I’m Chris and I run this website – a resource about symbolism, metaphors, idioms, and a whole lot more! Thanks for dropping by.