A Naiad is a water nymph from Greek mythology associated with freshwater sources like springs, rivers, and lakes, often depicted as beautiful young women who are life-giving and sometimes possess healing powers. The term also refers to an aquatic insect nymph, a genus of submerged plants (Najas), a moon of Neptune, and a dataflow computing system. In popular culture, it's the name of a video game about a water nymph.

In mythology and biology

• Mythology: Naiads are nymphs of freshwater, daughters of river gods, and are seen as protectors of their waters, sometimes with dangerous or jealous tendencies.
• Biology: It can refer to the nymph stage of aquatic insects like dragonflies or mayflies, or to the Najas genus of aquatic plants.