200+ Scary Names for Monsters

You ever notice how every October, like clockwork, we all start obsessing over monster names again? I mean, maybe you’re browsing for the perfect Halloween costume, naming a creature in your horror short story, or just falling down the rabbit hole of a monster name generator at 2 a.m. (been there). Whatever pulls you in, there’s something weirdly magnetic about scary monster names—like they carry this deep cultural weight. You say Kraken or Wendigo, and instantly there’s a whole atmosphere, a mood, a shiver.

What I’ve found is that these names don’t just scare—they signal. They tell you who the villain is, what kind of evil you’re dealing with, and often, how doomed you are. Whether it’s ancient folklore or a campy 80s horror flick, the naming conventions behind creepy creatures evolve with our fears. In gaming, you’ll find that horror monster names have their own subgenre logic, right? (Think: Eldritch vs. viral mutation vs. just plain demonic.) Same goes for Halloween lore—America’s got its own flavor of spooky, from pumpkin-headed tricksters to shadowy basement things that really don’t need names… but still get them.

So, if you’re looking to tap into that eerie tradition—or twist it—I’ll walk you through what makes a monster name stick, spook, and sometimes scar. Let’s dig in.

Nightmarish & Psychological

Demonic & Infernal

Undead & Spectral

Predatory & Bestial

Eldritch & Cosmic

Shadow & Darkness

Names cherry

Ancient & Mythological

Corrupted & Twisted