60+ Ghost Names 👻 Spooky, Cute & Funny Ideas for 2026

I’ve always thought ghosts get a bad rap. Sure, the movies show them rattling chains and slamming doors, but let’s be honest — most of the ghosts we actually love are the soft, silly, slightly dramatic ones. The kind who’d photobomb your Halloween pictures, not ruin your sleep. Last October I helped my neighbor’s kid name her bedsheet ghost costume for a school parade, and we spent an entire evening giggling over whether “Sir Boos-a-Lot” was too much (it was not).

Naming a ghost — whether it’s for a story, a Halloween baby, a pet in a tiny ghost costume, or your new gaming avatar — is one of those small joys that deserves a proper list. This collection has 60+ ghost names across every vibe: cute, spooky, funny, famous, and downright haunting. Every name comes with its meaning, origin, and a little personality sketch so you can pick the one that feels like yours.

Cute Ghost Names

Some ghosts are just too sweet to scare anyone. These are the names for the friendly spirits — the ones who’d share your candy and pose for selfies. Perfect for Halloween babies, kids’ costumes, and anyone who thinks spooky season should be adorable.

Boo – Meaning: the classic sound a baby ghost makes / Origin: English, pop culture / Traits: adorable, timeless, playful

Wisp – Meaning: a tiny flickering spirit light / Origin: English / Traits: delicate, twinkling, gentle

Spooks – Meaning: an affectionate word for a friendly ghost / Origin: English slang / Traits: cute, silly, loving

Mochi – Meaning: soft and squishy, like the sweet rice cake / Origin: Japanese / Traits: sweet, round, huggable

Pudding – Meaning: soft, sweet, and comforting / Origin: English / Traits: cozy, soft, yummy

Taffy – Meaning: the chewy Halloween candy / Origin: English / Traits: stretchy, sweet, fun

Lulu – Meaning: precious little one / Origin: Swahili / Traits: bubbly, bright, happy

Peanut – Meaning: tiny and completely beloved / Origin: English nickname / Traits: tiny, cute, beloved

Spooky Ghost Names

Now for the ghosts that actually give you goosebumps. These names carry real weight — pulled from folklore and old languages, the kind of names that make a hallway feel longer and the air feel colder. Use them for horror stories, haunted-house characters, or gamer tags that mean business.

Morrigan – Meaning: phantom queen of battle / Origin: Irish mythology / Traits: powerful, dark, regal

Spectre – Meaning: an apparition, something feared / Origin: Latin / Traits: chilling, looming, eerie

Banshee – Meaning: the wailing woman of the hills / Origin: Irish folklore / Traits: mournful, piercing, ominous

Wraith – Meaning: a thin, pale ghost / Origin: Scottish / Traits: gaunt, silent, haunting

Phantom – Meaning: a shadowy, elusive figure / Origin: Greek / Traits: elusive, mysterious, ominous

Haunt – Meaning: one who lingers where they died / Origin: English / Traits: restless, eerie, lingering

Shade – Meaning: a spirit of the dead / Origin: English / Traits: shadowy, cold, quiet

Revenant – Meaning: one who returns from the dead / Origin: French / Traits: relentless, vengeful, undead

If these sent a proper shiver down your spine, you’ll love our collection of monster names — 700+ more dark, fierce, and legendary ideas from every corner of mythology.

Funny Ghost Names

Ghosts are funniest when they don’t take themselves seriously. This section is pure comedy — puns, pop-culture twists, and names that will get a laugh before the scare. Ideal for party costumes, group chats, and that one friend who dresses up every single year.

Boo Berry – Meaning: the spooky cereal mascot / Origin: pop culture / Traits: silly, breakfast-y, iconic

Sheet Ghost – Meaning: the classic two-holes Halloween costume / Origin: English / Traits: simple, classic, lazy-but-funny

Casper the Unfriendly Ghost – Meaning: a grumpy twist on the friendly one / Origin: pop culture twist / Traits: grumpy, sarcastic, funny

Boo-hoo – Meaning: the ghost that cries from laughing too hard / Origin: English / Traits: dramatic, weepy, comical

Sir Boos-a-Lot – Meaning: a knightly pun on “kiss-a-lot” / Origin: English pun / Traits: punny, charming, silly

Ghost Malone – Meaning: the pop-star pun / Origin: pop culture pun / Traits: musical, chill, famous-ish

Boo Turner – Meaning: the soulful singer pun / Origin: pop culture pun / Traits: soulful, groovy, retro

The Great Boodini – Meaning: the escape-artist pun / Origin: English pun / Traits: magical, sneaky, showy

Ghost Names for Boys

Whether it’s a little boy’s costume, a character in your story, or a baby born right in spooky season, these male ghost names range from gentle to gothic. Each one has a story baked right in.

Casper – Meaning: treasurer, the friendly ghost / Origin: Persian / Traits: kind, gentle, friendly

Ash – Meaning: pale and drifting, like ashes / Origin: English / Traits: quiet, smoky, calm

Cole – Meaning: dark as coal / Origin: English / Traits: brooding, dark, steady

Bram – Meaning: raven, after Bram Stoker / Origin: Irish / Traits: gothic, literary, dark

Edgar – Meaning: wealthy spearman, after Poe / Origin: Old English / Traits: gloomy, poetic, mysterious

Damian – Meaning: to tame, with a devilish edge / Origin: Greek / Traits: mischievous, sharp, bold

Silas – Meaning: of the forest / Origin: Latin / Traits: shadowy, wild, quiet

Viktor – Meaning: conqueror / Origin: Latin / Traits: commanding, eerie, strong

Ghost Names for Girls

Female ghost names have a special kind of magic — part moonlight, part mystery. From tragic literary heroines to names that simply sound like they belong in a haunted ballroom, these are perfect for characters, costumes, and October babies.

Lenore – Meaning: light, Poe’s lost love / Origin: Greek, literary / Traits: mournful, beautiful, eternal

Ophelia – Meaning: help, Shakespeare’s tragic maiden / Origin: Greek / Traits: delicate, tragic, poetic

Esmeralda – Meaning: emerald / Origin: Spanish / Traits: vibrant, mystical, bold

Seraphine – Meaning: the burning one / Origin: French/Hebrew / Traits: radiant, fiery, otherworldly

Vesper – Meaning: the evening star / Origin: Latin / Traits: twilight, calm, dreamy

Lilith – Meaning: of the night / Origin: Mesopotamian folklore / Traits: wild, powerful, defiant

Corvina – Meaning: like a raven / Origin: Latin / Traits: dark, clever, sleek

Annabelle – Meaning: loving, the famous haunted doll / Origin: French / Traits: eerie, doll-like, famous

Looking for more bewitching ideas? Our witch names collection has 60+ magical, dark, and enchanting picks that pair perfectly with a ghostly theme.

Famous Ghost Names from Movies, Books & Folklore

Some ghosts are so legendary they don’t need introductions. Borrowing a famous ghost name is a shortcut to instant recognition — everyone at the party will get it. Here are the icons.

Moaning Myrtle – Meaning: the Hogwarts bathroom ghost / Origin: Harry Potter / Traits: whiny, lonely, iconic

Nearly Headless Nick – Meaning: the Gryffindor house ghost / Origin: Harry Potter / Traits: jolly, proper, nearly-headless

The Headless Horseman – Meaning: the pumpkin-headed rider / Origin: Washington Irving’s legend / Traits: terrifying, legendary, headless

Slimer – Meaning: the green glutton ghost / Origin: Ghostbusters / Traits: slimy, hungry, funny

The Grey Lady – Meaning: Ravenclaw’s ghost / Origin: Harry Potter / Traits: wise, sad, elegant

Jacob Marley – Meaning: Scrooge’s chained partner / Origin: Dickens’ A Christmas Carol / Traits: warning, chained, regretful

The Flying Dutchman – Meaning: the doomed ship’s captain / Origin: maritime legend / Traits: cursed, eternal, stormy

Bloody Mary – Meaning: the mirror legend / Origin: folklore / Traits: creepy, urban-legend, mirror-bound

Pet Ghost Names

Dressing your pet up as a ghost for Halloween and then NOT giving them a ghost name? Missed opportunity. These work for black cats, white dogs, or any pet with a slightly haunted stare — which, let’s face it, is most cats.

Spooky – Meaning: the obvious classic / Origin: English / Traits: festive, fun, fitting

Pumpkin – Meaning: round and orange / Origin: English / Traits: sweet, round, autumnal

Howler – Meaning: for the vocal ones / Origin: English / Traits: loud, dramatic, spooky

Midnight – Meaning: dark as the witching hour / Origin: English / Traits: sleek, mysterious, black

Phantom – Meaning: the sneaky pet / Origin: Greek / Traits: sneaky, quiet, elegant

Ziggy – Meaning: playful little spirit / Origin: German nickname / Traits: zippy, fun, lively

Casper – Meaning: for the white-furred friend / Origin: Persian / Traits: gentle, white, sweet

Boo – Meaning: tiny and adorable / Origin: English / Traits: small, cute, beloved

Dark & Haunting Ghost Names

And finally, the heavy hitters — names for ghosts that don’t knock politely. These are built from Latin, old folklore, and pure atmosphere. Save them for villains, horror writing, and usernames that should never be messed with.

Noctis – Meaning: of the night / Origin: Latin / Traits: shadowy, vast, cold

Malachai – Meaning: my messenger, with a dark edge / Origin: Hebrew / Traits: ominous, ancient, stern

Obsidian – Meaning: black volcanic glass / Origin: English / Traits: sharp, black, unbreakable

Tenebris – Meaning: darkness itself / Origin: Latin / Traits: pitch-black, heavy, endless

Samael – Meaning: venom of God, angel of death / Origin: Hebrew / Traits: severe, angelic, feared

Dread – Meaning: pure fear / Origin: English / Traits: chilling, heavy, inescapable

Hollow – Meaning: empty and echoing / Origin: English / Traits: empty, echoing, vast

Umbra – Meaning: shadow / Origin: Latin / Traits: dark, silent, creeping

For the full pack of night creatures, check out our werewolf names — wild, fierce ideas that go hand in hand with the darkest ghosts on this list.

Conclusion

Ghosts might be the most fun thing to name on the planet, because the rules are wonderfully loose. A ghost can be Boo or Banshee, Casper or Tenebris — cute, terrifying, or both at once — and nobody will blink. That’s the whole charm of spooky season: it’s the one time of year when the line between adorable and eerie gets delightfully blurry.

So whether you picked a name for your kid’s costume, your story’s restless spirit, your pet’s Halloween debut, or just your own October mood, I hope one of these 60+ ghost names felt like it was already yours. If it did, say it out loud once — the good ones always sound better that way.

FAQs

What are some good ghost names?

Great ghost names depend on the vibe you want. Cute picks include Boo, Wisp, and Mochi; spooky ones include Banshee, Wraith, and Morrigan; and funny ones include Ghost Malone and Sir Boos-a-Lot. Pick a name whose personality matches your ghost’s story.

What is a cute name for a ghost?

Boo, Wisp, Spooks, Mochi, Pudding, and Peanut are all adorable ghost names. They work beautifully for kids’ costumes, Halloween babies, and friendly story characters.

What are some scary ghost names?

For maximum chills, go with Banshee, Revenant, Spectre, Tenebris, or Noctis. Names drawn from folklore and Latin tend to sound the most genuinely haunting.

What should I name my pet for Halloween?

Spooky, Pumpkin, Midnight, Phantom, and Howler are perfect pet ghost names. They suit black cats, white dogs, and any pet with a dramatic streak — especially in a tiny ghost costume.

What are famous ghost names from movies?

The most famous ghost names include Casper, Moaning Myrtle, Nearly Headless Nick, Slimer from Ghostbusters, the Headless Horseman, and Jacob Marley from A Christmas Carol.

What is a good ghost name for a girl?

Lenore, Ophelia, Seraphine, Vesper, and Esmeralda are beautiful ghost names for girls. They range from tragic and poetic to radiant and mystical.