Tales of ghosts date back to ancient times and have played a role in a huge variety of cultures worldwide.
Ghost stories as old as five thousand years have been found! In ancient Mesopotamia, for example, people believed that each death created a “gidim,” or ghostly image of the person at the time of their death.[1]
A clay tablet created around 1500 BCE in ancient Babylon is thought to include the earliest visual depiction of a ghost. It even includes directions for getting rid of a ghost![2]
Not all things ghostly are purely spooky. Ghosts can be funny, too, as seen in movies like “Ghostbusters.”
Below, we have the list of funny ghost names, plus a name generator and tips to help you come up with your own unique options.
Polly the Poltergeist
Demonica
Boo[3]
Tombstone[4]
Humphrey Bogart
inspired by the classic Hollywood actor nicknamed “Bogie,” which is also a synonym for “ghost”
Mrs. Grim
The Helpful Demon[5]
The Roaming Angel[5]
Ghostess With the Mostest[6]
Mr. Boogedy[7]
Happy Haunter
Misty
Spooks McSpook
Diablo[4]
The Shivering Reaper[4]
Free Spirit
Ghostie
The Wandering Guest[5]
The Screaming Terror[8]
Sally Specter
The Midnight Sentinel[4]
Shadow
Nightmare[4]
Invisiboy
short for “invisible boy”
Angel of Terror[8]
Dr. Deadman
Cyclops[4]
The Gruesome Doll[4]
Phyllis the Phantom
The Pleasant Guest[5]
The Weeping Screamer[4]
Mr. Graves
Cloud[3]
Boo Yorker
Cute Spook
Soul-dier[9]
Boo Marley[9]
a play on Bob Marley
Funny Ghost Name Generator
How to Create Your Own Funny Ghost Names
There are endless opportunities to create unique, funny names for a ghost!
Keep these tips in mind to help you brainstorm:
- Think of a ghost’s characteristics. What do you picture when you think of a spirit? If you imagine a floating, translucent being, you might choose a name like “Misty” or “Cloud,” inspired by how it looks. If you picture a dark creature that holds a grudge, you might choose a name like “Shadow” or “Diablo.”
- Get inspiration from history and folklore. There are so many ghost stories and myths worldwide. You can take inspiration from these to find an excellent ghost name! Look into cultures you’re unfamiliar with for options that will seem new and fascinating. For example, suppose you’re most familiar with European ghost stories. In that case, you might look to East Asia for stories like Korea’s egg ghost (a spirit with no limbs or facial features) or Japan’s Hitodama (floating balls of fire representing human souls).
- Avoid the obvious. Though it’s great to get inspiration from ghost stories, some of the ghost names you’ll find there are already highly well-known, like “Casper” or “Bloody Mary.” Avoid using options like these if you want something truly unique and funny!