Here you’ll find 29 Mythical creatures that start with D that begin with D, organized from “Dactyl” to “Dökkálfar”. Many entries span global traditions, from dragons and dwarves to lesser-known folk spirits.
Mythical creatures that start with D are legendary beings and monsters from worldwide folklore and myth. They include familiar figures like dragons and obscure regional spirits, often tied to origin stories or moral lessons.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Description, Notable stories, and Alternate names.
Name: The creature’s common or scholarly name, so you can quickly locate specific entries and references.
Origin: The culture or region where the creature appears, helping you place it within mythological traditions.
Description: A brief 1–2 sentence summary of traits and behavior, so you can compare creatures quickly.
Notable stories: One to three famous tales or source titles where the creature appears, useful for further reading.
Alternate names: Common variants and synonyms, so you can recognize the creature across different texts and traditions.
Mythical creatures that start with D
| Name | Alternate names | Origin | Notable sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon | Drake, Wyrm | Various (Global) | Beowulf, Chinese myths, Norse sagas |
| Djinn | Jinn, Genie | Arabic/Islamic | Quran, One Thousand and One Nights |
| Doppelgänger | Doppelgaenger | German | German folklore, Romantic literature |
| Dryad | Hamadryad, Tree nymph | Greek | Homeric Hymns, Ovid |
| Dwarf | Dvergr, Dwarf (pl. dwarves) | Norse | Poetic Edda, Prose Edda |
| Draugr | Draug | Norse/Icelandic | Icelandic sagas, Poetic Edda |
| Dullahan | Dullaghan | Irish | Irish folklore, County Kerry tales |
| Duende | Demonillo, Duende (Spanish) | Iberian/Latin American | Spanish folktales, Flamenco lore |
| Dokkaebi | Tokkaebi | Korean | Korean folktales, Samguk yusa |
| Domovoi | Domovoy | Slavic | Russian folklore, Folktale collections |
| Drekavac | Drekavatz | South Slavic (Balkan) | Balkan folktales |
| Dobhar-chú | Dobhar Chú, King Otter | Irish | Irish folklore, County Leitrim tales |
| Dhampir | Dhampyr | Balkan | Balkan vampire lore, Folktales |
| Dahu | Dahu (also dahu) | Alpine (French/Swiss) | Alpine folk tales, Mountain prank stories |
| Dybbuk | Dibbuk | Jewish | Kabbalistic texts, Yiddish folklore |
| Dziwożona | Dziwożona, Mamuna | Polish/Slavic | Polish folklore collections |
| Dactyl | Dactyls | Phrygian/Greek | Greek myth accounts, Hesiod |
| Dipsa | Dipsa (venomous worm) | Medieval Bestiaries | Medieval bestiaries, Pliny references |
| Daeva | Daevah, Div | Persian/Zoroastrian | Avesta, Shahnameh |
| Dökkálfar | Dokkalfar, Dark elves | Norse | Poetic Edda, Prose Edda |
| Demon | Daemon, Fiend | Various (Global) | Bible, Various mythologies |
| Dantalion | Dantalian | Grimoires/Occult tradition | Lesser Key of Solomon, Medieval grimoires |
| Div | Deev, Divs | Persian/Central Asian | Shahnameh, Persian epics |
| Daidarabotchi | Daidarabocchi | Japanese | Japanese regional folklore |
| Douen | Douwen, Dwen | Trinidadian/Caribbean | Trinidad folklore, Oral tales |
| Dingonek | Dingonek (Lake monster) | East African | Early 20th-century explorer accounts, Local lore |
| Diwata | Anito (overlap), Diyata | Philippine | Philippine epics, Indigenous folklore |
| Drude | Drude (night hag) | German | Medieval German folklore, Witchcraft lore |
| Deer Woman | Ohkwari/other regional names | Native American (various tribes) | Native American folktales, Oral traditions |
Descriptions
Dragon
Large serpentine or reptilian legendary creatures appearing worldwide, associated with fire, wisdom, treasure, or chaos; forms and symbolism vary greatly by culture.
Djinn
Supernatural beings of smokeless fire in Islamic tradition, possessing free will and magical powers; can be benevolent, tricksters, or malevolent influencers of humans.
Doppelgänger
A paranormal double or exact lookalike of a living person, often seen as an omen or harbinger of misfortune in Germanic legend and literary tradition.
Dryad
Female nature spirits bound to particular trees; harming the tree harms the dryad. Common figures in classical myths and later nature lore.
Dwarf
Short, skilled craftsmen and miners of Norse myth, famed for metalwork and magical artifacts, usually dwelling underground or in mountains.
Draugr
Undead revenants who guard treasure, exert uncanny strength, and sometimes shapeshift; Norse examples of animated corpses or revenants.
Dullahan
A headless horseman who carries his head and foretells death; rides a black steed and is a terrifying omen in Irish legend.
Duende
A small spirit or goblin of Iberian and Latin American lore, linked to houses, mischief, or artistic inspiration, especially in music and dance.
Dokkaebi
Korean goblin-like beings armed with magical clubs; tricksters who can reward or torment humans depending on cleverness and hospitality.
Domovoi
Household spirit protecting the home and family; helpful when respected, mischievous or dangerous if offended.
Drekavac
A wailing, childlike undead said to arise from unbaptized infants’ souls; its cry predicts misfortune in South Slavic tales.
Dobhar-chú
A giant aquatic “water hound” of Irish legend, described as otter-like and fiercely territorial in lakes and rivers.
Dhampir
The offspring of a vampire and human in Balkan folklore, often depicted as immune to vampirism and skilled vampire-hunters.
Dahu
A humorous legendary mountain goat with unequal leg lengths adapted to steep slopes; traditionally used in regional tall-tale pranks.
Dybbuk
A restless, often malicious spirit that possesses the living, requiring exorcism; prominent in Jewish mystical and folktale traditions.
Dziwożona
A swamp or forest spirit that kidnaps infants and leaves changelings; associated with childbirth dangers and water spirits.
Dactyl
Mythic mountain smiths and magicians in Greek/Phrygian lore, credited with metalworking skills and the invention of certain rites.
Dipsa
A tiny mythical serpent or worm whose bite allegedly caused madness or fatal dissolution; appears in medieval natural lore.
Daeva
Malevolent supernatural beings in Zoroastrian tradition, later representing demons or monstrous foes in Persian epic literature.
Dökkálfar
Dark elves of Norse cosmology, associated with the earth and magic; sometimes conflated with dwarves in medieval sources.
Demon
Broad category of supernatural beings often malevolent or morally ambiguous, appearing across cultures as tempters, punishers, or chaotic spirits.
Dantalion
A named spirit from demonological grimoires, described as a duke of Hell with deep knowledge of human thoughts and forms.
Div
Monstrous, often demonic beings in Persian and Central Asian epic tradition, frequently depicted as enemies of heroes.
Daidarabotchi
Colossal yokai in Japanese tales, said to be giant beings whose movements shaped mountains, lakes, and landscapes.
Douen
Childlike forest spirits with backward feet that lure or mimic children; part of Caribbean Afro-Indigenous folklore.
Dingonek
A cryptid-like aquatic predator from East African lake folklore, described in regional reports and colonial-era accounts.
Diwata
Nature and ancestor spirits of Philippine myth, often guardians of forests, mountains, and waters, honored in rural rites.
Drude
A nightmare-causing hag in German tradition, blamed for sleep paralysis and bad dreams; later associated with witches.
Deer Woman
A spirit who can appear as a beautiful woman or deer, often luring or punishing those who disrespect nature or engage in immoral acts.