This list includes 14 Mythical creatures that start with J, from “Jack-in-Irons” to “Jörmungandr”. They span household spirits, tricksters, shapechangers, and colossal serpents, useful for students, writers, gamers, and educators.

Mythical creatures that start with J are legendary beings whose names begin with the letter J across world traditions. A notable example is Jörmungandr, the Norse world-serpent that encircles Midgard.

Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Description, and Famous stories.

Name: Use the creature’s primary name and common variants so you can identify entries quickly and cross-reference.

Origin: Brief cultural or geographic tag showing where the creature appears, helping you place it in context.

Description: One-line summary that highlights key traits and appearance to help you compare creatures at a glance.

Famous stories: Titles or myth names where the creature appears, so you can follow up on notable accounts.

Mythical creatures that start with J

NameOriginAlternate namesFamous stories/sources
JackalopeAmerican folkloreWarrior rabbitFearsome Critters lumberjack folklore, Douglas Herrick’s popularization (1930s)
Jack-in-IronsEnglish folkloreGiant of the ChainsYorkshire legends, Ruth Tongue’s Forgotten Folk-tales
Jack-o’-lanternIrish and British folkloreWill-o’-the-wisp, Corpse candleThe legend of Stingy Jack, Irish folk tales
JaculusGreco-Roman mythologyJavelin-snakePliny the Elder’s Naturalis Historia, Lucan’s Pharsalia, Medieval bestiaries
Jasy JatereGuaraní mythologyJaci JaterêParaguayan folklore, Legends of the Guaraní people
JenguCameroonian folkloreMiengu (plural)Sawa ethnic group traditions
JianChinese mythologyBìyìniǎo (比翼鳥)Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing), Erya dictionary
JiangshiChinese folkloreHopping vampire, Geung siImperial Chinese folklore, Pu Songling’s Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
JikininkiJapanese BuddhismHuman-eating ghostShasekishū (Collection of Sand and Pebbles), Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan
JinnArabian mythologyDjinn, GenieThe Quran, One Thousand and One Nights
JörmungandrNorse mythologyMidgard Serpent, World SerpentProse Edda, Poetic Edda
JorōgumoJapanese folkloreEntangling bride, Whore spiderGazu Hyakki Yagyō by Toriyama Sekien, Edo period legends
JotunnNorse mythologyJötunn, Frost Giant, Rime-ThursProse Edda, Poetic Edda
JubokkoJapanese folkloreVampire Tree, Tree from hellYōkai encyclopedias, Shigeru Mizuki’s works

Descriptions

Jackalope
A mythical jackrabbit with antelope horns, said to be a shy but vicious creature of the American West that can mimic human voices.
Jack-in-Irons
A fearsome, chain-bound giant who haunts lonely roads. He ambushes travelers, clubs them to death, and carries their bodies away to eat.
Jack-o’-lantern
A ghostly light, said to be the soul of a man named Jack who was barred from both heaven and hell, doomed to wander the earth with a burning coal.
Jaculus
A small winged serpent or javelin-snake that hides in trees and launches itself onto prey below like a spear.
Jasy Jatere
A small, magical being, often depicted as a fair-haired child who carries a golden staff and can lure children to get lost in the jungle.
Jengu
A beautiful, mermaid-like water spirit believed to be a mediator between humans and the spirit world, capable of healing the sick and bringing good fortune.
Jian
A mythical bird born with only one eye and one wing, requiring a mate to fly. It represents inseparable love and marital fidelity.
Jiangshi
A reanimated corpse that moves by hopping with its arms outstretched. It kills living creatures to absorb their life force, or qi.
Jikininki
The ghosts of greedy individuals cursed to rise from their graves each night to seek out and devour human corpses as a form of penance.
Jinn
A supernatural spirit made from smokeless fire. Possessing free will, they can be good, evil, or neutral and can influence humankind.
Jörmungandr
A colossal sea serpent and child of Loki, so enormous that it encircles the entire world, biting its own tail until Ragnarök.
Jorōgumo
A spider yōkai that can transform into a beautiful woman to seduce, trap with silk, and devour unsuspecting young men.
Jotunn
A member of a mythical race of giants who are the ancestral enemies of the Æsir gods, often associated with untamed nature and chaos.
Jubokko
A demonic tree that grows on old battlefields. It appears normal but captures passersby with its branches to suck their blood.
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