Here you’ll find 19 Mythical creatures that start with Z that begin with Z, organized from “Zagan” to “Zorya”. Use this list for research, character design, classroom activities, and quick reference.

Mythical creatures that start with Z are legendary beings whose names begin with the letter Z. They include figures from demonology, Slavic folklore, and Greco-Roman tradition, such as the Zagan and Zorya.

Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Description, Alternate names, and Notable stories.

Name: The creature’s common name you use to identify and search for entries quickly across texts and media.

Origin: Cultural origin or region gives you context about where the creature appears and its traditional background.

Description: A concise one- to two-sentence summary that gives you key traits, typical appearance, and usual behavior.

Alternate names: Other names, spellings, or variants so you can cross-reference terms used in different cultures and translations.

Notable stories: Notable tales, myths, or source titles that point you to where the creature appears and what to read next.

Mythical creatures that start with Z

NameAlternate namesOriginFamous sources
ZizZīzJewish mythologyBabylonian Talmud; Midrash
ZombieZombiHaitian Vodou (Afro‑Caribbean)Haitian folklore; ethnographies
Zmey GorynychZmei Gorynych, ZmeyEast Slavic folkloreRussian fairy tales; byliny (Dobrynya Nikitich)
ZmeyZmei, zmeySlavic folkloreSlavic folktales; regional epics
ZilantZilantTatar/Kazan legendsKazan legends; Tatar folklore
ZlatorogGoldhorn, ZlatorogSlovenian Alpine folkloreSlovenian folktales; “Legend of Zlatorog”
ZanaZana e MalitAlbanian folkloreAlbanian oral tradition; epic songs
ZaltysŽaltysLithuanian folkloreLithuanian folktales; folk belief
ZburătorZburator, ZburătorRomanian folkloreRomanian ballads; folk tales
ZmeuZmeuRomanian folkloreRomanian fairy tales (Făt‑Frumos tales)
ZduhaćZduhac, zduhačSouth Slavic/Balkan folkloreBalkan folk tales; ethnographic accounts
Zashiki‑warashiZashiki‑warashīJapanese folkloreIwate and Aomori tales; household legends
ZemiZemí, CemiTaíno (Caribbean)Taíno mythology; archaeological records
ZoryaZaria, ZoryiSlavic mythologySlavic myths; folklore
ZarZar, ZārHorn of Africa & Middle EastEthiopian and Egyptian possession cult studies
ZaganZaganWestern grimoires (medieval demonology)Ars Goetia; Lesser Key of Solomon
ZeparZephar, ZeparWestern grimoires (medieval demonology)Lesser Key of Solomon
ZaratanZaratán, ZaratanMedieval bestiary & sailors’ loreMedieval bestiaries; sailors’ tales
ZimwiZimwiEast African (Swahili) folkloreSwahili folktales; coastal legends

Descriptions

Ziz
Gigantic bird of Jewish myth, likened to a griffin and rival to Leviathan and Behemoth; rules the skies in Talmudic and later medieval tales.
Zombie
Reanimated corpse or controlled living person in Haitian Vodou; later globalized as the “undead,” rooted in Atlantic slavery‑era folklore and ethnographic accounts.
Zmey Gorynych
Multi‑headed, fire‑breathing dragon from Russian epics, commonly fought by heroes like Dobrynya; symbolizes chaotic forces in Slavic tales.
Zmey
Generic Slavic dragon/serpent figure, variously portrayed as monstrous foe or protective being across Eastern European myths.
Zilant
Winged snake‑dragon and heraldic beast of Kazan; appears in Tatar legends as both guardian and fearsome creature.
Zlatorog
White chamois with golden horns whose blood guards a treasure; central to Slovenian mountain legend and moral tales.
Zana
Mountain nymph or fairy who aids or curses heroes; prominent in Albanian epic poetry and folk belief.
Zaltys
Sacred grass‑snake spirit in Lithuanian myth, regarded as a household protector linked to fertility and ancestral worship.
Zburător
Night‑flying lover spirit that visits young women in dreams, sometimes aiding or seducing them in Romanian lore.
Zmeu
Ogre or dragon‑like antagonist in Romanian epics, often kidnaps princesses and battles the hero Făt‑Frumos.
Zduhać
Regional spirit‑hero who leaves his body to battle storms and protect communities, attested in Montenegrin and Serbian lore.
Zashiki‑warashi
Childlike household spirit believed to bring prosperity; a sighting foretells good fortune, absence warns of misfortune.
Zemi
Ancestral spirit or carved deity central to Taíno religion, often embodied in ceremonial figures called zemí.
Zorya
Two or three guardian star goddesses who watch the cosmic hound and protect the world in Slavic belief and ritual.
Zar
Spirit associated with possession cults across Ethiopia and Sudan; rituals called zar placate and negotiate with possessing spirits.
Zagan
Goetic spirit depicted as a king or president in grimoires, reputed to transform substances and teach logic in occult texts.
Zepar
Demon of love and war in medieval grimoires, depicted as a commander among spirits within occult tradition.
Zaratan
Giant sea‑animal—turtle‑ or whale‑like—appearing in medieval accounts, often mistaken for islands or vast creatures at sea.
Zimwi
Monstrous being in Swahili coastal tales, sometimes cannibalistic or sea‑related, appearing in East African folk narratives.
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