This list includes 49 Mythological creatures that start with A, from “Aatxe” to “Aziza”. These entries cover legendary monsters, spirits, hybrid animals, and folkloric beings useful for writers, researchers, teachers, and game designers.
Mythological creatures that start with A are non-human beings from global myths and folklore. The Basque “Aatxe” and West African “Aziza” show how cultures shape similar spirit types.
Below you’ll find the table with Origin, Description, and Famous stories.
Origin: Shows each creature’s culture or region, so you can place stories within geographic and historical context.
Description: Provides a concise summary of appearance, powers, and temperament so you can quickly assess each creature’s role.
Famous stories: Lists notable myths or works where the creature appears, helping you find primary tales and literary references.
Mythological creatures that start with A
| Name | Origin | Alternate spellings | Famous stories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aatxe | Basque mythology | Aatxegorri | Local Basque legends |
| Abada | Congolese folklore | Arassas | Reports by early European explorers |
| Abaia | Melanesian folklore | N/A | Solomon Islands folklore |
| Acheri | Folklore of India | N/A | Regional ghost stories |
| Achlis | Roman mythology | N/A | Pliny the Elder’s ‘Natural History’ |
| Adlet | Inuit mythology | Erqigdlet | The story of the ten-legged bear |
| Adze | Ewe folklore, Ghana and Togo | N/A | Local vampire folklore |
| Agogwe | East African folklore | Kakundakari, Agogure | Local oral traditions |
| Ahool | Javanese folklore | Athol | Reports from the island of Java |
| Ahuizotl | Aztec mythology | N/A | Florentine Codex |
| Aigamuxa | Khoikhoi folklore, Southern Africa | Aigamuchab | Traditional Khoikhoi stories |
| Aitvaras | Lithuanian mythology | Kaukas, Pūķis | Local household spirit tales |
| Akabeko | Japanese folklore | N/A | Legend of the Akabeko |
| Akhlut | Inuit mythology | N/A | Inuit oral traditions |
| Akkorokamui | Ainu folklore, Japan | N/A | Folklore from Uchiura Bay |
| Akupara | Hindu mythology | Maha-pudma | Puranas, Hindu cosmology |
| Al | Armenian and Persian folklore | Alk | Zoroastrian texts, regional folklore |
| Alicanto | Chilean folklore | N/A | Mining legends of the Atacama Desert |
| Alkonost | Slavic folklore | Alkonst | Lubochnye prints, Slavic mythology |
| Aloja | Catalan folklore | Dona d’aigua | Pyrenean folk tales |
| Alp | German folklore | N/A | Germanic nightmare lore |
| Alraune | German folklore | Mandragora, Mandrake | Medieval herbals, folktales |
| Amabie | Japanese folklore | Amabiko | Edo period woodblock prints |
| Amarok | Inuit mythology | Amaruq | Greenlandic folklore |
| Ammit | Egyptian mythology | Ammut, Ahemait | Book of the Dead |
| Amphisbaena | Greek mythology | Amphisbaenae | Pliny’s ‘Natural History’, Lucan’s ‘Pharsalia’ |
| Amphiptere | European heraldry | Amphithere, Amphitere | Medieval bestiaries, heraldic arms |
| Anansi | Akan folklore, West Africa | Ananse | Anansi the Spider tales |
| Androsphinx | Egyptian and Greek mythology | N/A | The Great Sphinx of Giza legend |
| Angel | Abrahamic religions | Malak | The Bible, The Quran, The Torah |
| Ankou | Breton folklore | N/A | Breton gwerz ballads |
| Ant-lion | Medieval European bestiaries | Myrmecoleon | The Physiologus |
| Ao Ao | Guaraní mythology | N/A | Legends of the Guaraní people |
| Aobōzu | Japanese folklore | Ao-bōzu, Blue Monk | Toriyama Sekien’s ‘Gazu Hyakki Yagyō’ |
| Apkallu | Mesopotamian mythology | Abgal | Epic of Gilgamesh, Erra and Ishum |
| Apsara | Hindu and Buddhist mythology | Accharā, Vidhya Dhari | Ramayana, Mahabharata |
| Aqrabuamelu | Akkadian mythology | Scorpion men | Epic of Gilgamesh |
| Aracne | Greek mythology | Arachne | Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’ |
| Aralez | Armenian mythology | Arlez | Moses of Chorene’s ‘History of Armenia’ |
| Arimaspi | Greek mythology | Arimaspians | Herodotus’ ‘Histories’ |
| Asanbosam | Akan folklore, Ghana | Asanbonsam | Folklore of the Ashanti people |
| Aswang | Philippine folklore | Asuwang | Numerous regional folk tales |
| Audumbla | Norse mythology | Auðumbla, Audhumla | Prose Edda |
| Aura | Greek mythology | Aurai | Nonnus’ ‘Dionysiaca’ |
| Avalerion | Heraldry and Indian mythology | Alerion | Medieval bestiaries, heraldic arms |
| Avanc | Welsh mythology | Addanc, Afanc | ‘Mabinogion’, Welsh poetry |
| Azeban | Abenaki folklore | N/A | Abenaki oral traditions |
| Azhi Dahaka | Zoroastrian mythology | Dahāg, Zahhāk | The Avesta, Shahnameh |
| Aziza | Dahomean folklore, West Africa | N/A | Fon and Ewe traditions |
Descriptions
Aatxe
A benevolent but fearsome spirit that often takes the form of a red bull. It is a guardian of caves and hidden treasures, punishing those who are greedy or dishonest.
Abada
A small, shy unicorn-like creature with two crooked horns. Its horns are said to be an antidote to any poison, making it a highly sought-after but elusive beast.
Abaia
A massive, magical eel that dwells in the freshwater lakes of the Solomon Islands. It is considered the protector of all lake creatures, fiercely attacking anyone who harms them.
Acheri
The ghost of a young girl who died tragically. She is said to descend from mountains at night to spread disease to children, recognizable by the red thread she wears.
Achlis
An elk-like creature with a stiff, jointless back leg, forcing it to sleep standing up. Its most notable feature is a perpetually drooping, large upper lip.
Adlet
A race of creatures with the lower body of a dog and the upper body of a human. They are known for being swift runners and in constant conflict with humans.
Adze
A vampiric spirit that takes the form of a firefly. It can pass through keyholes to suck the blood of its victims and can possess humans, turning them into witches.
Agogwe
A small, bipedal hominid cryptid covered in rust-colored fur, resembling a small ape-man. It is said to live in the forests of eastern Africa and is generally shy and reclusive.
Ahool
A giant, carnivorous bat or flying primate with dark grey fur and a monkey-like face. Named for its distinctive “ahool” cry, it is said to live in the deepest rainforests.
Ahuizotl
A monstrous, dog-like creature with a long tail ending in a human hand. It lured people to watery graves with a cry like a weeping baby, then ate their eyes and nails.
Aigamuxa
A race of man-eating humanoids with eyes on the insteps of their feet. To see, they must stop, get on all fours, and lift one foot into the air.
Aitvaras
A household spirit, often appearing as a black rooster with a fiery tail or a small dragon. It brings good fortune and stolen goods to the family it serves.
Akabeko
A legendary red cow from the Aizu region of Japan. A toy version is a popular folk charm believed to ward off illness, particularly smallpox, and bring good luck.
Akhlut
A dangerous, shapeshifting spirit that appears as a massive wolf on land and an orca in the sea. It often leaves wolf tracks leading directly to the ocean’s edge.
Akkorokamui
A gigantic, octopus-like monster from Uchiura Bay in Hokkaido. Its enormous body is said to be red and can be seen from great distances when it surfaces from the deep.
Akupara
A colossal World Tortoise that supports the entire world on its back. It is one of the ten avatars of the god Vishnu in some interpretations of Hindu scripture.
Al
A female demon that preys on pregnant women and newborns, attempting to steal their livers or lungs. She is often depicted as having fiery eyes, copper teeth, and messy hair.
Alicanto
A mythological bird that feeds on gold and silver. Its wings glow with metallic colors at night, and it is said to lead fortunate miners to rich veins of ore.
Alkonost
A legendary bird with the head and chest of a beautiful woman. It lives in the underworld and lays its eggs on the seashore, calming the sea for seven days.
Aloja
A female water spirit or nymph, often depicted as incredibly beautiful but with a flaw, such as goat’s feet. They live in freshwater caves and can be either benevolent or dangerous.
Alp
A malevolent male spirit responsible for causing nightmares. It sits on a sleeper’s chest, inducing terror and feelings of suffocation. It is similar to an incubus or the mare.
Alraune
A plant spirit that lives in a mandrake root, which is said to grow where a hanged man’s fluids have dripped. The root resembles a human, and it screams when pulled from the ground.
Amabie
A three-legged, mermaid-like yōkai with long hair, a beak, and a body covered in scales. It emerges from the sea to prophesy either a good harvest or a coming pandemic.
Amarok
A gigantic, solitary grey wolf that stalks and devours any person foolish enough to hunt alone at night. Unlike regular wolves, it always hunts by itself.
Ammit
A fearsome goddess and demon with the head of a crocodile, forequarters of a lion, and hindquarters of a hippopotamus. She devours the hearts of the unworthy dead.
Amphisbaena
A serpent with a head at each end of its body. This allows it to move forward or backward with equal ease and is said to have venomous fangs in both mouths.
Amphiptere
A type of winged serpent, sometimes described as a dragon-like creature but with only two feathered wings and no legs. It is a common symbol in European heraldry.
Anansi
A trickster spirit who often takes the form of a spider. Anansi is the keeper of all stories and uses his cunning and wit to outsmart more powerful opponents.
Androsphinx
A type of sphinx with the body of a lion and the head of a human male, often a pharaoh. It symbolizes power and protection, guarding temples and tombs.
Angel
A celestial being who acts as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God. Typically depicted as human-like with large wings, they serve as guardians and intermediaries for humanity.
Ankou
A personification of Death itself, not a demon. Often depicted as a tall, skeletal figure wearing a dark cloak and a wide-brimmed hat, he collects the souls of the dead.
Ant-lion
A hybrid creature with the head of a lion and the body of an ant. Its dual nature dooms it, as the lion’s half craves meat while the ant’s half can only digest grain.
Ao Ao
A monstrous and carnivorous creature resembling a peccary or sheep with immense claws. It is a fearsome beast that relentlessly hunts humans, who can only escape by climbing a sacred tree.
Aobōzu
A large, blue-skinned monk-like yōkai that is said to stand in wheat fields and kidnap children. The true nature and purpose of this imposing spirit remain largely a mystery.
Apkallu
Seven wise demigods, often depicted as human-fish hybrids, who served as advisors to the earliest kings of Sumer. They were created by the god Enki to bring civilization to mankind.
Apsara
Celestial nymphs of the clouds and waters, known for their beauty and grace. They are masterful dancers and consorts to the gods, and can change shape at will to test the virtue of mortals.
Aqrabuamelu
Fierce creatures with a human head, torso, and arms, but the lower body of a scorpion. They are guardians of the sun god Shamash and the gates to the underworld.
Aracne
A mortal woman who was a master weaver, she boasted she was better than the goddess Athena. After a contest, Athena transformed her into the very first spider as punishment for her hubris.
Aralez
Ancient dog-like spirits with wings. They were said to descend from the sky to lick the wounds of dead heroes, miraculously bringing them back to life on the battlefield.
Arimaspi
A legendary tribe of one-eyed people from northern Scythia. They were said to be in constant battle with griffins, from whom they would steal gold.
Asanbosam
A vampire-like humanoid that lives in trees and dense forests. It has iron teeth and hook-shaped feet, which it uses to snatch unsuspecting victims from above.
Aswang
A shapeshifting evil spirit, often a ghoul, vampire, or witch. By day, it appears as a normal townsperson, but at night it preys on humans, especially the unborn.
Audumbla
A primeval cow from the creation myth of Norse cosmology. From her udder flowed four rivers of milk that fed the first giant, Ymir. She licked the first god, Búri, from a block of ice.
Aura
Minor goddesses or nymphs who personified the gentle breezes of the air. They were often depicted as winged, beautiful maidens, sometimes shown driving chariots through the sky.
Avalerion
A mythological bird, often considered the king of birds. It is depicted in heraldry without a beak or feet, symbolizing a victory over earthly and carnal temptations.
Avanc
A lake monster from Welsh folklore, variously described as a giant beaver, a dwarf, or a crocodile. It was a demonic creature that caused floods and devoured anyone who came near its waters.
Azeban
A minor trickster spirit that takes the form of a raccoon. Unlike more malicious spirits, Azeban’s tricks are typically benign and playful, often involving stealing food.
Azhi Dahaka
An monstrous, three-headed, three-jawed, six-eyed dragon. It was a terrifying agent of the ultimate evil, Angra Mainu, and was filled with all manner of vile creatures.
Aziza
A race of benevolent, tiny, forest-dwelling fairies. They provide humans with practical and spiritual knowledge, especially hunters, and are known for their wisdom and magic.