Here you’ll find 20 Mythological creatures that start with Y, organized from “Yacumama” to “Yurei”. They range from water giants and fox spirits to restless ghosts, useful for readers, writers, teachers, and game designers.
Mythological creatures that start with Y are non-human beings from folk traditions, like monsters, spirits, and legendary animals. For example, the “Yacumama” appears in South American river lore as a huge water serpent.
Below you’ll find the table with Origin, Description, and Famous stories.
Origin: You see the culture or region where each creature comes from, helping you place it geographically and historically.
Description: A concise 20–40 word summary of traits and appearance, so you quickly understand each creature’s key features.
Famous stories: Provide one or two named myths or works where the creature appears, giving you sources for further reading or inspiration.
Mythological creatures that start with Y
| Name | Alternate spellings | Origin | Famous stories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yokai | Yōkai, Youkai | Japanese (East Asia) | Japanese folktales, Edo-period illustrated works |
| Yurei | Yūrei, Yurei, Yuurei | Japanese (East Asia) | Ugetsu Monogatari, countless ghost tales |
| Yuki-onna | Yukionna, Yuki Onna | Japanese (East Asia) | Japanese folktales, Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan |
| Yamata-no-Orochi | Yamata no Orochi, Orochi | Japanese (Japan) | Kojiki, Nihon Shoki |
| Yatagarasu | Yatagarasu | Japanese (Japan) | Kojiki, imperial myths |
| Yama-uba | Yamauba, Yamanba | Japanese (Japan) | Japanese folktales, mountainous legends |
| Yaksha | Yakṣa, Yaksa | Indian (South Asia) | Ramayana, Mahabharata |
| Yakshini | Yakshi, Yakshini | Indian (South Asia) | Classical folklore, temple sculptures |
| Yali | Vyala, Yali | South Indian (Indian subcontinent) | Temple sculpture traditions, South Indian lore |
| Yacumama | Yacumama, Yakumama | Amazonian (Peru, Ecuador) | Amazonian legends, indigenous tales |
| Yacuruna | Yacuruna, Yacurúna | Amazonian (Peru, Colombia) | Shamanic tales, Amazonian folklore |
| Yara-ma-yha-who | Yara-ma-yha-who | Australian Aboriginal (Australia) | Aboriginal Dreamtime tales |
| Yeti | Abominable Snowman | Himalayan (Tibet, Nepal) | Himalayan folklore, mountaineering reports |
| Yeren | Yeren | Chinese (China) | Chinese local legends, cryptid reports |
| Yowie | Yowie | Australian (Australia) | Australian bush legends, modern sightings |
| Yule Goat | Julbock, Yule-goat | Scandinavian (Nordic) | Norse Yule traditions, seasonal customs |
| Yule Cat | Jólakötturinn, Yule Cat | Icelandic (Iceland) | Icelandic folktales, Christmas legends |
| Ypotryll | Ipotryll, Ypotril | Medieval Europe (Heraldry) | Medieval bestiaries, heraldic records |
| Yumboe | Yumboes, Yumbos | Senegambia (West Africa) | Wolof oral tales, travel accounts |
| Yamabito | Yamabito, Yamabito | Japanese (Japan) | Mountain folk tales, rural legends |
Descriptions
Yokai
Umbrella term for Japanese supernatural beings and monsters; includes spirits, demons, shapeshifters, tricksters, and strange apparitions from folk belief and literature, very diverse in form and behavior.
Yurei
Traditional Japanese ghosts of the dead who linger due to strong emotion; pale, long-haired spirits often bound by grudges or unfinished business, appearing at night to haunt the living.
Yuki-onna
A spectral snow woman who appears during blizzards to freeze or steal life; sometimes vengeful, sometimes tragic, often beautiful and icy, linked to winter and cold deaths.
Yamata-no-Orochi
Gigantic eight-headed, eight-tailed serpent slain by the storm god Susanoo; a monstrous river-serpent that demanded sacrifices, famed for its size and multiple heads.
Yatagarasu
A mythical three‑legged crow acting as a divine messenger; guides emperors and heroes in Japanese myth, often associated with heavenly guidance and omens.
Yama-uba
Mountain hag or crone spirit known for living in remote peaks; sometimes cannibalistic, sometimes protective, depicted as wild-haired, shape‑shifting woman of the mountains.
Yaksha
Nature spirits in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions; guardians of treasure and natural places, ambivalent beings ranging from benevolent caretakers to mischievous or fierce guardians.
Yakshini
Female counterparts to yakshas; earth and fertility spirits often depicted as beautiful, seductive semi-divine figures in art and local stories.
Yali
Hybrid mythical beast seen in Hindu temple sculpture combining lion, elephant, sometimes horse features; a protective, composite guardian in South Indian art and myth.
Yacumama
Massive river or lake serpent of Amazonian folklore; believed to be a giant water monster that eats boats and controls waterways, feared by river communities.
Yacuruna
Water-dwelling spirit or humanoid of Amazonian myth, often inverted human-like with aquatic features; associated with shamanic journeys, enchantment, and river mysteries.
Yara-ma-yha-who
Small, red, frog-like vampire creature that ambushes victims from trees, drains blood, swallows and regurgitates them in altered form; a cautionary predator of Aboriginal stories.
Yeti
Large, ape-like cryptid of Himalayan folklore; described as shaggy, bipedal snow-dweller reputed in mountain legends and modern expedition tales.
Yeren
Chinese “wild man” cryptid of remote mountains; described as large, hairy humanoid in folklore and modern sightings, akin to a regional Bigfoot figure.
Yowie
Australian wild-man or cryptid found in Aboriginal and settler tales; large, hairy bipedal creature reported in bushland folklore and contemporary reports.
Yule Goat
Festive folkloric creature originally a pagan Yule symbol; goat figure linked to seasonal rituals, gift-bringing and later Christmas customs, sometimes wild or mischievous.
Yule Cat
Huge, monstrous cat that prowls at Yule, said to eat those who don’t receive new clothes for Christmas; a folkloric warning around holiday season.
Ypotryll
Fantastical heraldic beast with boar head, camel body, ox feet, and long scorpion-like tail; a chimera-like medieval monster appearing in manuscripts and coats of arms.
Yumboe
Small, pale supernatural beings from Senegambian folklore; nocturnal fairies who dance and serve chiefs, known in European retellings and local oral tradition.
Yamabito
Mountain people of Japanese folklore—mysterious non-human or liminal folk living in remote ranges; sometimes helpful, sometimes eerie, linked to remote landscapes.