A cryptid is a creature whose existence has been claimed but not verified by scientific consensus, such as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster.

What does Cryptid mean?

It comes from the Greek "κρύπτω" (krypto) meaning "hide," and refers to creatures known only through unverified reports.

How do you use Cryptid?

People use "cryptid" to label unproven creatures in fan art, folklore videos, and cryptozoology discussions online.

Is Cryptid still popular?

Cryptid fandom has been active for decades through art communities and cryptozoology sites documenting alleged sightings.

Cryptid

Q: Where did Cryptid come from?

The term was coined by John E. Wall in a 1983 letter to the International Society of Cryptozoology newsletter.

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Published August 17, 2026

Cryptid is the umbrella term for creatures like Bigfoot, Mothman, and the Loch Ness Monster whose existence is claimed but never proven by science. Coined by John E. Wall in a 1983 cryptozoology newsletter, it grew from a niche field label into an internet-wide shorthand for mysterious beasts, fan art, and folklore content.

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Overview

Cryptid is the term for a creature whose existence has been claimed but never confirmed by scientific consensus1. The word covers legendary animals like Bigfoot, Mothman, the Chupacabra, and the Loch Ness Monster, all reported through eyewitness accounts and blurry photos but never verified by researchers3. It's a cryptozoology term, and it sometimes extends to cryptobotany for plants that fall in the same unproven category2.

Online, cryptids became a favorite subject for fan art, folklore videos, and horror storytelling. Artists built galleries around invented and reimagined cryptids on DeviantArt, giving the word a bigger life beyond academic cryptozoology circles6. The Know Your Meme entry documents the term's spread as an internet umbrella label for mysterious creatures4.

Gallery

Origin & Background

Platform

Print newsletter (coined) / DeviantArt and Tumblr (online spread)

Creator

John E. Wall

Date

1983

The word cryptid was coined by John E. Wall in a 1983 letter to the International Society of Cryptozoology newsletter1. Before Wall's usage, "cryptid" described a member of the zoological subfamily Cryptinae, part of the ichneumon wasp family2. The "crypt-" prefix comes from Greek and means hidden or secret, which fit Wall's intent for creatures known only through folklore and unverified sightings4.

How It Spread

Interest in cryptids grew alongside websites documenting alleged sightings, like the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization's archive of encounter reports3. Regional cryptids became local tourism draws, most famously in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, home of Mothman lore5. Cryptozoology blogs like Cryptomundo tracked new claims and kept fans supplied with cases to debate1.

The term went fully mainstream through art communities and forums. On DeviantArt, the cryptid-creatures group formed around illustrated monsters and speculative designs6. That art scene fed into a broader "cryptidcore" aesthetic on Tumblr and later TikTok, mixing grainy photos, forest imagery, and folklore-inspired storytelling4.

How to Use This Meme

People typically use "cryptid" as an umbrella label for any unverified creature, from classic monsters like Bigfoot to invented ones drawn for fun. It commonly shows up in fan art captions, spooky short-form videos, and community posts on forums covering unexplained sightings and folklore6.