These are the top trending Halloween costumes of 2026, according to Google

Ready or not, spooky season is upon us, and Google just unveiled Frightgeist, giving us a terrifying peek into the minds of costume shoppers around the country. (Frightgeist compiles the top searches related to Halloween, from costumes to candy.)

According to Google Trends, Halloween 2026 is going beyond your basic ghosts and vampires. This year’s lineup is a mix of pop culture, niche lore and a little ridiculousness. People are searching for everything from Buddy the Unicorn and Hazel Hook (from Descendants) to Oliver Tree, Dungeon Crawler Carl and Agamemnon straight out of The Odyssey. But the real prize for unhinged creativity goes to the surprising number of people interested in dressing up as a squishy NeeDoh stress ball. Nothing says "Halloween spirit" quite like chronic anxiety.

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Couples thinking outside the box (or coffin?) too. There are those who are playing it safe as Wall-E and Eve, Woody and Bullseye or Cyclops and Jean Grey. But why be normal when you can hit the block as Disco Scooby and Shaggy, Talladega Nights’ Ricky and Carley Bobby or Joe Dirt and Brandy? Yes, those costumes are trending too.

Of course we can’t forget our four legged friends. Like it or not, canine  and feline companions are set to be humiliated with top-trending costumes like Dolly Parton, Tow Mater, Princess Donut and a literal Baked Potato. Other trending pet costumes include a giant Centipede, a Roach or a refreshing can of Diet Coke.

Aside from costume inspo, Google is also serving as a full-service Halloween survival kit. Use it to create a low-effort costume from closet finds, curate a horror movie watchlist, build the ultimate spooky playlist or master trick-or-treat makeup. Grab a handful of top-searched KitKats or Reese's, check Frightgeist's searchable trending map to make sure you won't be wearing the same costume as your neighbor down the street and get ready to make this your scariest Halloween yet.

The top trending Halloween costumes of 2026, according to Google

1. Buddy the Unicorn
2. NeeDoh
3. Nikki (from Obsession)
4. Agamemnon (from The Odyssey)
5. Lily Love Braids (from Poppy Playtime)
6. Oliver Tree
7. Verity (from Minecraft)
8. Carl (from Dungeon Crawler Carl)
9. Disco Scooby Doo
10. Hazel Hook (from Descendants)