Haunted Forest Name Generator

Cursed woods, hanging trees, and hollows that swallow lanterns

Magic & Supernatural500 names

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Generate haunted forest names that sound like places on an old parish map: gallows woods, drowned copses, folklore hollows, and forests named for the thing that waits inside them. Built for horror writers, D&D and Call of Cthulhu campaigns, Halloween trails, and open-world game maps.

About haunted forest names

The most frightening forest names are the ones locals would actually use. Real haunted woods like Hoia Baciu, the Black Forest, Wychwood, or the Aokigahara 'sea of trees' are plain place names with a reputation attached, and fiction follows suit: Mirkwood, the Forbidden Forest, and the Whispering Wood are ordinary words for ordinary trees. The menace comes from an unexplained detail, so a name like Gallows Hollow, Drownedwell Copse, or The Old Tannery Wood lands harder than anything with 'Death' or 'Demon' in it.

This generator mixes several naming traditions. English woodland words carry different weights: a Copse or Spinney is small and close, a Weald or Forest is vast, a Hollow is low ground where fog and water collect, and a Stand or Grove suggests something deliberately planted, possibly for a purpose nobody remembers. Folklore names pull from British, Germanic, Slavic, and American legends (Barghest Wood, the Erlking's Forest, Rusalka Hollow, Mothman Hollow), while a few continental names like Hexenwald or Le Bois des Pendus suit stories set abroad.

Use these for horror fiction, tabletop campaigns, survival and open-world game maps, or a Halloween hayride. For a named region, pair the forest with a nearby village or a specific tree so it feels documented rather than invented.

How to choose haunted forest names

  • Pick the woodland word to set the scale: Copse and Spinney for a small stand you can walk through in minutes, Hollow for a low, foggy dip, Forest or Weald for something you could be lost in for days.
  • Anchor the name in a plausible event or trade: The Miller's Drowning Wood, Pauper's Field Wood, or Hangman's Acre imply a history without a single horror cliché.
  • Borrow from a folklore tradition that matches your setting: Black Shuck and Barghest for England, Leshy and Rusalka for Slavic tales, Wendigo and Skinwalker for North American stories.
  • Give the forest one specific landmark (the Nine Hanged Oaks, the Burned Bride Wood) that characters can reference, so the place feels mapped rather than vaguely spooky.
  • Avoid stacking horror words; 'The Wood Where Nothing Sings' is scarier than 'Blood Skull Death Forest' because it describes an absence rather than a monster.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a haunted forest name sound scary?

Understatement and specificity. Famous haunted woods in fiction and folklore use plain place-name words (wood, hollow, pines, copse) attached to a surname, a trade, or a single unsettling detail. A name that sounds like it came off an old county map is more unnerving than one that announces itself as evil.

What is the difference between a wood, a forest, a copse, and a hollow?

A copse or spinney is a small cluster of trees; a wood is larger but still bounded; a forest or weald is vast and wild; a hollow is a low, sheltered dip in the land, often damp and foggy. Choosing the right word tells readers how lost a character can get.

Can I use these names for a Halloween attraction or a game?

Yes. The names are free to use for haunted trails, hayrides, escape rooms, indie games, D&D settings, and fiction. If you are printing signage or building a brand around one, do a quick search first to make sure a nearby attraction is not already using it.

How do I write a legend to go with the forest name?

Give it a date, a person, and one rule. 'Gallows Hollow, where the parish hanged poachers until 1788; nobody who enters after the church bell stops is seen again.' Two or three sentences are enough, and the rule gives characters something to break.

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All 500 haunted forest names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 10 names

  • Adder's Nest Thicket
  • Ankou's Forest
  • Apparition Wood
  • Ashbourne Woods
  • Ashenfall Forest
  • Ashgrave Forest
  • Ashgrove Hollow
  • Ashmoor Wood
  • Ashvale Forest
  • Ashwraith Forest

B: 32 names

  • Banshee Wood
  • Barghest Wood
  • Barrow Hollow
  • Barrowdown Forest
  • Bellwether Wood
  • Bigfoot's Hollow
  • Bittermere Woods
  • Bittern Woods
  • Black Shuck Hollow
  • Blackbriar Forest
  • Blackhallow
  • Blackmire Wood
  • Blackthorn Weald
  • Blackwater Bottoms
  • Bleaklow Forest
  • Bleakmoor Forest
  • Bleakwater Forest
  • Bleedingheart Forest
  • Blightmoor Wood
  • Blightwood
  • Blind Tom's Hollow
  • Bloody Bones Hollow
  • Boggart Hollow
  • Bois du Noyé
  • Bonechapel Wood
  • Bonehollow
  • Bonewood
  • Bosque de las Ánimas
  • Bosque Negro
  • Brambleback Forest
  • Bramblethorn Forest
  • Bugbear Hollow

C: 25 names

  • Cairnwood
  • Candlemas Forest
  • Candlewick Woods
  • Caoineag Forest
  • Carrion Hollow
  • Caulderwood
  • Charnel Hollow
  • Cinderbough Forest
  • Cindermere Forest
  • Cobbler's Gibbet Wood
  • Cockle Hollow
  • Cold Harbour Copse
  • Coldbarrow Forest
  • Coldgrave Woods
  • Coldwell Thicket
  • Corpsewood
  • Corvid Hollow
  • Cragfall Forest
  • Crookback Weald
  • Crowfall Forest
  • Crowmere Forest
  • Crowsbane Forest
  • Cruelwater Forest
  • Crypthaven Wood
  • Cryptwood

D: 16 names

  • Darkling Hollow
  • Darkmere Woods
  • Deadman's Dyke Forest
  • Dimwater Forest
  • Direwood
  • Dogman Forest
  • Dolorous Wood
  • Draugr Forest
  • Dread Hollow
  • Dreadfall Forest
  • Dreadmoor Wood
  • Drearhollow
  • Drownedwell Copse
  • Duskhallow Woods
  • Duskridge Wood
  • Dusktide Woods

E: 4 names

  • Eldergloom Forest
  • Eldritch Hollow
  • Ember Hollow
  • Erlking's Forest

F: 11 names

  • Fallowgrave Forest
  • Fennmoor Forest
  • Ferryman's Wood
  • Fogbound Copse
  • Forest of Bones
  • Forest of Hollow Eyes
  • Forest of Shrouds
  • Forest of the Drowned
  • Forest of the Hanged
  • Forêt des Âmes Perdues
  • Foxglove Hollow

G: 25 names

  • Galgenwald
  • Galloper's Wood
  • Gallows Hollow
  • Gallows Weald
  • Gallowsgate Forest
  • Geisterwald
  • Ghastwood
  • Ghostbriar Wood
  • Ghostwater Woods
  • Glasswater Woods
  • Gloamwood
  • Gloomhollow
  • Gloommere Woods
  • Gloomreach Forest
  • Gorecroft Wood
  • Gorsebane Forest
  • Gravemoor Forest
  • Gravesend Forest
  • Graveswood
  • Gravethorn Forest
  • Greyhallow Wood
  • Grimhollow
  • Grimsby Weald
  • Grimwold
  • Grisedale Forest

H: 26 names

  • Haggard Hollow
  • Hagsbottom Wood
  • Hagthorn Hollow
  • Hagwood
  • Hangman's Acre
  • Hangman's Copse
  • Harlow Hollow
  • Harrowdeep Forest
  • Harrowgate Forest
  • Harrowmere Forest
  • Haunt Hollow
  • Hemlock Hollow
  • Hexenwald
  • Hexmoor Forest
  • Hobb's Lantern Wood
  • Hobgoblin Hollow
  • Hollow Crown Wood
  • Hollow Glen
  • Hollowbrook Forest
  • Hollowfell Forest
  • Hollowheart Wood
  • Hollowmere Woods
  • Hollowmoor Woods
  • Hollowshade
  • Hookman Hollow
  • Hushwater Forest

I: 1 name

  • Ironthorn Forest

J: 1 name

  • Jersey Devil Pines

K: 3 names

  • Kettlebottom Forest
  • Kikimora Thicket
  • Krampus Wood

L: 8 names

  • La Forêt des Ombres
  • Lantern Hill Forest
  • Lanternlight Woods
  • Le Bois des Pendus
  • Leshy Forest
  • Lost Soul Hollow
  • Lycan Hollow
  • Lych Gate Wood

M: 22 names

  • Mab's Hollow
  • Marrowdeep Forest
  • Mirefall Forest
  • Mirewood
  • Mirkmoor Forest
  • Moaning Hollow
  • Moonless Hollow
  • Moorgrave Woods
  • Moorsedge Woods
  • Moorwraith Wood
  • Morgrave Forest
  • Moroi Hollow
  • Morrow Hollow
  • Morrowdark Forest
  • Moss Maiden's Wood
  • Mossgrave Woods
  • Mothman Hollow
  • Mourning Hollow
  • Mourningwood
  • Mournwater Forest
  • Murkwold
  • Murmur Hollow

N: 14 names

  • Nachzehrer Wood
  • Nebelwald
  • Nettlebane Woods
  • Nettlemoor Forest
  • Nightfall Weald
  • Nightgrave Forest
  • Nightgrove Hollow
  • Nightmare Hollow
  • Nightmoth Forest
  • Nightshade Copse
  • Nightwell Forest
  • Nine Wells Wood
  • Ninebanks Forest
  • Nuckelavee Forest

O: 4 names

  • Old Sarum Hollow
  • Old Scratch's Forest
  • Oldgrave Wood
  • Ossuary Forest

P: 7 names

  • Pallid Hollow
  • Parson's Folly Wood
  • Peatmoor Wood
  • Pendle Forest
  • Poltergeist Hollow
  • Pricker's Wood
  • Priest Hole Wood

R: 15 names

  • Ratherwood
  • Ravenhollow Forest
  • Ravenmoor Forest
  • Ravensbeck Forest
  • Ravenscar Forest
  • Ravensthorn Forest
  • Ravenswood
  • Rawhead Forest
  • Redcap Wood
  • Redmire Forest
  • Revenant Forest
  • Rookery Hollow
  • Rotwood
  • Ruinwood
  • Rusalka Hollow

S: 36 names

  • Sable Thicket
  • Sableridge Forest
  • Saddlegrave Forest
  • Saint Ursula's Thicket
  • Sallow Hollow
  • Sallowbrook Wood
  • Saltgrave Woods
  • Scarrow Wood
  • Schwarzhain Forest
  • Scratch Hollow
  • Screechwood
  • Selva Oscura
  • Shadewald
  • Shadewater Woods
  • Shadewell Forest
  • Shadowfen Forest
  • Shiverlake Forest
  • Shriekmoor Woods
  • Shriekthorn Forest
  • Sixpenny Copse
  • Skinwalker Forest
  • Slaughterwell Wood
  • Slender Wood
  • Sluagh Wood
  • Sombermere Forest
  • Sombre Hollow
  • Sorrowmere Wood
  • Sorrowthorn Forest
  • Sorrowvale Forest
  • Spectre Wood
  • Stagbone Wood
  • Stillgrave Forest
  • Stillwater Pines
  • Stumpcross Forest
  • Sullen Hollow
  • Sunkenwell Forest

T: 210 names

  • Tallow Hollow
  • Tarnmoor Forest
  • Tarrowmere Forest
  • The Ashen Forest
  • The Ashen Stand
  • The Baba Yaga Pines
  • The Beacon Fire Wood
  • The Bean-Nighe Pool Wood
  • The Bell Witch Wood
  • The Bitter Spinney
  • The Black Bog Wood
  • The Black Elm Wood
  • The Black Heart Wood
  • The Black Larches
  • The Blackdamp Pines
  • The Blackened Grove
  • The Bleak Alders
  • The Bleeding Birches
  • The Blind Oaks
  • The Bloodroot Thicket
  • The Bone Orchard
  • The Broken Pines
  • The Burnt Chapel Wood
  • The Carrion Birches
  • The Changeling Grove
  • The Chantry Copse
  • The Charcoal Burner's Wood
  • The Choking Briar
  • The Churchyard Yews
  • The Clawed Birches
  • The Coffin Copse
  • The Cold Oaks
  • The Crawling Pines
  • The Creeping Thicket
  • The Crooked Pines

T, continued

  • The Culvert Pines
  • The Dark Spinney
  • The Dead Man's Larches
  • The Dead Spinney
  • The Drifting Grove
  • The Drowned Ash Grove
  • The Drowned Forest
  • The Drowned Maiden's Grove
  • The Drowning Copse
  • The Dryad's Graveyard
  • The Dullahan Ride
  • The Dybbuk Wood
  • The Dyer's Pool Copse
  • The Erlkönig Ride
  • The Famine Grove
  • The Fetch's Copse
  • The Fiddler's Rest Wood
  • The Fog Pines
  • The Forest of Hanged Lanterns
  • The Forest of Long Shadows
  • The Forest of Lost Footsteps
  • The Forest of Sighs
  • The Forest of Unquiet Graves
  • The Forest That Remembers
  • The Forest That Walks
  • The Forgotten Dead Wood
  • The Forgotten Wood
  • The Forsaken Wood
  • The Fox Pines
  • The Friar's Grave Copse
  • The Gallows Birches
  • The Gasping Fen Wood
  • The Ghost Pines
  • The Ghoul Pines
  • The Gibbet Grove

T, continued

  • The Gnawing Thicket
  • The Goatman Bridge Wood
  • The Grave Yews
  • The Gravedigger's Copse
  • The Grey Lady's Copse
  • The Grinning Wood
  • The Gytrash Pines
  • The Hag's Spinney
  • The Haint Wood
  • The Half-Light Copse
  • The Hanged Man's Copse
  • The Hanging Wood
  • The Haunt of Hesketh Wood
  • The Haunted Larches
  • The Haunting Pines
  • The Hexed Grove
  • The Hidden Dead Wood
  • The Hollow at Ninefold Cross
  • The Hollow Oaks
  • The Hollow of Ashes
  • The Hollow of Bells
  • The Hollow of Hushed Voices
  • The Hollow of Lost Lanterns
  • The Hollow Stumps
  • The Howling Spinney
  • The Howling Wood
  • The Hungry Wood
  • The Keening Pines
  • The Kelpie Thicket
  • The Knacker's Wood
  • The Knotted Wood
  • The Lament Pines
  • The Lantern Wood
  • The Lantern-Eyed Wood
  • The Last Light Copse

T, continued

  • The Leaning Alders
  • The Leper Chapel Pines
  • The Lich Pines
  • The Lichen Pines
  • The Lime Kiln Wood
  • The Long Dark Wood
  • The Lost Acre
  • The Lost Children's Wood
  • The Lost Path Wood
  • The Miller's Drowning Wood
  • The Mist-Choked Wood
  • The Mistwood
  • The Moaning Elms
  • The Mourner's Thicket
  • The Mute Wood
  • The Nightjar Wood
  • The Nine Crows Wood
  • The Nine Hanged Oaks
  • The Old Gallows Wood
  • The Old Mill Race Copse
  • The Old Tannery Wood
  • The Old Witch's Wood
  • The Orphan Grove
  • The Owl Pines
  • The Pale Birch Wood
  • The Pale Hollow
  • The Pallid Grove
  • The Parish Bounds Wood
  • The Perchten Pines
  • The Phantom Glade
  • The Plague Cross Pines
  • The Plague Pit Pines
  • The Plague Wood
  • The Poacher's Copse
  • The Quarryman's Pines

T, continued

  • The Rake's Thicket
  • The Raven's Rest Wood
  • The Reaping Grove
  • The Restless Wood
  • The Rook Pines
  • The Rotting Grove
  • The Seven Hanged Wood
  • The Sexton's Spinney
  • The Shade Thicket
  • The Shrouded Grove
  • The Sighing Pines
  • The Silent Pines of Hesk
  • The Silent Stand
  • The Silver Gibbet Grove
  • The Skeleton Wood
  • The Sleeping Dead Wood
  • The Snuffed Lantern Copse
  • The Sorrowing Stand
  • The Spider Pines
  • The Stalking Pines
  • The Starving Pines
  • The Still Pines of Mourning
  • The Still Wood
  • The Stiller Wood
  • The Strangled Oaks
  • The Stranglewood
  • The Strangling Fig Wood
  • The Strigoi Forest
  • The Sunken Wood
  • The Swinging Wood
  • The Tithe Barn Wood
  • The Toll Bell Grove
  • The Tommyknocker Grove
  • The Trapper's Wood
  • The Trembling Aspens

T, continued

  • The Twisted Yews
  • The Unholy Grove
  • The Unkindness
  • The Unlit Grove
  • The Unseen Thicket
  • The Vanishing Grove
  • The Wailing Glen
  • The Wailing Pines
  • The Wailing Widow Wood
  • The Wanderer's End Wood
  • The Watcher's Copse
  • The Watching Wood
  • The Weeping Birches
  • The Weeping Willow Wood
  • The Whispering Pines
  • The Whispering Thorn
  • The Whispering Weald
  • The Wicker Grove
  • The Wickerman Wood
  • The Widow Harrow's Pines
  • The Witch Hazel Wood
  • The Wolf Pines
  • The Wolfsbane Copse
  • The Wood at Harkness Cross
  • The Wood Where Nothing Sings
  • Thistlecrown Forest
  • Thornback Forest
  • Thornhallow Forest
  • Thornhollow Weald
  • Thornwake Woods
  • Thornwraith Forest
  • Throttlebriar Wood
  • Tilly Whim Forest
  • Tinker's Hollow
  • Totenwald

U: 2 names

  • Ullswater Pines
  • Umbra Wood

V: 5 names

  • Vailmoor Woods
  • Varrowmere Forest
  • Vesperwood
  • Vexmoor Woods
  • Vodyanoy Wood

W: 23 names

  • Weirdwood
  • Wendigo Forest
  • Whisperthorn Forest
  • Widow's Thicket
  • Widowmaker Forest
  • Wight's Weald
  • Wild Hunt Hollow
  • Will-o'-Wisp Hollow
  • Winterbane Forest
  • Wintermoor Woods
  • Wispwood
  • Witchhollow
  • Withering Hollow
  • Witherstock Forest
  • Witherwood
  • Woebegone Wood
  • Wolfpit Wood
  • Wolfsgrave Hollow
  • Wormwood Forest
  • Wraithglen
  • Wraithmere Forest
  • Wraithwood
  • Wretchwood