Here are this year's most popular Halloween costumes, according to Google's Frightgeist
Halloween is just days away, so that means, time is running out to find a costume. Since the grand holiday is on a Saturday this year, and since we get an extra hour of sleep this weekend because we set the clocks back, there's really no reason not to celebrate. For those seeking a last-minute costume, Google's Frightgeist, which collects data on the top trending searches for Halloween costumes, can give you some suggestions.
Let's look at some of 2026's most popular Halloween costumes.
Some of this year's biggest horror movies have inspired this year's most popular Halloween costumes
2026 has been a great year for the horror genre, and that's saying a lot, considering 2025 delivered the Oscar-winning movies Sinners, Weapons, and Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. But this year gave us some horror characters that are likely to be just as iconic in the long run as Amy Madigan's performance as Aunt Gladys in Weapons. Here's a look at some of the most popular horror costumes.
Buddy the Unicorn from the movie Buddy - This one comes as a bit of a surprise. Buddy, the killer unicorn from the movie of the same name, is the most popular adult costume this year. The movie is a dark twist on a children's TV show in which the Barney-like character murders kids. He has his own catchy jingle, too.
Nikki from Obsession - This one comes as less of a surprise. Obsession is one of the highest grossing movies of the year, even outside of the horror genre, so it makes sense that Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette, is the third most popular adult costume this year. Nikki is the crush of the lovelorn Bear (Michael Johnston). His wish that she loves him back, however, leads to a far more violent and obsessed version of Nikki.
Captain Clark from Backrooms - Few horror sequences were as creepy as the Captain Clark scene from Backrooms. The peg-leg monster is the stuff of nightmares, and also the eleventh most popular adult Halloween costume this year.
Dr. Frank-n-Furter - This year saw the loss of genre icon Tim Curry. Most likely because of this, his unforgettable role as Dr Frank-n-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show is another top costume choice for adults this year, currently clocking in at 22.
Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, and NeeDoh are also popular Halloween costumes in 2026
Few singers were beloved as much as Dolly Parton, who unfortunately passed away in 2026. Fans are celebrating her life and legacy by dressing up as her. She's the 12th most popular adult costume and the most popular kids' costume. Another country music icon, Kenny Rogers, is another adult costume favorite, currently trending at 14.
Other pop culture icons topping the list of adult costumes this year include NeeDoh, which is a brand of squishy toys, Agamemnon from The Odessey, Verity from Minecraft, Bowser Jr. and Princess Rosalina from Super Mario Brothers, and Lily Love Braids from Poppy Playtime.
Besides trending adult and kids' costumes, Google Frightgeist also lists popular pet and duo costumes. Topping the pet list is a centipede, while Dolly Parton is the second most popular option for pets. Just imagine how cute your dog would look with a blonde wig. Meanwhile, Disco Scobby and Shaggy, Jean Grey and Cyclops from The X-Men, and Nikki and Bear from Obsession are the three most popular duo costumes.
With Halloween just mere days away, there's still a little bit of time to find a costume. There are plenty of options and some could be done on the cheap, especially Bear or Nikki from Obsession, or even Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. For a list of ideas, or to check out what else has inspired people this year, visit Google Frightgiest.
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