LIST OF DRAGON TYPES AND TERMS

NOTE: This is list is by no means complete or comprehensive. It is merely here to show you the wide
range of variety available in dragons worldwide, and to encourage the use of different terms and types.
If you want to learn more feel free to come into my ask box, or do further research on your own.

EUROPE

1. Dragon
a. Umbrella term for fantastical serpents and reptiles of various origins, descriptions, and
personalities.
b. Four legged, winged dragon.
2. Wyvern
a. Two legged, winged dragon.
3. Drake
a. Wingless, four legged dragon.
b. Synonym for dragon.
4. Wyrm
a. Limbless serpent dragon.
b. Old English word for dragon.
c. Alternate Spellings: Orm, Worm, Wurm.
d. NOTE: Do not use to refer to East Asian or Native American dragons. This word is heavily
steeped in European cultures and often has negative connotations.
5. Amphiptere
a. Winged serpent dragon.
b. NOTE: Do not use for Mesoamerican Plumed Serpents. See Wyrm for reasons why.
6. Linnorm
a. Two legged, wingless dragon.
b. Scandinavian term for dragon.
c. Alternate Spellings: Lindorm, Lindwyrm, Lindworm, Lindwurm.
7. Drakon
a. Greek Serpent Dragon.
b. Origin Word for “Dragon.”
8. Drakaina
a. Female Greek Serpent Dragon.
9. Draco
a. Latin for “Dragon.”
b. Derived from “Drakon.”
10. Hydra
a. Multi-headed Dragon.
b. Specifically, the Lernaean Hydra, a Drakiana.
11. Zmej
a. Slavic dragon, often depicted with multiple heads and fiery breath.
b. Alternate Spellings: Zmey, Zmaj, Zmij, Zmiy
12. Tarasque
 a. French River Dragon, depicted with the head of a lion, the legs of a bear, of which it had
six, the shell of a turtle, and the tail of a serpent.
13. Guivre
a. Serpent dragons of France.
b. Shares a word origin with Vouivre and Wyvern.
14. Vouivre
a. Eyeless, female dragon. Often depicted with breasts. Has a jewel on its head with which
it sees.
b. Shares a word origin with Guivre and Wyvern.
15. Ziliant
a. Russian dragon often depicted as either a wyvern or winged serpent, however some
depictions do show four legs.
16. Y Ddraig Goch
a. Red dragon depicted on the Welsh flag.
17. Basilisk
a. Small serpent, less than a foot in length, with a gaze so deadly it can transform the land
into desert.
18. Cockatrice
a. Hybrid creature between a serpent and a chicken. Descended from the Basilisk and just
as deadly.

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

1. Tiamat
a. Mesopotamian primordial Goddess of the Salt Sea.
b. Arguably the first dragon.
2. Sirrush
a. Dragons depicted on the Ishtar Gate. Four legs, wingless.
b. Alternate Name: Mussushu.
3. Apep
a. Egyptian serpent of destruction and Chaos.
b. Alternate Name: Apophis.
4. Ayida-Weddo
a. Voodoo Loa of fertility, rainbows, fire, water, wind, and Serpents.
b. Rainbow Serpent.
5. Wadjet
a. Cobra goddess of Egypt; can be depicted with wings.
6. Akhekhu
a. Egyptian dragon, shown with four legs and a serpentine body.
7. Ninki Nanka
a. West African water dragon.
8. Leviathan
a. Sea dragon of Hebrew origin.
9. Lotan
a. Canaanite sea dragon.
 b. Most likely shares an origin with The Leviathan.
10. Persian Dragons
a. Similar in temperament to European dragons, though art depicts them with an East
Asian body type.

ASIA

1. Long
a. Chinese dragon, often possessing four or five toes.
b. Alternate Spelling: Lung.
c. Select Types (there are others).
i. Fucanglong
1. Hidden Treasure Dragon.
2. Guards the treasures of the Earth, both natural and Manmade.
ii. Tianlong
1. Celestial Dragon.
2. Serves the gods.
iii. Shenlong
1. Spiritual Dragon.
2. Brings the Rain.
iv. Yinglong
1. Responsive Dragon.
2. Winged dragon, said to be the final stage of a dragon’s life cycle.
2. Ryu/Tatsu
a. Japanese dragons, often possessing three toes.
b. Tatsu is the native name, Ryu is the adaptation of the Chinese word Long.
3. Wani
a. Sea dragons/monsters of Japanese myth.
4. Yong
a. Korean dragons, often possessing four toes.
b. Alternate Spelling: Ryong.
5. Imoogi
a. Korean serpents said to become dragons.
6. Rong
a. Vietnamese dragons.
7. Naga
a. Indian Cobra/Serpent dragons, most commonly found in Hinduism and Buddhism.
b. When brought to China and Japan by Buddhism the Naga were conflated with the native
dragons, with myths and beliefs mixing and combining.
c. NOTE: In Pop Culture the Naga has become synonymous with a human snake hybrid.
While ancient art does depict them this way from time to time there is reason to
believe, based on myths, that this depiction was meant symbolically rather than literally.
8. Druk
a. White thunder dragon found on the flag of Bhutan.
9. Neak
 a. Multiheaded Cobra dragons of the Khmer people.
10. Bakunawa
a. Eclipse causing sea dragon of the Philippines.

AMERICAS

1. Plumed Serpent
a. Feathered serpent, often wingless in traditional art. Is the deity of many Mesoamerican
peoples.
i. Aztec: Quetzalcoatl.
ii. Maya: Kulkulkan.
2. Xiuhcoatl
a. Feathered, turquoise serpent of the Aztec, associated with fire.
3. Horned Serpent
a. Antlered serpent found in the myths of the indigenous peoples of North America.
b. Names Include: Uktena, Olobit, Uhktehi, Pita-skog, Mishi-ginebig.
4. Piasa
a. Fictional dragon created by a European explorer. Most likely based on a depiction of the
Underwater Panther or Mishipeshu.
5. Snallygaster
a. Bird-like dragon said to inhabit the hills near Washington, D.C. and Frederick County,
Maryland.
6. Pal Rai Yuk
a. Sea monster of Inuit legend. Depicted as a crocodile like creature, covered in fur, and
possessing six legs and two heads.

OTHER

1. Rainbow Serpent
a. Water and Life deity which takes the form of a rainbow colored serpent.
b. Found in both Australian and African myths.
2. Mo’o
a. Gecko dragons of Hawaiian myth.
3. Taniwha
a. Ocean going sea reptiles of Maori myth. On land depicted as lizards or tuataras, in the
water depicted as sharks or whales.
4. Sea Serpents
a. Ocean dwelling dragons found worldwide.
5. Lake Monster
a. Lake dwelling dragons found worldwide.