Booger Man
In Appalachian and Southern folklore, "Booger Man" is the regional name for the boogeyman - a supernatural figure used to scare children or explain eerie happenings. It’s part of a rich ghost and haint tradition in the mountains and the South.
I'd say 'Booger Man' is more of a old timers one. But I've heard it. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- Folklore Figure / Ghost or Monster
Better behave - the Booger Man will get you if you don’t.I’m comin’ inside!- General Scary Presence
Don’t go up there after dark - there’s boogers in them woods.I ain’t goin’ without a lantern.Origin
From British "bogeyman" and "bugbear." Settlers brought the term to the American South, where it shifted to "booger man" in pronunciation. In Appalachia, "booger" became a catch-all for supernatural beings, feeding ghost stories and even the Cherokee "Booger Dance" tradition.
Notes
Still part of Appalachian and Southern storytelling. "Booger Man" and "booger" may be used interchangeably for ghosts or haints in oral tradition. Outside the region, people usually say "boogeyman."
- Booger Man - the main folklore figure or ghostly threat
- Boogerman - variant spelling/pronunciation
- Boogeyman - standard English term
- Booger - in ghost tales, a scary presence or haint
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: often "the booger man" or "boogerman," with "booger" pronounced "boo-gur."