Buddy the Unicorn, the kids’-show host from the horror movie Buddy, is the No. 1 trending Halloween costume of 2026 on Google’s Frightgeist list, ahead of NeeDoh and Nikki from Obsession. Buddy also tops Frightgeist’s horror movie list, and Michael Myers and the Headless Horseman made the kid and pet lists.
Google’s Top 25 Trending Halloween Costumes of 2026
Google released Frightgeist, its yearly site of the top trending Halloween searches, on October 14. Its Trending Costumes list ranks 25 costumes, each with a note from Google’s search data:
- Buddy the Unicorn: “Buddy unicorn costume” passed “kids unicorn costume” for the first time in September.
- NeeDoh: searched more than ever in 2026.
- Nikki (from Obsession): “red zebra halter top,” which Nikki wears, was searched more than ever after Obsession came out.
- Agamemnon (from The Odyssey): “Agamemnon costume” is searched three times as much as “Penelope costume” this year.
- Lily Love Braids (from Poppy Playtime): the top trending costume searched with “braid” this year.
- Oliver Tree
- Verity (from Minecraft): “Verity mod outfits” is the top Verity costume search.
- Carl (from Dungeon Crawler Carl): searched more than ever this year.
- Disco Scooby Doo: the top outfit searched with it is a “green and red disco outfit.”
- Hazel Hook (from Descendants): “realistic Hazel Hook cosplay” is a breakout search.
- Captain Clark (from Backrooms): “peg leg” is the top trending product searched with the costume.
- Dolly Parton: the top trending person searched with “blonde wig.”
- Thragg (from Invincible)
- Kenny Rogers: his top searched song is “The Gambler.”
- Bowser Jr.
- Princess Rosalina (from Super Mario): “Princess Rosalina costume lights” is a breakout search.
- Green Lantern (from DC Comics): “Green Lantern ring” is the top shopping search.
- Michael Jackson (Thriller era): “Michael Jackson costume” is at a 10-year high.
- Skeletor (from Masters of the Universe): searched more than ever in 2026.
- Cyclops (from X-Men): the visor is the top trending product searched with him.
- Dumpling: the top trending dumpling is a “pink glitter dumpling.”
- Dr. Frank-N-Furter (from The Rocky Horror Picture Show): the top trending product searched with him is a “black corset top.”
- Viltrumite (from Invincible): “compression shirt” is the top item searched with the costume.
- Nightcrawler (from X-Men): the pompadour is the top trending hairstyle searched with him.
- Doctor Doom (from the Marvel Universe)
Buddy the Unicorn and the Movie Buddy
Buddy is a bright orange unicorn who hosts a children’s TV show, It’s Buddy!, in the movie Buddy from Casper Kelly, who wrote it with Jamie King. In Roadside Attractions’ synopsis, the children on the show spend their days singing and dancing with Buddy, “But when one child refuses to play along, Buddy is not pleased and cracks begin to appear in this seemingly perfect world.” Cristin Milioti, Delaney Quinn, Patton Oswalt, Michael Shannon, Topher Grace and Keegan-Michael Key star, and Roadside Attractions and Saban Films released it in theaters on August 28.
Frightgeist’s page for the costume says searches for it this Halloween season are at 100% of their all-time peak, and they are highest in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Fresno-Visalia, San Antonio and West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce markets.
The Horror Costumes on Google’s Lists
- Captain Clark from A24’s The Backrooms is No. 11 on the main list, and Spirit Halloween sells an official Captain Clark costume.
- Dr. Frank-N-Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show is No. 22, and Skeletor is No. 19.
- Michael Myers is No. 13 on the kid list.
- The Headless Horseman is No. 11 on the pet list, and Cousin Itt from The Addams Family is No. 15.
Nikki from Obsession, No. 3, has an official $74.95 costume set at the NBCUniversal Store, in my story on the Obsession costumes. Carl, No. 8, has a $59.99 official Spirit Halloween costume, built around his heart-print shorts.
Google’s Top Trending Horror Movies
Frightgeist’s Horror Movies list ranks 15 films, led by Buddy:
- Buddy
- Other Mommy
- The Whisper Man
- Passenger
- Brute
- Insidious: Out of the Further
- Resident Evil
- Arachnophobia
- Hokum
- The Backrooms
- Leviticus
- Send Help
- Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
- Ice Cream Man
- Colony
Google’s announcement says “mascot horror movies” and “gothic horror movies” are this year’s top trending horror movie searches.
The Kid, Pet and Duo Costume Lists
Frightgeist’s kid list is led by Dolly Parton, its pet list by a centipede, and its duo list by Disco Scooby and Shaggy. Each ranks 15:
- Kid costumes: Dolly Parton, Ella Langley, Dumpling, Shakira, Ash Ketchum (from Pokemon), Hannah Montana, Spider-Gwen, Michael Jackson (Thriller era), Pomni (from The Amazing Digital Circus), Grogu, Judy Hopps (from Zootopia), He-Man, Michael Myers, Yoshi, and Bullseye (from Toy Story).
- Pet costumes: Centipede, Dolly Parton, Bullseye (from Toy Story), Diet Coke, Princess Donut (from Dungeon Crawler Carl), Lamb Chop, Pua (from Moana), Baked Potato, Roach, Tow Mater (from Cars), Headless Horseman, Christmas Tree, Glow in the Dark Dinosaur, Stick of Butter, and Cousin Itt (from The Addams Family).
- Duo costumes: Disco Scooby and Shaggy, Cyclops and Jean Grey (from X-Men), Nikki and Bear (from Obsession), JLo and Maverick (from Off Campus), Hannah and Garrett (from Off Campus), Cowboys and Angels, Ricky Bobby and Carley Bobby (from Talladega Nights), Wall-E and Eve, Woody and Bullseye, Joe Dirt and Brandy, Medusa and Stone Man, The Mandalorian and Grogu, Jedediah and Octavius (from Night at the Museum), Gamora and Star-Lord, and Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.
More 2026 Halloween Costume Coverage
- Spirit Halloween’s 11 costume trends for 2026, with what each one costs
- The best new Halloween costumes of 2026, the Spooky Awards finalists
- The best Halloween pet costumes of 2026, every retailer’s lineup
Frightgeist’s lists are at frightgeist.withgoogle.com, read October 16, 2026.
