The Walking Dead 10 Different Nicknames For The Zombies (& Where They Came From)

Walkers, rotters, biters. The Walking Dead's seen several different nicknames for its zombies. Today we'll spotlight a few and examine their origins.

The word "zombie" goes back to the early 1800's, but the more common definition of "reanimated monsters that feast on human flesh" didn't come until much later. AMC's The Walking Dead revolves around the life of survivors after the "zombie apocalypse," but one crucial thing is missing from the show. They never say "zombie."

According to Robert Kirkman, zombie lore does not exist in the world of the TV series. That means that for Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and the rest of the crew, there were no myths and no Night Of The Living Dead. They have absolutely no idea what these creatures are, much less what to call them. Here is a list of 10 of the nicknames the show uses instead of "zombie."

10 Geeks

Contrary to what it may sound like, "geek" is not a reference to modern geek culture. The name originates from the old, less politically correct days of carnival and circus "freak shows." The "geek" took part in strange and grotesque acts, often biting the heads off of live animals. Primarily used in the first and second season of the show by Glenn and Daryl, the term gradually disappeared from the show.

9 Walkers

Rick awakens from a coma into a terrifying world where the dead rise and walk again. Disoriented and searching for his family, the injured sheriff's deputy meets Morgan and his son, Duane, along the way. The nickname "Walker" was coined by Morgan due to the dead coming back to life, and the way that they shamble along. It was quickly picked up by Rick Grimes, and is the show's most common way to refer to the undead.

8 The Dead Ones

Another common, "no-brainer" moniker for the Walkers, many characters refer to them as simply "the dead ones" because, well, they definitely aren't fully alive anymore, and calling them "people" doesn't feel right either.

The name has been used occasionally by Abraham Ford, and his mullet wearing buddy, Eugene. Later, Negan and members of the Saviors use the term at the Sanctuary as well.

7 Creepers

Trudging along on weak, decaying limbs and broken bones in the hot sun doesn't do anything good for rotting flesh. In later seasons, some of the zombies look to be close to skeletal. More often than not, the monsters move slowly, limping and dragging themselves, depending on their stage of decomposition, and how they died. Merle Dixon refers to the slower ones as "creepers" in season 3, before taking on a group of them.

6 The Infected

One of the most obvious terms that covers bitten victims before they turn, as well as the zombies themselves, "the infected" has been used in many virus and zombie related movies.

The professional sounding term is also featured in The Walking Dead, and utilized by many of the characters. Most notably, it is used by Dr. Edwin Jenner of the CDC back in season 1. It has also been referenced by some military members in the show.

5 Empties

They are "the walking dead," rotten and somehow horrifically brought back to life by a virus. They look like loved ones, but they are not them anymore, no matter how much characters like Hershel Greene and Dr. Jenner wished for a cure. They are soulless, thoughtless, empty. Jesus (AKA Paul Monroe) refers to them by this telling name in the comic series. "Empties" will also be the primary label used for the undead in the newest, upcoming spinoff series.

4 Lurkers

The quiet ones are the most dangerous... or maybe the least. It depends on who you're asking! Lurker is used commonly in the franchise's video games as a nickname for zombies that lie in wait, sitting in one spot and appearing "dead." They are mostly silent and easy to miss. In the television show, Hershel is bitten in the leg by a "lurker" at the prison. On the other hand, The Governor refers to harmless, "docile" zombies as lurkers.

3 Monsters

Monsters can refer to a wide array of terrifying, unnatural, cruel, or imaginary creatures that strike fear into the hearts of those that come into contact with them. They haunt our dreams, and now the survivors are in a living nightmare. It's not as creative as some of the other options, but "monsters" makes the most sense in a world where nobody has ever heard of zombies.

This is prevalent in Telltale's The Walking Dead games, but is spoken in the show as well. Particularly by Andrea, during an experiment at Woodbury, while she and Milton wait for an elderly, dying man to turn.

2 Skin-Eaters

More traditional zombies may be known for always wanting "braaaains," but the ones in The Walking Dead are much less discriminating. Survivors Sam and Ana give them the unsettlingly graphic name in season 4, and while technically correct, everyone knows the Walkers will rip into any part of anything that they can find - human or animal - and definitely not just the skin. If nothing else, "skin-eater" does sound like a horrifying new movie monster.

1 Biters

Every zombie is a little bit different. Some drag, some crawl, they limp, roam, and lurk, but one thing is for sure - they are all biters (except for maybe Michonne's jaw-less pets). Next to Walkers, "Biters" is one of the more memorable zombie nicknames of the show. Popularized by the Governor (also known as Philip Blake) it is used mostly by the residents of Woodbury, though Andrea adopts the nickname during her stay in the town as well.