- Rå (Norse) – Spirit that protects a specific place
- Rabisu (Akkadian) – Vampiric spirit that ambushes people
- Radande (Swedish) – Tree spirit
- Ragana (Lithuanian) – Malevolent witch
- Raijū (Japanese) – Lightning spirit
- Rain Bird (Native American) – Rain spirit
- Rainbow crow (Lenape) – Crow spirit
- Rainbow Serpent (Australian Aboriginal) – Snake
- Rakshasa (Buddhist and Hindu) – Shapeshifting demon
- Ramidreju (Cantabrian) – Extremely long, weasel-like animal
- Raróg (Slavic) – Whirlwind spirit
- Raven Mocker (Cherokee) – Life-draining spirit
- Raven Spirit (Native American, Norse, and Siberian) – Trickster spirit
- Ratatoskr (Norse) – Squirrel spirit
- Raystown Ray (American Folklore) – Possible plesiosaur or serpent
- Redcap (English) – Evil, ugly humanoid
- Re’em (Jewish) – Gigantic land animal
- Reichsadler (Heraldic) – Eagle, sometimes depicted with two heads
- Rephaite (Jewish) – Giant
- Reptilian humanoid (Global) – Human-lizard hybrid
- Revenant (Medieval folklore) – Reanimated dead
- Roc (Arabian and Persian) – Gigantic bird
- Rokurokubi (Japanese) – Long-necked, humanoid trickster
- Rompo (Africa and India) – Skeletal creature with elements of a rabbit, badger, and bear
- Rồng – (Vietnamese) dragon
- Rougarou (French America) – Human-wolf shapeshifter
- Rusalka (Slavic) – Female water spirit
- Ryū – Japanese dragon