25 Most Iconic Witches: From Wicked to Hocus Pocus

Witches have been part of stories for centuries, but pop culture has given the archetype countless different personalities. Some are terrifying. Some are funny. Some are misunderstood. Others are heroes, teachers, troublemakers or simply impossible to forget.

From the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda in Oz to Sabrina Spellman, the Sanderson Sisters, Agatha Harkness and the Scarlet Witch, these characters have helped shape what audiences picture when they hear the word “witch.”

And in 2026, you can celebrate the witch archetype in a very Orlando way.

On October 21, 2026, Orlando Eye at ICON Park on International Drive is attempting to establish a world record for the most people dressed as witches riding an observation wheel at one time. Guests dressed as witches can participate in the event from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with free flights during the event window while capacity allows.

So, which witches deserve a place on the list?

How We Chose the 25 Most Iconic Witches

There is no official ranking of the world’s most famous witches, so this list is intentionally editorial. “Iconic” can mean different things to different generations.

For this 2026 list, the selections reflect a combination of cultural recognition, influence, longevity, memorable visual identity and the character’s place in movies, television, books, mythology or popular culture.

The list also includes a few sorceresses, enchantresses and witch-adjacent characters whose connection to magic has made them part of the broader witch archetype. That distinction matters because not every magical character is technically a witch in the original source.

25 Most Iconic Witches

1. The Wicked Witch of the West

Few fictional witches are as instantly recognizable as the Wicked Witch of the West. L. Frank Baum introduced the character in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, while the 1939 film helped establish the visual image that became synonymous with the character: green skin, black clothing, a pointed hat and a broomstick.

Her cultural influence reaches far beyond the original story, making her a natural starting point for any list of famous witches.

2. Glinda the Good Witch

Glinda represents the other side of the Oz equation.

The character became especially recognizable through The Wizard of Oz, while Wicked expanded the story of Glinda and her relationship with Elphaba. The 2024 film adaptation of Wicked brought the characters to a new generation, with Wicked: For Good continuing their story in 2025.

Glinda is a reminder that the witch archetype does not have to be villainous.

3. Elphaba

Elphaba is one of the most influential modern reinterpretations of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Through Wicked, audiences are given another perspective on the character, transforming a familiar villain into a complex central figure whose story explores friendship, identity, power and reputation.

Her continued cultural relevance is especially strong in 2026 following the two-part film adaptation of the Broadway musical.

4. Winifred Sanderson

“Winnie” Sanderson is arguably the face of the Hocus Pocus witches.

Bette Midler's performance made Winifred flamboyant, theatrical and instantly recognizable. The character returned alongside Mary and Sarah Sanderson in Hocus Pocus 2, reinforcing the trio's place in Halloween pop culture.

For many fans, a witch costume is not complete without at least a little Sanderson-inspired flair.

5. Sarah Sanderson

Sarah Sanderson brings a very different personality to the Hocus Pocus trio.

Played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah is remembered for her glamorous appearance, playful personality and distinctive place within the Sanderson Sisters. Along with Winifred and Mary, she helped make Hocus Pocus a recurring Halloween favorite.

The Sanderson Sisters remain particularly recognizable as a group, but each has developed her own fan following.

6. Mary Sanderson

Mary Sanderson completes the iconic trio.

Kathy Najimy's character is memorable for her comedic personality and distinctive witch aesthetic. Like her sisters, Mary returned for Hocus Pocus 2, keeping the character relevant more than three decades after the original film.

Together, Winifred, Sarah and Mary demonstrate how a group of characters can become a Halloween icon in its own right.

7. Sabrina Spellman

Sabrina Spellman has been reinvented repeatedly since her introduction in Archie Comics.

The character has appeared in animated television, the long-running Sabrina the Teenage Witch sitcom and Netflix's darker Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. That ability to change with each generation is part of what makes Sabrina so enduring.

She is also one of pop culture's clearest examples of the teenage witch archetype.

8. Hermione Granger

Hermione Granger helped introduce an entire generation of readers and moviegoers to the idea of the witch as a brilliant, capable hero.

As one of the central characters in the Harry Potter series, Hermione combines magical ability with intelligence, preparation and determination. She is particularly important to the evolution of the witch character because her story is not centered on being mysterious or frightening.

She is simply a talented young witch who plays a major role in her world's story.

9. Minerva McGonagall

Professor Minerva McGonagall represents another side of the Harry Potter universe.

A professor at Hogwarts and a highly accomplished witch, McGonagall became especially memorable through Maggie Smith's film portrayal. Her composed personality, distinctive clothing and formidable magical abilities have made her one of the franchise's most recognizable adult witches.

She also helped establish that witches could be mentors and authority figures rather than simply heroes or villains.

10. Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix Lestrange occupies the darker end of the Harry Potter spectrum.

Helena Bonham Carter's performance gave the character an instantly recognizable appearance and unpredictable personality. Bellatrix became one of the franchise's most prominent witches and one of its most memorable villains.

Her inclusion also shows how much modern witch imagery has been shaped by fantasy franchises.

11. Scarlet Witch

Wanda Maximoff, better known as the Scarlet Witch, brought the concept of a witch into the superhero mainstream.

The character originated in Marvel Comics before becoming an especially prominent part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her reality-altering abilities, connection to chaos magic and distinctive red visual identity have made her one of the most recognizable modern magical characters.

Marvel continues to publish Scarlet Witch stories, keeping Wanda firmly within contemporary pop culture.

12. Agatha Harkness

Agatha Harkness has become one of the most recognizable modern witches in Marvel.

Originally a comics character and mentor to Wanda Maximoff, Agatha gained an enormous new audience through WandaVision and later Agatha All Along. The latter places Agatha at the center of a magical journey involving a coven and the legendary Witches' Road.

Her resurgence demonstrates how older characters can become major pop-culture figures decades after their original introduction.

13. Samantha Stephens

Samantha Stephens helped define the television witch.

The central character of Bewitched, Samantha is a witch living an outwardly conventional suburban life with her mortal husband, Darrin. Her ability to solve everyday problems with magic became the foundation for one of television's most recognizable supernatural comedies.

Her character also helped make the idea of a witch living an ordinary modern life part of mainstream entertainment.

14. Endora

Samantha's mother, Endora, is nearly as recognizable as her daughter.

Played by Agnes Moorehead in Bewitched, Endora is opinionated, mischievous and openly unimpressed by Darrin. Her presence created one of the show's central comedic conflicts and gave audiences a memorable example of a powerful witch who was never interested in blending into the background.

15. Willow Rosenberg

Willow Rosenberg's transformation in Buffy the Vampire Slayer helped make her one of television's most memorable witches.

She begins the series as a shy and highly intelligent student before becoming increasingly confident in her magical abilities. Her journey eventually becomes one of the show's major character arcs.

Willow also became an important representation of LGBTQ+ identity in genre television, adding another layer to her cultural significance.

16. Prue Halliwell

Prue Halliwell was one of the original sisters at the center of Charmed.

The series helped bring the idea of a modern magical family into mainstream television, following sisters who use their powers while navigating everyday life. Prue's character is remembered for her strength, independence and role in establishing the Halliwell family mythology.

The show's influence can still be seen in the popularity of supernatural family stories.

17. Phoebe Halliwell

Phoebe Halliwell brought another personality to the Charmed sisterhood.

Played by Alyssa Milano, Phoebe became one of the show's most recognizable characters and remained central to its magical family story. Her combination of personal relationships, supernatural responsibilities and evolving powers helped make Charmed a long-running part of witch-focused pop culture.

18. Nancy Downs

Nancy Downs is one of the defining teen witches of the 1990s.

Played by Fairuza Balk in The Craft, Nancy is part of a group of teenage girls who explore witchcraft and gradually discover the consequences of their growing powers.

The film became a cult favorite and helped establish a darker, more rebellious version of the teenage witch story.

19. Bonnie Bennett

Bonnie Bennett is one of the central witches of The Vampire Diaries universe.

Her story moves far beyond the idea of magic as a Halloween accessory. Bonnie's powers become an important part of the supernatural mythology of the series, while her loyalty to her friends repeatedly places her at the center of its conflicts.

She represents the continuing popularity of witches in modern supernatural television.

20. Fiona Goode

Fiona Goode is one of the standout witches from American Horror Story: Coven.

Played by Jessica Lange, Fiona is powerful, ambitious and unapologetically complicated. Her presence helped make the third season of American Horror Story particularly memorable among viewers interested in witchcraft, covens and Halloween-themed television.

21. The Witch from Into the Woods

Meryl Streep's Witch is one of the most recognizable modern musical interpretations of the archetype.

In Into the Woods, the Witch connects several classic fairy-tale stories and becomes a complicated figure rather than a straightforward villain. Her motivations, relationship with Rapunzel and larger role in the story give the character more emotional depth than the traditional wicked-witch stereotype.

22. The Grand High Witch

The Grand High Witch from Roald Dahl's The Witches represents the darker side of children's fantasy.

The character leads a group of witches who disguise themselves as ordinary women. Dahl's story, along with its screen adaptations, gave generations of young readers and viewers a memorable interpretation of witches as secretive and frightening figures.

She is particularly notable because the story turns the familiar idea of the friendly-looking stranger into something much more sinister.

23. Eglantine Price

Eglantine Price from Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a distinctly different kind of witch.

Played by Angela Lansbury, Miss Price is an amateur witch whose magical studies become intertwined with an adventure involving three children during wartime Britain. The character brings humor, warmth and classic Disney fantasy to the witch archetype.

For fans of vintage family movies, she remains a memorable magical character.

24. Madam Mim

Mad Madam Mim is Disney witchcraft at its most theatrical.

Introduced in The Sword in the Stone, Mim is Merlin's magical rival and is best remembered for her chaotic wizard's duel. Her ability to transform herself into different creatures gives the character a visual energy that still makes her stand out decades after the film's release.

She is proof that an iconic witch does not need an enormous amount of screen time to make an impression.

25. Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga belongs to a different category from the witches of Hollywood and television.

The character comes from Slavic folklore and has appeared in countless variations across literature, art, film, games and other forms of storytelling. She is commonly depicted as a supernatural old woman associated with a house standing on chicken legs.

Baba Yaga's long history and international influence make her an important reminder that witch stories existed long before modern movies and television.

What Makes a Witch Iconic?

Looking across these 25 characters, there is no single formula for becoming an iconic witch.

The Wicked Witch of the West established visual conventions that remain recognizable today. The Sanderson Sisters turned witchcraft into Halloween comedy. Sabrina made the teenage witch a pop-culture staple. Hermione and McGonagall helped present witches as heroes and mentors. Scarlet Witch and Agatha Harkness brought witchcraft into superhero storytelling.

And characters such as Baba Yaga and Circe show that magical women have been part of storytelling traditions for much longer than modern entertainment.

That variety is exactly why witches remain such a strong Halloween theme.

Which Iconic Witch Would You Dress As?

Choosing a witch costume can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be.

For a recognizable pop-culture costume, characters such as the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda, Elphaba, Sabrina or a Sanderson Sister provide immediately recognizable inspiration.

For something more personal, you can borrow elements from a favorite witch without recreating the character exactly. A pointed hat, dramatic cape, colorful makeup, broomstick-inspired accessory or character-inspired color palette can create a witch costume that still feels like your own.

For the Orlando Eye's October 21 event, remember that costumes need to be family-friendly and safe for the attraction. Full-face masks and weapon-like props are not permitted.

Celebrate Halloween From 400 Feet Above Orlando

For Orlando visitors and Florida residents who want to turn a witch costume into an actual Halloween experience, Orlando Eye offers an unusual opportunity.

Orlando Eye is a 400-foot observation wheel at ICON Park on International Drive. A standard flight takes approximately 20 minutes in an air-conditioned glass capsule, providing 360° views of Orlando and Central Florida.

That makes the October 21 witch event different from a traditional Halloween party. Instead of simply dressing as a witch and taking photos on the ground, participants can join other costumed witches for an observation-wheel flight above International Drive.

Orlando Eye Witch Event 2026 At A Glance

Participation does not guarantee access because capacity and operational conditions apply. Guests already in the participation line by the 7:00 p.m. cutoff may be accommodated as capacity allows.

Because Orlando weather can change quickly, it is also worth checking current attraction information before heading to International Drive.

Why Orlando Eye Fits a Halloween Trip to Orlando

The witch event is particularly easy to add to an Orlando itinerary because Orlando Eye is located at ICON Park on International Drive.

International Drive is already a major visitor corridor, so guests can build an afternoon or evening around the area instead of dedicating an entire day to one attraction.

The Orlando Eye flight itself is approximately 20 minutes, giving visitors flexibility to combine sightseeing with other plans. Depending on the day's schedule, visitors might choose to explore ICON Park, enjoy a meal, visit another attraction or simply make Orlando Eye part of an evening on International Drive.

The important planning point is not to overpack the itinerary. A short observation-wheel experience can work well between larger Orlando activities, especially when the goal is to add a distinctive sightseeing experience without committing several hours.

What Can You See From Orlando Eye?

The views are the main reason to take a flight on Orlando Eye.

From 400 feet above the ground, guests can look across Orlando and Central Florida from a perspective that is very different from street level. Nearby International Drive attractions and parts of the Orlando skyline can come into view, along with the broader Florida landscape.

On clear days, distant landmarks may also be visible. Visibility varies with weather and atmospheric conditions, so specific landmarks should never be treated as guaranteed.

For a Halloween evening, the experience also changes as daylight fades. The surrounding Orlando area begins to transition from daytime sightseeing to illuminated attractions and city lights.

Is Orlando Eye Good for a Halloween Date or Family Outing?

It can work for several different types of Halloween plans.

For couples, an evening flight provides a relaxed sightseeing experience that can be paired with dinner or other plans around ICON Park and International Drive.

For families, the enclosed air-conditioned capsules provide a calmer alternative to a traditional Halloween attraction. Children can participate in the witch-costume event as long as they meet the event's costume and attraction-safety requirements.

For friends and Halloween fans, the event offers a natural reason to coordinate costumes and make the evening about the group experience.

The common thread is the costume. You do not need to choose the “right” witch. The point is to bring the character you love to life and become part of the larger Halloween gathering.

Planning Your Orlando Eye Witch Experience

A little preparation can make the evening easier.

Arrive Before The Participation Cutoff

The event runs from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., but participation is first come, first served. Arriving earlier gives you more time to find parking, get to the attraction and join the participation line.

Choose A Safe Costume

Think about how your costume will work inside an enclosed observation-wheel capsule.

Large accessories, props or complicated costume pieces can become inconvenient in a confined space. Most importantly, costumes must be family-friendly and safe for the attraction.

Full-face masks and weapon-like props are not permitted.

Check The Weather

October is part of Central Florida's transition toward cooler weather, but Orlando weather can still be unpredictable.

The witch event is weather and operations permitting. Check current information before leaving for ICON Park, particularly if storms are in the forecast.

Have A Backup Plan

Because capacity and operations can affect participation, it is smart to treat the event as one part of your Halloween evening rather than the only activity you have planned.

The wider ICON Park and International Drive area gives visitors options for continuing their evening if plans change.

A Different Kind of Orlando Halloween Experience

Halloween in Orlando can mean everything from major theme-park events to costume parties, seasonal entertainment and smaller experiences around the city.

The Orlando Eye witch event offers something different.

It combines one of the city's recognizable sightseeing experiences with a shared Halloween moment. Instead of watching witches fly through a movie or seeing them on a stage, participants can dress as their favorite characters and take a flight together above International Drive.

That is what makes the October 21 event particularly well suited to a list of iconic witches. The characters may come from Oz, Salem, Hogwarts, Marvel, television, folklore or decades-old Disney films, but the costumes bring all those different versions of the witch together in one place.

Make Your Own Witchy Orlando Memory

There may never be complete agreement on the 25 most iconic witches. A fan of Hocus Pocus might immediately choose Winifred. A Marvel fan might pick Scarlet Witch. A Harry Potter reader might choose Hermione or McGonagall. For an Oz fan, the answer may be the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda or Elphaba.

That is part of the fun.

On October 21, 2026, Orlando Eye is inviting witches of all kinds to come together at ICON Park on International Drive and take part in an attempt to make Halloween history.

Choose your witch, plan your costume, check the current event information and make your way to Orlando Eye for a flight above Orlando that puts a very different spin on Halloween.