In A Nightmare on Elm Street, what is the name of the dream-stalking killer?

In A Nightmare on Elm Street, the dream-stalking killer is Freddy Krueger.

Freddy Krueger attacks teenagers in their dreams, where injuries can affect them in the waking world. His striped sweater, fedora, burned appearance, and bladed glove became defining elements of the character. The dream setting allows the film to turn ordinary sleeping into a source of unpredictable supernatural danger.

Freddy is often confused with other famous horror villains. Michael Myers belongs to the Halloween series, Jason Voorhees is associated with Friday the 13th, and Pinhead is the central figure of the Hellraiser films. Unlike those characters, Freddy’s signature territory is the dream world.

Wes Craven wrote and directed A Nightmare on Elm Street, released in 1984. Robert Englund played Freddy in the original film and in its subsequent appearances. The movie introduced Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson and helped launch a long-running franchise that expanded through sequels, television, and later adaptations.