In every Slavic country, the concept of an evil, noxious creature called kikimora/mora/mura/zmora was spread. It was an evil demon which suffocates sleeping people, drinks their blood, and is able to shapeshift into different objects.
In Poland, Kikimora is known as “mora”, same as in Slovakia or Croatia. In Serbia, she is called “noćnink”, meaning “nightgown” in English. In every case, no matter the name in the various languages, her nickname is “nightmare”.
In some literature, she is known as “sziszimora” or “szyszymora”.
Her name also has origins in Finnish from the word “kikke mörkö”, meaning scarecrow.
Saying her name also resembles the sound of a spinning wheel (a tool used to spin sheep wool), which is a bad omen in Slavic countries.