Daryl Dixon Introduces New UK Zombie Name in Season 3
Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3, episode 1, “Costa da Morte”.
Given how long The Walking Dead has been on TV, it’s a real surprise to see new zombie names still being introduced after all this time, and the latest one is particularly peculiar. Having branched out from the US, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has explored numerous locations so far, with the first two seasons covering France and Greenland.
Both of these areas had their own unique terms for what most characters call walkers, and with Daryl Dixon season 3 taking place predominantly in Spain, there’s no doubt the natives will have their own nicknames as well. However, Daryl and Carol found themselves in the United Kingdom during the recent premiere, where they learned more about the country.
Not only did they discover that the UK didn’t survive the zombie outbreak in The Walking Dead, but they also met a lone survivor named Julian. He told the duo about how things fell apart after initially managing the virus well, while also revealing a new term for the undead, which has a particularly bizarre and complex origin.
The Walking Dead’s Zombies Are Called “Squid” In The United Kingdom
A zombie stuck behind railings in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
During their journey through England, Carol and Daryl spot a sign that reads “Beware the squid”, which Julian reveals is the term he uses for zombies. While no one within the Walking Dead universe actually uses the word zombies, names such as walkers, biters, geeks, roamers, and many more have all been heard, with squid being the latest addition to the list.
Whether squid is used throughout the entirety of the UK remains unclear, but given its origins, it is likely specific to certain areas in England. Interestingly, while there is plenty of meaning behind the wildfire virus’ name in The Walking Dead, the term squid derives from something far more niche and is played off mostly as a joke.
Why The UK Calls Walkers “Squid” Explained
Stephen Merchant as Julian pondering something in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3, episode 1
Unless you understand Cockney rhyming slang, wrapping your head around why the UK calls walkers squid is difficult, and it’s not much easier even if you do know the native terminology. When Daryl and Carol sit down with Julian, they question the unorthodox nickname, which the Brit attempts to explain through a very complicated process.
Essentially, the origin derives from “departed souls”, and through a series of Cockney rhyming slang phrases, it eventually gets to quid, which rhymes with squid, hence the final name. Even for British viewers, this scene feels a little over-the-top, as something like “The Breads” would have made more sense, since it’s a direct rhyme with “the dead.”
Given that Julian also ends his explanation with “obviously“, it seems like The Walking Dead made this origin intentionally ridiculous, but it’s not completely unreasonable that some people would use this term, given the popularity of rhyming slang within the UK.
However, with Daryl Dixon season 3’s story moving away from the country and Julian already being killed off, we may never hear the word squid used to describe zombies ever again, unless either Carol or Daryl adopts it as a tribute to their fallen friend.
The Walking Dead’s Different Zombie Names Prove The Franchise Should’ve Explored The Rest Of The World Much Sooner
Candela Saitta as Justina, Melissa McBride as Carol, Norman Reedus as Daryl, and Hugo Arbués as Roberto.
Hearing all kinds of unique names for zombies only emphasizes how much time The Walking Dead wasted by not exploring the world outside America sooner. The French setting was easily one of the franchise’s best, and while we didn’t hear les affamés mentioned too often, it was a fun alternative to all the English zombie terms.
Likewise, Greenland’s tupilaq has a more mythological origin, while the UK’s is more humorous, which is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how much these different cultures can change the series. Sure, the main show was never going to randomly move abroad, but more foreign survivors could’ve added extra variety and identity to the story.
Daryl Dixon Season 3 Episodes
Release Date
Episode 1 – “Costa da Morte”
September 7, 2025
Episode 2 – “La Ofrenda”
September 14, 2025
Episode 3 – “El Sacrificio”
September 21, 2025
Episode 4 – “La Justicia Fronteriza”
September 28, 2025
Episode 5 – “Limbo”
October 5, 2025
Episode 6 – “Contrabando”
October 12, 2025
Episode 7 – Solaz del Mar”
October 19, 2025
Learning about the rest of the world in The Walking Dead has arguably been its greatest strength over the years, and it’s why Daryl Dixon has so much personality. Therefore, had the franchise leaned into this earlier through other projects alongside the original series, we could’ve had some truly memorable moments and characters that may have provided even more quality.
Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Danai Gurira, Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chandler Riggs, Steven Yeun, Lennie James
The Walking Dead is a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television series The Walking Dead in 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
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