The 5 Types of Aliens People Most Frequently Say They See

Aliens are among us—or at least a lot of people seem to think they might be.

According to a 2026 poll from CBS, one in five Americans believe aliens have already visited our planet, and 17% of people think they’ve seen a UFO. 67% of people said they would feel curious upon meeting extraterrestrial beings as opposed to scared (31%) or other emotions. 

Slightly less common are those who claim to actually have seen or met aliens. Yet these people do exist. In fact, as far as tales and rumors about alien encounters and abductions go, several specific types of aliens appear more commonly than others.

These tales have gained some traction in recent years thanks to fresh disclosures. In 2026, scientist and former CIA-funded government researcher Dr. Hal Puthoff claimed that “people who have been involved in recoveries have said there are at least four types. Four separate types.” His words recall claims by astrophysicist Dr. Eric Davis, who in 2025 said that four types of aliens—“Grays, Nordics, Insectoids, and Reptilians”—could be piloting UFOs.

An important caveat here is that there is absolutely no reliable evidence to substantiate any of these tales. There are also all manner of logical explanations that could neatly account for the claims featured on this list. 

It’s possible that all of these people were lying, dreaming, hallucinating, or simply confused. After all, people have mistaken everything from the moon to insects for UFOs, so why shouldn’t the same apply to extraterrestrial encounters? 

Yet still, stories persist. These experiences may be outright lies, but for anyone who “wants to believe,” as The X-Files’ Fox Mulder often says, even the tiny possibility that there might be certain specific types of aliens out there holds an undeniable kind of fascination. 

1. The Greys
2. The Nordics
3. Tall Whites
4. Reptilians 
5. Insectoids

The Greys

If there’s one type of alien that dominates discourse about alleged extraterrestrial encounters, that would be the famous greys. These beings are generally described as somewhat humanoid, with grey skin and, usually, large black eyes. They’re typically said to be shorter than the average human, standing about three or four feet tall.

These creatures first gained notoriety thanks to the famous Barney and Betty Hill abduction story. The Hills were an American couple who claimed they were abducted while driving through rural New Hampshire in 1961. The couple said they initially had no recollection of the actual encounter, but through hypnosis sessions, they began to recall having been taken by grey beings who probed them with needles and other tools. 

The so-called greys were further popularized when they appeared on the cover of the 1987 book Communion by Whitley Strieber, which claimed to detail Strieber’s fractured recollections of alien encounters. They have remained staples of abduction narratives ever since.

The Nordics

These extraterrestrials are typically described as quite tall and very human in appearance. Usually blue-eyed and blonde, they are generally described as benevolent, eloquent, and even spiritual by those who claim to have seen them. They remain popular in New Age circles for their alleged messages of peace and unity and are sometimes seen as higher beings.

One popular story about an encounter with the Nordics was told by a forestry employee named Travis Walton, who claimed to have been taken aboard a spacecraft in 1975, where he said he met the Nordics and other extraterrestrials. 

“They're human enough that you feel an immediate connection,” Walton wrote of the experience. “But there's something in their eyes, a depth and intensity that's clearly not ordinary.” Skeptics have blamed Walton’s experience on hoaxing, false memories, drugs, and other factors, but his tale remains one of the most famous alleged UFO encounters in history, and it also inspired the 1993 movie Fire in the Sky. 

Tales of Nordic alien visitations have inspired all manner of analysis, with some connecting these beings to elves in Norse mythology and biblical angels, and others theorizing that they are shapeshifters who assume recognizable forms to gain human trust. 

The Nordics also bear a number of similarities to a few other reported alien races, including the Pleiadians. These beings are also usually said to be blonde-haired, blue-eyed humans, and some people claim they are also visiting Earth to help humanity evolve. Both the Nordics and Pleiadians bear similarities to another race called the Venusians, and some alien believers claim that all three hail from the Pleiades star cluster.

Polish-American ufologist George Adamski was among the earliest to report encountering one of these so-called Venusians. Adamski, who was also the founder of the “Royal Order of Tibet,” a neo-theosophical organization based in Laguna Beach, CA, claimed to have seen a small spacecraft descend to Earth. He reported that the ship was carrying a man with tanned skin and wavy hair who communicated with him telepathically, and noted that the man claimed to have come from the planet Venus. 

Tall Whites

“Tall White” aliens are said to stand over six feet tall, but they resemble the Greys more than humans, with pale white skin, bald heads, and light blue or green eyes. The most famous story about tall whites was told by a man named Charles Hall, who claimed to have lived with them for two years in Nevada in the 1960s. 

Hall later wrote about his alleged alien encounters in the book Millennial Hospitality, which was later adapted into a documentary called Walking With the Tall Whites. According to Hall, these aliens were reserved and slightly unpredictable, though not hostile, and appeared to be interested in observing and learning about humans. 

Reptilians 

Reptilians are legendary creatures said to be humanoid creatures that stand upright, but have reptile-like skin. According to popular lore, these creatures may be shapeshifters that walk among humanity. Unlike the other species on this list, these creatures are said to be overtly malicious, with ill intentions for humanity. 

Reptilians are frequently the subject of various conspiracy theories, though there aren’t too many eyewitness claims of encounters with these creatures. They have, however, been compared to mythological dragons and other serpentine and crocodile-headed beings.

Insectoids

Insectoids are supposedly extraterrestrials who look a bit like praying mantises, if praying mantises could stand and were about six to nine feet tall. These creatures are relatively rare in UFO narratives but, understandably, are said to be quite terrifying, though some claim they are not overly malicious and instead want to educate humans. 

They are sometimes said to wear robes and jewels as well. References to human-insect hybrids also appear in science fiction, folklore, and mythology, such as the famed Mothman of West Virginia. Rumors of a so-called “Mantis Man” have also been popping up along the Musconetcong River in New Jersey in recent years.

Of course, tales of cryptids are nothing new—but the idea that they might be extraterrestrials certainly puts an interesting new spin on things.

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