Nomenclature Etymology The term will-o'-the-wisp comes from wisp, a bundle of sticks or paper sometimes used as a torch and the name 'Will', thus meaning 'Will of the torch'. The term jack-o'-lantern ('Jack of the lantern') originally referred to a will-o'-the-wisp. In the United States, they are often called spook-lights, ghost-lights, or orbs by folklorists.
Nomenclature Etymology The term will-o'-the-wisp comes from wisp, a bundle of sticks or paper sometimes used as a torch and the name 'Will', thus meaning 'Will of the torch'. The term jack-o'-lantern ('Jack of the lantern') originally referred to a will-o'-the-wisp. In the United States, they are often called spook-lights, ghost-lights, or orbs by folklorists.