The Hatman is a figure in urban legends, most commonly associated with sleep paralysis.

The "Hatman" is a phenomenon in which witnesses report seeing a shadowy entity—sometimes wearing an old-fashioned top hat, at other times a fedora (the classic detective-style hat), and occasionally even a cape.

The Hatman behaves like a ghost; he is almost always seen simply standing in place. This figure can simply fade away until the witness can no longer see him, and he shows no apparent reaction to the people present. For instance, many individuals have reported "encountering" this entity, which may remain completely motionless for seconds or minutes before shifting slightly and simply vanishing—as if it were unable to perceive the person observing it. Those who study this phenomenon sometimes classify the entity as a type of ghost: it appears as a spectral, shadowy figure of a person wearing an old-fashioned hat.