The general term for this mythical creature is a "White Lady." She is also often known as a Woman in White or a Weeping Woman. A White Lady is a type of female ghost/apparition and is often seen in rural areas and associated with tragedy. The most common story behind this legend is that of a woman being betrayed by a husband or fiancé and then taking her own life.

In some myths, the women murder their own children after the betrayal of their spouse, and then commit suicide. These apparitions are often said to be harbingers of death. It is also often found under "Ghostly Hitchhikers" and the like because in some stories, she is seen by the side of the road, waiting for unfaithful men to pick her up.

The names "White Lady" and "Woman in White" refer to reported sightings describing these ghosts as a Caucasian females wearing a flowing white dress. "Weeping Woman" refers to a specific Hispanic Legend (explained below). Several variations of this myth from the United Kingdom, United States, Slavic mythology, and Brazil are also detailed below.