List of characters

The following is a list of main and recurring characters in SpongeBob SquarePants and its' two spin-offs, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years and The Patrick Star Show. For a list of minor and one-off characters, see this article.

Main characters

There are ten main characters in the series.

• SpongeBob SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny) — An optimistic yellow sea sponge who works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. He is perpetually enrolled in boating school. He debuts in Help Wanted.
• Patrick Star (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) — SpongeBob’s best friend, a dimwitted yet pleasant pink starfish. He tends to unintentionally land himself and SpongeBob in trouble. He debuts in "Help Wanted."
• Squidward Tentacles (voiced by Rodger Bumpass) — An octopus who is the pessimistic coworker and neighbor of SpongeBob. He enjoys interpretive dance and playing the clarinet. He debuts in "Help Wanted."
• Eugene H. Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown) — The owner of the Krusty Krab and SpongeBob’s employer. He talks like a pirate and has an obsession for money, and once served as part of the Navy. He debuts in "Help Wanted."
• Sheldon J. Plankton (voiced by Doug Lawrence) — An evil planktonic copepod who wants to run the Krusty Krab out of business. He runs the unsuccessful Chum Bucket restaurant. He debuts in Plankton!
• Karen Plankton (voiced by Jill Talley) — Plankton’s sentient computer wife and sidekick who gives him his evil plans. She is far more competent than Plankton and is even shown to have more control over the Chum Bucket than Plankton does. She debuts in "Plankton!"
• Sandy Cheeks (voiced by Carolyn Lawrence) — A squirrel from the surface who befriends SpongeBob and lives in a glass dome full of air. She debuts in Tea at the Treedome.
• Mrs. Puff (voiced by Mary Jo Catlett) — A patient and elderly pufferfish who is SpongeBob’s boating school teacher. She is currently dating Mr. Krabs. She debuts in Boating School.
• Pearl Krabs (voiced by Lori Alan) — A teenage whale who is Mr. Krabs' daughter. She will inherit the Krusty Krab and become its owner when she grows older. She debuts in Squeaky Boots.
• Gary the Snail (voiced by Tom Kenny) — SpongeBob’s pet sea snail, who communicates by meowing like a cat. He often proves to be more clever than his owner. He debuts in "Help Wanted."

Recurring characters

• Patchy the Pirate (played by Tom Kenny) — A pirate who runs the fictional SpongeBob SquarePants fan club. He is the host of most special episodes. He debuts in Christmas Who?
• Potty the Parrot (voiced by Stephen Hillenburg and later Paul Tibbitt) — Patchy’s sarcastic pet parrot, portrayed as a poorly-made puppet with obvious strings. Potty debuts in "Christmas Who?"
• The French Narrator (voiced by Tom Kenny) — An usually unseen ocean explorer who narrates many episodes as if they were documentaries about the sea. He debuts in "Help Wanted."
• Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy (voiced by Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway) — A duo of semi-retired superheroes who previously starred in a television show. They debut in Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.
• The Dirty Bubble (voiced by Charles Nelson Reilly and Tom Kenny) — Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy’s greatest enemy. He debuts in Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II.
• Man Ray (voiced by John Rhys-Davies and Bob Joles) — Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy’s other nemesis. He debuts in Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III.
• Larry the Lobster (voiced by Doug Lawrence) — A bodybuilder and workout fanatic who occasionally appears in beach-themed episodes. He debuts in Ripped Pants.
• The Flying Dutchman (voiced by Brian Doyle-Murray) — A ghost pirate who haunts the seas and owns a glowing ship that floats above Bikini Bottom. He debuts in a comic book in Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost and debuts in-person in Scaredy Pants.
• King Neptune (voiced by John O'Hurley and Jeffrey Tambor) — A merman god who rules the sea and possesses magical powers. He debuts in Neptune’s Spatula.
• Realistic Fish Head (voiced by Doug Lawrence) — A trout who appears in the opening sequence and hosts various news programs in the series. He also narrates most Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy material. He debuts in the finalized version of "Help Wanted" as part of the show’s intro. As a voiceover role, he debuts in "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy." As a full-fledged character, he debuts in "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II."
• Perch Perkins (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - A fish who is a news reporter. He debuts in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and made his episodic debut in Once Bitten.
• Jellyfish - Wild jellyfish who live in Jellyfish Fields. They debut in "Tea at the Treedome."
• Bubble Bass (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - An obese and picky bass. He debuts in Pickles and has been a recurring character since season 9.
• Hans - A sentient live-action hand who appears in the opening sequence and also appears as a character in some episodes. He debuts in the finalized version of "Help Wanted" as part of the show’s intro. As a full-fledged character, he debuts in Suds.
• Spot - Plankton’s pet amoeba. He debuts in Plankton’s Pet.

Spin-off characters

Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years

• Narlene (voiced by Kate Higgins) - A narwhal who resides in the Kelp Forest and occasionally visits SpongeBob and his friends at Kamp Koral. She debuts in Sugar Squeeze. In the main series, she debuts in Something Narwhal This Way Comes.
• Nobby (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui) - A narwhal who is Narlene’s younger brother. He debuts in "Sugar Squeeze". In the main series, he debuts in "Something Narwhal This Way Comes".

The Patrick Star Show

• Squidina Star (voiced by Jill Talley) - Patrick’s adopted sister who is also a squid. She debuts in Goons on the Moon in the main series and Late for Breakfast in The Patrick Star Show.
• Cecil Star (voiced by Thomas Wilson) - Patrick’s father who replaces Herb Star. He debuts in "Late for Breakfast." In the main series, he debuts in A Skin Wrinkle in Time.
• Bunny Star (voiced by Cree Summer) - Patrick’s mother who replaces Margie Star. She debuts in "Late for Breakfast". In the main series, she debuts in "A Skin Wrinkle in Time".
• GrandPat Star (voiced by Dana Synder) - Patrick’s grandfather who replaces Billy Bob. He debuts in "Late for Breakfast". In the main series, he debuts in Welcome to Binary Bottom.
• Ouchie (voiced by Tom Kenny) - Patrick’s pet sea urchin. He debuts in "Late for Breakfast".
• Tinkle (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - A sentient toilet. He debuts in Stair Wars.
• Pinkeye - A sea bunny. He debuts in Enemies à la Mode.
• SpongeMonster - A SpongeBob-like monster. He debuts in "Stair Wars" in packaging order and Pat-a-thon in airing order.
• Pat-gor - A starfish who is SpongeMonster’s companion. He debuts in "Stair Wars" in packaging order and "Pat-a-thon" in airing order.
• Dr. Plankenstein - A planktonic copepod who is SpongeMonster’s creator. He debuts in "Stair Wars" in packaging order and "Pat-a-thon" in airing order.