The best SpongeBob characters, for my money, are Patrick Star, Squidward, SpongeBob himself, Mr. Krabs, Gary the Snail, and Sheldon J. Plankton. But Bikini Bottom is packed with far more great SpongeBob characters than those few.
Here is my quick roll call before we dive in:
- SpongeBob: the square guy in pants, brighter than a lemon and twice as sweet.
- Patrick Star: redefines star power with his rock-solid wit, or total lack of it.
- Squidward Tentacles: the tentacled buzzkill with a clarinet for every mood.
- Mr. Krabs: the ocean’s answer to a wallet tighter than his own shell.
They are the ocean’s most lovable goofs, and I have happily watched them soak up laughs one bubble at a time for years.
SpongeBob SquarePants Characters, Ranked
So let me take you on a proper deep dive through Bikini Bottom’s sea creatures, ranked from the deep cuts all the way up to my number one. A few things I want to flag first:
- Sandy’s genius: from her Eureka moments to antics that make her tree dome look tiny.
- A salute to Stephen Hillenburg: marine biologist by trade, animation legend by talent.
- SpongeBob himself: the sponge who can light up a room, even underwater, with that laugh.
This is my ranking of the best SpongeBob characters, so the further you scroll, the bigger the star. Number one is waiting at the very bottom.
Mrs. Tentacles
I always forget Mrs. Tentacles exists until she pops back up, and then I remember how much I enjoy her granny-chic energy. She first sashays in during Fools in April.
- First look: Puffy white hair, turquoise skin, and lashes for days.
- Debut style: In Krusty Towers she turns up purple-haired and bespectacled, decked out in pink with gold bling.
- Current vibe: That granny-chic look has stuck around like barnacles on a hull.
Harold and Margaret SquarePants
SpongeBob’s parents barely get any screen time, but I love that they are basically two sponges dressed to the nines.
- Harold: Rocks the distinguished-gentleman look, silvery mustache and bifocals included.
- His outfit: A crisp white shirt, brown pants, a bee-striped belt, and a hat tall enough to have its own weather.
- Margaret: Sashays in shades of purple, from her matchbox dress to her sky-high heels.
- The vibe: Undersea Audrey Hepburn, pearls and all.
King Poseidon
The big baddie of SpongeBob’s third movie, Poseidon rules the Lost City of Atlantic City, and his entire personality is basically an anti-aging routine.
- Vanity scale: Off the charts, powered entirely by a snail-slime skincare regimen.
- Wrinkle-free fanatic: He would swim the Seven Seas for his next anti-aging fix.
- The dark side: When the snail goop runs dry, the poor gastropod gets the dungeon.
King Neptune’s Daughter
Princess Mindy from the first SpongeBob movie is one I have a real soft spot for, the rare royal who would rather hang out with SpongeBob and Patrick than sit on a throne.
- Her age: Around 13 or 14, per her creator Sherm Cohen.
- Ocean smarts: She knows her sea critters inside out.
- Her crew: Best friends with SpongeBob and Patrick.
- Crush alert: Patrick is smitten, though she seems happy keeping things friendly.
Bubble Buddy
Bubble Buddy is proof this show can build a whole episode around a literal bubble, and I am completely here for it. SpongeBob blows him into existence one lonely afternoon.
- Origin story: Born from loneliness and one big lungful of air.
- The comedy: SpongeBob’s one-man-and-his-bubble act earns serious side-eye from all of Bikini Bottom.
- Why he sticks: The whole town treating a bubble as a real guy is peak SpongeBob logic.
Larry the Lobster
Larry is Goo Lagoon’s resident beefcake, and I love that he is basically the friendliest gym bro in the ocean.
- Buff bod, bigger heart: He is the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the sea, minus the ego.
- Pure positivity: His sunny, can-do attitude lifts every scene he swims into.
- Behind the brawn: A total softie who is all about self-love and good vibes.
Squilliam Fancyson
Squilliam is the rich, famous foil to Squidward’s everyman, and watching him ruin Squidward’s day never gets old, and he is one of the most fun recurring SpongeBob characters.
- The mirror: Everything Squidward wishes he was, rubbed right in his face.
- Boastfulness: Tall tales and an even taller ego.
- Perfect timing: He shows up at exactly the wrong moment to sour Squidward’s mood.
King Neptune
The trident-toting ruler of the sea brings god-sized drama and an ego to match, and I find his tantrums pure comedy gold.
- Royal disposition: All hail the king of self-love and undersea overstatement.
- The spectacle: A literal deity who still gets dragged into the same goofy nonsense as everyone else.
- Dramatic delivery: He turns every tantrum into a scene worth quoting.
The Flying Dutchman
The ghost pirate who haunts Bikini Bottom is spookier and more layered than your average one-note villain, which is exactly why he cracks my list.
- Spook factor: The ghastliest, gale-force ghost in the whole ocean.
- Hidden depth: More complicated than you would ever expect from a floating specter.
- Soft side: He quietly craves company under all that chilling bluster.
Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy
Bikini Bottom’s caped retirees are a perfect superhero spoof, and their grumpy old-timer energy makes them two of the funniest SpongeBob characters around.
- The inspiration: Golden-age crime-fighters, if they traded punches for prune juice.
- The comedy: A mix of naivety, grown-up gags, and pure nonsense.
- Signature bit: Heroes who save the day between soap-opera binges and shouts for meatloaf.
Karen Plankton
Karen is the zinger-slinging supercomputer married to Plankton, and her dry wit is some of the sharpest writing on the whole show.
- Marriage status: Hitched to a pint-sized schemer with a giant plan folder.
- Her role: Sardonic sidekick and the actual brains of the operation.
- The twist: She shows more heart than a pile of circuits has any right to.
Pearl Krabs
Mr. Krabs’ whale daughter is a walking bundle of teen angst, and I find her one of the most relatable SpongeBob characters in the whole show.
- Claim to fame: A whale-sized whirlwind of high-school drama.
- Daily grind: Friends, school, and a dad whose wallet snaps shut faster than a clam.
- The heart: Bigger than the Krusty Krab on free Krabby Patty day.
Mrs. Puff
The patron saint of patience, Mrs. Puff has survived more of SpongeBob’s boating disasters than anyone should, and I feel for her every single time.
- Patience level: Practically saintly, especially with SpongeBob behind the wheel.
- The voice: Brought to life by Mary Jo Catlett.
- Her role: The exasperated straight man to SpongeBob’s relentless cheer.
Gary the Snail
Gary says everything he needs to with a single meow, and for me he is one of the most quietly perfect SpongeBob characters on the show.
- His job: SpongeBob’s pet, partner in shenanigans, and occasional life coach.
- Friendship status: SpongeBob’s non-verbal venting buddy.
- Communication style: He speaks volumes with eye rolls and one very expressive meow.
Sheldon Plankton
Plankton may be microscopic, but his ambition could swallow all of Bikini Bottom, and his endless failed schemes make him one of my favorite SpongeBob characters.
- Stature: Tiny, with a tidal wave of ambition.
- Life motto: Dream like a whale when you are the size of a krill.
- His role: The lovably inept villain with a PhD in Plan Z.
- Soft spot: His digital romance with Karen adds real heart to his schemes.
Sandy Cheeks
Sandy is the karate-chopping, science-loving squirrel from Texas, and I love that she brought a whole air-dome of land energy down to the sea floor.
- Character charm: An astronaut-squirrel who carries a bubble of Texas to the ocean depths.
- Friendship role: SpongeBob’s bestie with a black belt in fun.
- Girl power: She marches to her own beat, then flips the drum over and uses it as a trampoline.
- Role model status: A character who celebrates smarts, strength, and Southern sass.
Eugene Krabs
Mr. Krabs is the money-obsessed owner of the Krusty Krab, and his penny-pinching is one of the show’s most reliable laughs for me.
- Business ethos: He squeezes a dollar tight enough to make Washington’s wig pop off.
- Soft shell: A real soft spot for his daughter Pearl and his beloved restaurant.
- The rivalry: His endless tug-of-war with Plankton over the secret formula.
- Sailor speak: That sea-dog dialect adds a salty charm to every scene.
Patrick Star
Patrick belly-flops straight into my heart every time, the lovable goofball who is not the sharpest tool but is the best friend anyone could ask for.
- Brightness level: He may not light up a room, but he always lights up a smile.
- Innocence: His worldview is about as uncomplicated as it gets.
- Comedy gold: The king of accidental wisdom and memorable mishaps.
- Best-friend energy: His bond with SpongeBob runs as deep as the Mariana Trench.
Squidward Tentacles
Squidward is one of the most beloved SpongeBob characters and the gloriously grumpy heart of the show for me, the clarinet-playing artist stuck in a town that just does not get him.
- The mood: Permanently parked between a grimace and an eye-roll.
- Arts aficionado: A clarinet-clutching dreamer in a sea of simplicity.
- The foil: The perfect sardonic counter to SpongeBob’s sunshine.
- Softer side: Every so often his shell cracks to reveal the tender artist within.
SpongeBob SquarePants
And of course, the one and only. For me SpongeBob is not just the star of the show, he is a full-blown pop-culture icon who can light up a room even underwater.
- Cultural splash: More than a sponge, he is a tidal wave in pop culture.
- Laughter recipe: One part giggle, two parts positivity, and an endless stream of innocence.
- Blunder buffer: He finds the silver lining in every slip-up and the good in every guppy.
- Life’s cheerleader: The patron saint of finding the awesome in the average.
Who Is Patchy the Pirate?
One of the few live-action SpongeBob characters, Patchy the Pirate, played by SpongeBob’s own voice actor Tom Kenny, is the live-action host of the show, presenting special episodes and Nickelodeon segments from his home in Encino, Los Angeles.
His parrot sidekick, Potty, is forever stirring up trouble.
Patchy first turned up in the episode Christmas Who?
He is also the self-appointed president of the SpongeBob Fan Club that he founded himself, and his house is a full shrine to SpongeBob and pirate memorabilia, right down to a wooden boat on wheels for a car.
Best Side Characters in SpongeBob
SpongeBob has been running for over two decades, and along the way it has built up a huge bench of side SpongeBob characters I love almost as much as the mains. These are the ones that always make me smile:
- Old Man Jenkins: The wise, perpetually bewildered old-timer of Bikini Bottom, reincarnated in about a dozen forms.
- The Alaskan Bull Worm: One giant creature, one of the most memorable adventures in the whole series.
- Man Ray: Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy’s arch-nemesis, whose run-ins with the old heroes are gold.
- The Tattletale Strangler: A would-be menace whose failed attempts at being scary, thanks to SpongeBob, always end in laughs.
- Patchy the Pirate: SpongeBob’s biggest fan and fan-club president, live-action and all.
- Fred: Forever yelling My leg, and forever getting hurt, our favorite background casualty.
- Bubble Bass: The Krabby Patty-obsessed rival that fans love to hate.
- Potty the Parrot: Patchy’s mischief-making sidekick.
- Tom: The background fish who always ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
- DoodleBob: SpongeBob’s crudely drawn double, chaotic and endlessly quotable.
- Realistic Fish Head: The oddly lifelike trout who anchors the news and the theme song.
- Anchovies: The slender, big-chinned masses that swarm Bikini Bottom whenever a crowd is needed.
SpongeBob SquarePants Full Cast and Crew
Ever wondered who voices your favorite SpongeBob characters? Here is the rundown of the main cast and the actors behind them:
- SpongeBob SquarePants – Tom Kenny
- Patrick Star – Bill Fagerbakke
- Squidward Tentacles – Rodger Bumpass
- Mr. Eugene Krabs – Clancy Brown
- Sandy Cheeks – Carolyn Lawrence
- Sheldon J. Plankton – Mr. Lawrence (also known as Doug Lawrence)
- Mrs. Puff – Mary Jo Catlett
- Pearl Krabs – Lori Alan
- Karen Plankton – Jill Talley
- Mermaid Man – Ernest Borgnine (until his passing in 2012, and afterward there were archived recordings and other solutions for his character’s voice)
- Barnacle Boy – Tim Conway (until his passing in 2019, and afterward there were archived recordings and other solutions for his character’s voice)
- Gary the Snail – Tom Kenny (meowing sounds)
- The Flying Dutchman – Brian Doyle-Murray
- Patchy the Pirate – Tom Kenny
- Larry the Lobster – Doug Lawrence (Mr. Lawrence)
- Bubble Bass – Dee Bradley Baker
- Man Ray – John Rhys-Davies (initially), Bob Joles (later episodes)
- Dirty Bubble – Charles Nelson Reilly (original episodes), Tom Kenny (some later appearances)
- Old Man Jenkins – Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Kenny, and others (The character has been portrayed by multiple voice actors and has had various designs throughout the series.)
- DoodleBob – Paul Tibbitt
- King Neptune – John O’Hurley (in the episode “Party Pooper Pants”), Jeffrey Tambor (in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie”), Kevin Michael Richardson (in “The Clash of Triton”)
- Princess Mindy – Scarlett Johansson (in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie”)
- Tom – Doug Lawrence (Mr. Lawrence), Dee Bradley Baker (varies)
- Fred – Doug Lawrence (Mr. Lawrence), Tom Kenny (varies)
- Realistic Fish Head (Johnny Elaine) – Doug Lawrence (Mr. Lawrence)
- Harold – Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Kenny, and others (This is another character with multiple designs and voice portrayals.)
- Perch Perkins – Dee Bradley Baker
- Bubble Buddy – J.D. Crew
- Kevin C. Cucumber – Dee Bradley Baker
- Squilliam Fancyson – Rodger Bumpass
- Grandma SquarePants – Mary Jo Catlett (most episodes), Marion Ross (in the episode “Grandma’s Kisses”)
- Mama Krabs – Paul Tibbitt (in “Sailor Mouth”), Sirena Irwin (in other episodes)
- Bubble Poppin’ Boys Leader – Ray Liotta
- Cyclops – Neil Ross (in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie”)
- The Alaskan Bull Worm – Dee Bradley Baker
- David Hasselhoff – Himself (in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie”)
- Howard Blandy – Alton Brown
- Jack Kahuna Laguna – Johnny Depp (in “SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One”)
- Stanley S. SquarePants – Christopher Guest
- Betsy Krabs – Sirena Irwin
- Smitty WerbenJagerManJensen – Dee Bradley Baker
- Kelpy G – Rodney Bingenheimer
- Mrs. Tentacles – Rodger Bumpass
- BlackJack – John DiMaggio
- Flats the Flounder – Thomas F. Wilson
- Goofy Goober – Dee Bradley Baker (in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie”)
- Potty the Parrot – Stephen Hillenburg (early episodes), Paul Tibbitt (later episodes)
- Big Sister Sam – Alesha Reneé
So that is my ranking of the best SpongeBob characters, from Mrs. Tentacles all the way down to the big yellow guy himself.
Who did I rank too low, and which side character deserves more love?
Let me know in the comments.