El Coco is a city located in Panama.
The name El Coco is also associated with a mythical ghost-like monster, similar to the bogeyman, found in Portugal and Spain. These beliefs have spread throughout many Hispanophone and Lusophone countries. In these contexts, the creature is often used as a figure of speech to represent irrational or exaggerated fears.
In folklore, the "monster" is described as a male being known as Cucuy or a female version called Cuca. It is traditionally said to visit the homes of disobedient children at night to take them away.