Dinosaur Names
Every dinosaur name is a tiny description in Greek or Latin. Triceratops is “three-horned face,” Velociraptor is “swift thief,” and Maiasaura, a duck-bill found with its nests, is “good mother lizard.” Once you know that saurus means lizard, raptor means thief and ceratops means horned face, you can decode most of them yourself. More than 100 dinosaurs are listed below, each with its meaning.
We’ve grouped them the way kids and paleontologists both think about them: the famous ones, the meat-eaters, the long-necked giants, the armored and horned tanks and the bird-like dinosaurs. There’s also a short list of flying and swimming reptiles that aren’t technically dinosaurs, plus beloved cartoon dinos. Naming a pet reptile? Try our bearded dragon names and lizard names, or browse dragon names.
Famous dinosaur names everyone knows
The superstars of museums and movies.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tyrannosaurus | Tyrant lizard | The giant Late Cretaceous predator, T. rex |
| Triceratops | Three-horned face | Up to 30 feet long, with a huge bony frill |
| Stegosaurus | Roof lizard | Plates on its back, spikes on its tail |
| Velociraptor | Swift thief | Turkey-sized and feathered in real life |
| Brachiosaurus | Arm lizard | Front legs longer than back legs |
| Diplodocus | Double beam | Named for double-beamed tail bones |
| Apatosaurus | Deceptive lizard | A long-necked giant of the Jurassic |
| Brontosaurus | Thunder lizard | Reinstated as its own genus in 2015 |
| Spinosaurus | Spine lizard | Sail-backed and partly aquatic |
| Ankylosaurus | Fused lizard | Armored tank with a tail club |
| Allosaurus | Different lizard | Top Jurassic predator |
| Iguanodon | Iguana tooth | Thumb spikes; one of the first dinosaurs named |
| Parasaurolophus | Near crested lizard | Tube-shaped head crest |
| Pachycephalosaurus | Thick-headed lizard | Dome skull up to 10 inches thick |
| Dilophosaurus | Two-crested lizard | Early Jurassic predator |
Meat-eating dinosaur names
Theropods, the two-legged meat-eaters, came in every size from chicken-sized to longer than a school bus. Their fierce names make great badass dog names too.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Giganotosaurus | Giant southern lizard | Rivaled T. rex in length |
| Carcharodontosaurus | Shark-toothed lizard | Blade-like teeth |
| Carnotaurus | Meat-eating bull | Two horns above its eyes |
| Baryonyx | Heavy claw | A giant thumb claw for fishing |
| Megalosaurus | Great lizard | The first dinosaur formally named (1824) |
| Ceratosaurus | Horned lizard | Nose horn and bony ridges |
| Albertosaurus | Alberta lizard | A tyrannosaur relative from Canada |
| Gorgosaurus | Fierce lizard | Close cousin of Albertosaurus |
| Daspletosaurus | Frightful lizard | A heavy tyrannosaur |
| Tarbosaurus | Alarming lizard | Asia’s version of T. rex |
| Majungasaurus | Mahajanga lizard | From Madagascar |
| Utahraptor | Utah’s thief | The largest known raptor |
| Deinonychus | Terrible claw | Inspired the movie “raptors” |
| Coelophysis | Hollow form | Light, hollow-boned early hunter |
| Compsognathus | Elegant jaw | Chicken-sized |
| Suchomimus | Crocodile mimic | Long, croc-like snout |
| Torvosaurus | Savage lizard | One of the biggest Jurassic predators |
| Acrocanthosaurus | High-spined lizard | Tall ridge along its back |
| Herrerasaurus | Herrera’s lizard | One of the earliest dinosaurs |
| Eoraptor | Dawn thief | A very early, small dinosaur |
| Irritator | Named for the researchers’ irritation | The skull had been altered by fossil dealers |
| Yutyrannus | Feathered tyrant | A large feathered tyrannosauroid |
Long-necked dinosaur names (sauropods)
The largest animals ever to walk on land. Several were named only in the last few decades.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Argentinosaurus | Argentina lizard | Among the heaviest dinosaurs known |
| Patagotitan | Patagonian titan | A titanosaur named in 2017 |
| Dreadnoughtus | Fears nothing | Named after the dreadnought battleships |
| Camarasaurus | Chambered lizard | Hollow chambers in its vertebrae |
| Mamenchisaurus | Mamenxi lizard | Extremely long neck |
| Supersaurus | Super lizard | One of the longest dinosaurs |
| Sauroposeidon | Lizard earthquake god | Could raise its head very high |
| Amargasaurus | La Amarga lizard | Twin rows of neck spines |
| Nigersaurus | Niger lizard | A wide mouth with hundreds of teeth |
| Plateosaurus | Broad lizard | An early sauropod relative |
| Saltasaurus | Salta lizard | Armored sauropod |
| Giraffatitan | Giant giraffe | Once grouped with Brachiosaurus |
| Barosaurus | Heavy lizard | Long neck, whip-like tail |
| Titanosaurus | Titan lizard | Gave its name to the titanosaurs |
Armored and horned dinosaur names
Plates, spikes, frills and clubs: these plant-eaters were built for defense.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Styracosaurus | Spiked lizard | Long spikes on its frill |
| Protoceratops | First horned face | Found locked in combat with Velociraptor |
| Centrosaurus | Pointed lizard | Known from huge bone beds |
| Pachyrhinosaurus | Thick-nosed lizard | A bony boss instead of a nose horn |
| Chasmosaurus | Opening lizard | Large openings in its frill |
| Torosaurus | Perforated lizard | One of the largest skulls of any land animal |
| Kentrosaurus | Spiky lizard | Stegosaur relative from Tanzania |
| Euoplocephalus | Well-armed head | Even had armored eyelids |
| Nodosaurus | Knobbed lizard | Club-less armored dinosaur |
| Borealopelta | Northern shield | A mummy-like fossil with preserved skin |
| Zuul | Named for the <em>Ghostbusters</em> demon | Ankylosaur named in 2017 |
| Scelidosaurus | Limb lizard | Early armored dinosaur |
| Einiosaurus | Bison lizard | Downward-curving nose horn |
| Sauropelta | Lizard shield | Shoulder spikes |
| Psittacosaurus | Parrot lizard | Parrot-like beak |
Duck-billed and other plant-eating dinosaurs
Hadrosaurs and their relatives were the cattle of the Cretaceous, often living in huge herds.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maiasaura | Good mother lizard | Found with nests and hatchlings |
| Edmontosaurus | Edmonton lizard | A common duck-bill |
| Lambeosaurus | Lambe’s lizard | Hatchet-shaped crest |
| Corythosaurus | Helmet lizard | Rounded helmet crest |
| Hadrosaurus | Bulky lizard | New Jersey’s state dinosaur |
| Shantungosaurus | Shandong lizard | The largest duck-bill |
| Ouranosaurus | Brave lizard | Sail or hump on its back |
| Hypsilophodon | High-crested tooth | Small and fast |
| Leaellynasaura | Leaellyn’s lizard | Named after a paleontologist’s daughter |
| Therizinosaurus | Scythe lizard | Claws up to 3 feet long |
Bird-like and feathered dinosaur names
Birds are living dinosaurs, and these species show the link most clearly. For feathered friends today see our bird names.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Archaeopteryx | Ancient wing | The famous early bird |
| Microraptor | Small thief | Four feathered wings |
| Oviraptor | Egg thief | Actually brooded its own eggs |
| Troodon | Wounding tooth | Large brain for its size |
| Gallimimus | Chicken mimic | Ostrich-like runner |
| Struthiomimus | Ostrich mimic | Fast and long-legged |
| Ornithomimus | Bird mimic | Toothless beak |
| Deinocheirus | Terrible hand | Huge arms, humpbacked |
Prehistoric reptiles that aren’t dinosaurs
Pterosaurs flew and plesiosaurs and mosasaurs swam, but none of them are dinosaurs. They make great names anyway, especially for fish names and aquarium pets.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pteranodon | Toothless wing | A pterosaur, not a dinosaur |
| Quetzalcoatlus | Named for the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl | Giraffe-sized flying reptile |
| Pterodactylus | Winged finger | The first pterosaur named |
| Rhamphorhynchus | Beak snout | Long-tailed pterosaur |
| Plesiosaurus | Near to lizard | Long-necked marine reptile |
| Elasmosaurus | Thin-plated lizard | Neck over 20 feet long |
| Mosasaurus | Meuse lizard | Giant marine lizard |
| Liopleurodon | Smooth-sided teeth | Short-necked marine predator |
| Ichthyosaurus | Fish lizard | Dolphin-shaped reptile |
| Dimetrodon | Two measures of teeth | Sail-backed; closer to mammals than dinosaurs |
Famous cartoon and movie dinosaurs
Instant name ideas for kids, toys and pets.
| Name | From | Species |
|---|---|---|
| Littlefoot | <em>The Land Before Time</em> | Apatosaurus (“longneck”) |
| Cera | <em>The Land Before Time</em> | Triceratops |
| Ducky | <em>The Land Before Time</em> | Saurolophus |
| Petrie | <em>The Land Before Time</em> | Pteranodon |
| Spike | <em>The Land Before Time</em> | Stegosaurus |
| Rex | <em>Toy Story</em> | Tyrannosaurus |
| Arlo | <em>The Good Dinosaur</em> | Apatosaurus |
| Blue | <em>Jurassic World</em> | Velociraptor |
| Dino | <em>The Flintstones</em> | Pet “snorkasaurus” |
| Barney | <em>Barney & Friends</em> | Purple T. rex |
| Yoshi | Nintendo’s Mario games | Friendly green dinosaur |
How to decode (and pick) a dinosaur name
- Learn the building blocks: saurus = lizard, raptor = thief, ceratops = horned face, don = tooth, mimus = mimic, titan = giant.
- Many names honor places (Albertosaurus, Utahraptor) or people (Leaellynasaura), so look for a hidden map or dedication.
- For pets, shorten long names: Rex, Trixie (Triceratops), Stego, Raptor, Bronto, Anky.
- Kids love names with a story. Oviraptor, the “egg thief” that was really a good parent, is a great conversation starter.
- Check spelling. Scientific names are case-sensitive and italicized in writing (Tyrannosaurus rex).
Frequently asked questions
What is the longest dinosaur name?
Micropachycephalosaurus (“tiny thick-headed lizard”) is usually cited as the longest dinosaur genus name, at 23 letters.
What was the first dinosaur ever named?
Megalosaurus, described by William Buckland in 1824.
Is the Pterodactyl a dinosaur?
No. Pterodactylus and Pteranodon are pterosaurs, flying reptiles that were close cousins of dinosaurs but not dinosaurs themselves.
What does “saurus” mean in dinosaur names?
It comes from the Greek sauros, meaning lizard. That’s why so many dinosaur names end in -saurus.
What are cute dinosaur names for a pet?
Try Rex, Dino, Littlefoot, Ducky, Stego, Trixie, Bronto or Raptor. They’re short, fun and easy for a pet to learn.