
Just like animals today, some famous dinosaurs would win a popularity contest against others.
It’s hard to talk about dinosaurs without mentioning these iconic dinosaur species.
These famous dinosaurs are renowned for various attributes such as their size, the nature of their fossil, or even how they were discovered.
Some dinosaurs are also notable because they’re the biggest or smallest in their family or even because they have unique features not seen in any other dinosaur groups.
Dinosaur popularity may also depend on how often they’re depicted in movies or other pop culture materials and their significance to scientific research.
Regardless of the reasons for their popularity, you’ve probably heard of the dinosaurs on this list at some point in the past.
In this article, we’ll list 25 of the most famous dinosaurs ever discovered, explaining some of the factors that made them so popular.


25. Compsognathus

Name | Compsognathus |
Name Meaning | “Elegant Jaw” |
Pronunciation | Kom-sohg-NAY-thus |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) |
Length | 89 centimeters (35 inches) |
Weight | 0.32–0.58 kilograms (0.71–1.3 pounds) |
Location | Germany, France (Europe) |
The theropod group of dinosaurs is known for massive species like the T-rex, but more diminutive members of the group are present as well.
The Compsognathus was a small, carnivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic Period, approximately 150 million years ago.
Compsognathus once held the title for the smallest dinosaur ever discovered until smaller dinosaurs were discovered in the 1990s.
It was about the same size as a turkey, with a slender build and agile limbs.
The Compsognathus was an opportunistic predator, likely feeding on small vertebrates and insects.
24. Iguanodon

Name | Iguanodon |
Name Meaning | “Iguana teeth” |
Pronunciation | ig-WAH-nuh-don |
Era | Mesozoic – Early Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia & Ornithopoda |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 2.7 meters (9 feet) |
Length | 9–11 meters (30–36 feet) |
Weight | 4.5 tons (10,000 lbs) |
Location | Europe |
Iguanodon was a herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous Period.
Fossils of the Iguanodon were first discovered in Europe in 1825, making it one of the first dinosaurs ever discovered.
Iguanodon was a quadrupedal dinosaur, but it could also shift to a bipedal stance when necessary.
The Iguanodon was a bulky dinosaur.
Although it was about the same size as an African elephant, experts have estimated its weight to be twice as heavy as an elephant.
23. Troodon

Name | Troodon |
Name Meaning | “Wounding Tooth” |
Pronunciation | TROH-oh-don |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 0.9 to 2 meters (2.95 to 6.56 feet) |
Length | 2 meters (6.56 feet) |
Weight | 40 kilograms (88.18 lbs) |
Location | Alaska (North America), Montana (USA), China (Asia) |
The Troodon was a small, bird-like, theropod dinosaur that was alive during the Late Cretaceous Period.
This small dinosaur and its relatives (the troodontids) were known for their relatively large brains compared to their body size.
This suggests that the Troodon was an intelligent dinosaur with a similar level of intelligence as modern birds.
It was likely an omnivore and probably exhibited some degree of pack behavior.
The Troodon was first discovered in 1855, making it one of the first dinosaurs ever discovered in North America.
22. Deinonychus

Name | Deinonychus |
Name Meaning | “Terrible claw” |
Pronunciation | Di-non-ih-kus |
Era | Mesozoic – Early Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 0.87 meters (2.9 feet) |
Length | 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) |
Weight | 60-73 kilograms (132-161 pounds) |
Location | Wyoming, Montana, Utah; North America |
Deinonychus was a much bigger relative of the famous Velociraptor.
This medium-sized feathered theropod is famous for its sharp, curved claws, which it likely used for hunting.
Deinonychus was a swift and intelligent predator.
The discovery of this dinosaur changed our perspective of dinosaurs as agile, active animals instead of slow, lumbering beasts.
Deinonychus lived in North America during the Early Cretaceous Period.
21. Megalosaurus

Name | Megalosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Great lizard” |
Pronunciation | MEG-uh-loh-SAWR-us |
Era | Mesozoic – Middle Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 3 meters (10 feet) |
Length | 7–9 meters (23–30 feet) |
Weight | 1–2 tons (2,200–4,400 lbs) |
Location | Europe |
Megalosaurus was one of the first dinosaurs ever discovered and described.
When the name “dinosaur” was coined in 1842, the Megalosaurus was one of three genera on which the description of the newly formed group of dinosaurs was named.
The Megalosaurus was a theropod that lived during the Middle Jurassic Period.
Fossils of Megalosaurus have been found in Europe, specifically in England, where the 30-foot-long carnivorous dinosaur dominated the terrestrial landscape approximately 166 to 164 million years ago.
20. Chasmosaurus

Name | Chasmosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Opening Lizard” |
Pronunciation | kaz-moh-SAWR-us |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia & Ceratopsia |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 2.5–3 meters (8–10 feet) |
Length | 4–5 meters (13–16.5 feet) |
Weight | 2 tons (4409 lbs) |
Location | North America |
The Chasmosaurus lends its name to an entire lineage of dinosaurs known as the chasmosaurine ceratopsians.
Like the Chasmosaurus, other members of this subfamily of frilled dinosaurs are known for their large brow horns, large frills, and reduced nasal horns (compared to the larger nasal horns of their relatives).
Chasmosaurus had a distinctive frill behind its head, with a large opening in the middle.
The dinosaur’s name, which means gap lizard, was a reference to this large opening.
19. Pachycephalosaurus

Name | Pachycephalosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Thick-headed lizard” |
Pronunciation | pak-ee-sef-uh-loh-SAWR-us |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia & Pachycephalosauria |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 4.3 meters (17.5 feet) |
Length | 4.5 to 5 meters (15 to 16.5 feet) |
Weight | 370–450 kilograms (820–990 lbs) |
Location | Asia & North America |
Pachycephalosaurus was a medium-sized dinosaur famous for its thick skull, characterized by a large bony dome.
The top of this dome was up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) thick, enough to safely cushion the dinosaur’s brains.
This herbivorous dinosaur lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.
Pachycephalosaurus lacked prominent horns.
However, members of this genus probably competed against each other for mates and territory by head-butting—a unique behavior among dinosaurs.
18. Microraptor

Name | Microraptor |
Name Meaning | “Small thief” |
Pronunciation | MY-kro-RAP-tor |
Era | Mesozoic – Early Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 0.4 meters (1.3 feet) at the hip |
Length | 0.8-1 meter (2.6-3.3 feet) |
Weight | 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) |
Location | China (Asia) |
The Microraptor is famous as one of the smallest dinosaurs ever discovered.
This small, feathered dinosaur lived in Asia during the Early Cretaceous Period.
It was only about one meter (3.3 feet) long and weighed just 500 grams (1.1 pounds).
Microraptor had wings on both its arms and legs, and the evidence suggests that it was capable of gliding from tree to tree.
Feathered dinosaurs like the Microraptor are considered very important in understanding the evolutionary relationship between birds and the early dinosaurs.
17. Herrerasaurus

Name | Herrerasaurus |
Name Meaning | “Herrera’s lizard” |
Pronunciation | MY-kro-RAP-tHer-rare-rah-sore-us.or |
Era | Mesozoic — Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) |
Length | 6 meters (20 feet) |
Weight | 350 kilograms (770 pounds) |
Location | Argentina (South America) |
Herrerasaurus was a lightly-built bipedal dinosaur that measured about 20 feet on average.
It lived in South America during the Triassic Period and is considered one of the earliest dinosaurs known from the fossil record.
Herrerasaurus was a primitive dinosaur, and it displays traits found in different groups of dinosaurs, including sauropods and theropods.
This has made it difficult for scientists to classify this dinosaur accurately, and many aspects of its identity remain controversial.
16. Giganotosaurus

Name | Giganotosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Giant Southern Lizard” |
Pronunciation | jy-guh-NOH-tuh-SAWR-us |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 4.5 meters (15 feet) |
Length | 12–13 meters (39–43 feet) |
Weight | Argentina (South America) |
Location | North America |
As the name suggests, the Giganotosaurus is one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs ever discovered.
It lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous Period and was probably the largest meat-eating dinosaur on the continent about 99 million years ago.
Giganotosaurus was the apex predator of its ecosystem, living alongside some of the largest dinosaurs to have ever walked the planet.
This means it had to hunt large prey like the giant sauropods to survive.
15. Ceratosaurus

Name | Ceratosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Horned Lizard” |
Pronunciation | se-RAT-o-SAW-rus |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 3.7 meters (12 feet) |
Length | 6 meters (19.7 feet) |
Weight | 2 tons (4,000 lbs) |
Location | North America (United States), Europe (Portugal) |
The Ceratosaurus is one of North America’s most famous carnivorous dinosaurs.
It was a medium-sized dinosaur known from a handful of fossils.
An entire clade of theropod dinosaurs known as the Ceratosauria is named after this dinosaur, which makes it quite significant.
Given its size, the Ceratosaurus probably preyed on small to medium-sized dinosaurs in its ecosystem as well as other reptiles or even aquatic prey like fish.
Ceratosaurus had a distinctive horn on its nose, which was probably used for display or intraspecific competition for mates.
14. Argentinosaurus

Name | Argentinosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Argentine lizard” |
Pronunciation | Ar-gen-tee-no-SAWR-uhs |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Sauropoda |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 7–8 meters (23–26 feet) |
Length | 30–35 meters (98–115 feet) |
Weight | 65–80 tons (130,000–160,000 lbs) |
Location | Argentina (South America) |
Argentinosaurus was a large, sauropod dinosaur that often tops the list of largest dinosaurs ever discovered.
It lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous Period.
With an estimated length of up to 30 meters (100 feet) and a weight of up to 100 tons, Argentinosaurus was the largest dinosaur on the South American continent and one of the largest dinosaurs of all time.
This size also makes the Argentinosaurus one of the largest terrestrial animals to have ever lived.
13. Dilophosaurus

Name | Dilophosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Double-Crested Lizard” |
Pronunciation | dye-LOFF-uh-SAWR-us |
Era | Mesozoic – Early Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 2–3 meters (6.5–10 feet) |
Length | 6–7 meters (20–23 feet) long |
Weight | 400–500 kilograms (880–1,100 lbs) |
Location | North America |
The Dilophosaurus is famous from the Jurassic Park movies as the dinosaur with extendable neck frills that was capable of spitting venom to paralyze its prey.
But this dinosaur didn’t have these attributes in real life.
It was a regular theropod dinosaur roughly seven meters long, with an average weight of about 880 pounds.
While these dramatic features were fictional, the Dilophosaurus was still one of the most notable predators in North America during the early Jurassic Period.
12. Parasaurolophus

Name | Parasaurolophus |
Name Meaning | “Near crested lizard” |
Pronunciation | Pah-ruh-SAWR-uh-LOH-fus |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia & Ornithopoda |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 4.9 meters (16 feet) |
Length | 11.45 meters (37.6 feet) |
Weight | 2.7 tons (5,952 lbs) |
Location | North America |
Parasaurolophus was a type of duck-billed dinosaur (hadrosaurid dinosaur) that lived in Asia and North America during the Late Cretaceous Period.
The most distinctive feature of this dinosaur was the elaborate crest, which extended from its snout and curved backward towards the back of its head.
The function of the elaborate crest of the Parasaurolophus has remained a subject of controversy and has contributed to the popularity of this dinosaur.
It may have been used for communication, but other theories, such as species recognition or thermoregulation, have been proposed.
11. Carnotaurus

Name | Carnotaurus |
Name Meaning | “Meat-eating bull “ |
Pronunciation | kar-noh-TAWR-uhs |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 3–3.6 meters (10–12 feet) |
Length | 5.8–9 meters (19.2–30 feet) |
Weight | 1 ton (2,000 lbs) |
Location | South America |
Carnotaurus was a theropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous Period.
Although it had the typical build of any other theropod dinosaur, what made the Carnotaurus famous was the distinctive horn-like projections on its head.
This feature is not seen in any other theropod dinosaur.
Only one Carnotaurus fossil has been found so far.
Yet, it is one of the best-understood dinosaurs from the Southern Hemisphere because the fossil is relatively intact and well-preserved.
10. Oviraptor

Name | Oviraptor |
Name Meaning | “Egg thief” |
Pronunciation | Oh-vee-RAP-tor |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Uncertain (omnivorous or herbivorous) |
Height | 1.2 meters (4 feet) |
Length | 1.5-2 meters (5-6.5 feet) |
Weight | 20–30 kilograms (44–66 pounds) |
Location | Mongolia and China (Asia) |
If “famous for the wrong reasons” was a dinosaur, it would be the Oviraptor.
This small feathered dinosaur was labeled an “egg thief” when it was first discovered in association with a dinosaur nest in 1923.
However, more recent discoveries now suggest that the Oviraptor was not a nest-raider but a caring parent that died while protecting its eggs.
It is often cited as one of the best examples of parental care in dinosaurs.
Oviraptor lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous Period.
9. Ankylosaurus

Name | Ankylosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Fused Lizard” |
Pronunciation | An-kye-low-sore-us |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia, Ankylosauria |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) |
Length | 6 meters (20 feet) |
Weight | 6 tons (13,000 lbs) |
Location | North America |
Ankylosaurus is famous as one of the most heavily-armored dinosaurs.
The 8-meter-long dinosaur was built like a tank, with rows of bony plates (osteoderms) arranged along its back.
The Ankylosaurus also had a heavy clubbed tail which it could swing at predators to fend off an attack.
Ankylosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous Period about 68 million years ago.
It was a herbivore with rows of leaf-shaped teeth lining its jaws, which were effective for processing tough plant materials.
8. Spinosaurus

Name | Spinosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Spined lizard” |
Pronunciation | SPY-noh-SAW-rus |
Era | Mesozoic – Cretaceous Period |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) |
Length | 12 to 18 meters (39 to 59 feet) |
Weight | 6 to 12 tons (13,000 to 26,000 pounds) |
Location | Africa |
The Spinosaurus was an enormous carnivore that currently holds the title of the largest carnivorous dinosaur to have ever lived.
It lived on the coast of North Africa during the Late Cretaceous Period.
The Spinosaurus is famous for its giant sail-like structure on its back and its crocodile-like skull.
Experts think this dinosaur was adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle and probably preyed on fish instead of terrestrial prey.
7. Allosaurus

Name | Allosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Other Lizard” |
Pronunciation | AL-oh-saw-russ |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 5 meters (16.4 feet) |
Length | 8.5 to 12 meters (27.89 to 39.37 feet) |
Weight | 1,500 to 2,000 kilograms (3,306.93 to 4,409.25 lbs) |
Location | Portugal, Utah, Germany, Nebraska |
The Allosaurus was a fierce predator that dominated the Late Jurassic ecosystem of western North America.
Discovered during the famous American Bone Wars, the Allosaurus was one of the first well-known theropod dinosaurs thanks to an abundance of fossils from the Morrison Formation.
There’s abundant evidence that the Allosaurus hunted various large herbivorous dinosaurs and may have hunted other predators in its ecosystem as well.
6. Diplodocus

Name | Diplodocus |
Name Meaning | “Double Beam” |
Pronunciation | Dip-loh-DOH-kus |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Sauropoda |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) |
Length | 24–26 meters (79–85 feet) |
Weight | 11–18 tons (22,000–36,000 lbs) |
Location | North America |
Diplodocus was a large sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America about 150 million years ago.
The dinosaur is famous for its immense length, with some estimates suggesting a length of over 26 meters (85 feet) for this dinosaur.
For many years after its discovery, Diplodocus held the title of the longest dinosaur ever discovered.
In addition to being extremely long, another intriguing attribute of this dinosaur was its long, muscular tail.
Experts think the Diplodocus used this tail like a whip to defend itself against predators.
5. Brachiosaurus

Name | Brachiosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Arm Lizard” |
Pronunciation | Brak-ee-oh-SAWR-uhs |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Sauropoda |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 12-13 meters (39-43 feet) |
Length | 18 to 22 meters (59 and 72 feet) |
Weight | 28 to 56 tons (61,000–120,000lbs) |
Location | USA (North America) |
The Brachiosaurus was a Late Jurassic sauropod dinosaur famous for its immense size.
When the fossil of this dinosaur was first discovered in the 1900s, it was declared “the largest dinosaur fossil yet.”
Brachiosaurus lived in North America and was one of the largest dinosaurs on the continent about 150 million years ago.
While many more slightly bigger dinosaur fossils have since turned up, the Brachiosaurus remains one of the tallest dinosaurs ever discovered, with a height of about 13 meters (43 feet).
4. Triceratops

Name | Triceratops |
Name Meaning | “Three-horned face” |
Pronunciation | Trih-SAIR-uh-tops |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia, & Ceratopsia |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) |
Length | 9 meters (30 feet) |
Weight | 5 to 9 tons (10,000–18,000 lbs) |
Location | USA & Canada (North America) |
Even if you don’t know what it’s called, everyone is familiar with the massive dinosaur built like a rhinoceros with huge facial horns and a large frill at the back of its head.
There are many dinosaurs that fit that description, but the Triceratops is the most famous example and is often used as a representation of the entire group.
As the name implies, the Triceratops had three facial horns (two above its brows and one on the snout).
It was a formidable herbivore that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous Period.
3. Stegosaurus

Name | Stegosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Roof lizard” |
Pronunciation | steg-uh-SAWR-us |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia & Stegosauria |
Diet | Herbivorous |
Height | 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16.5 feet) |
Length | 9 to 10 meters (30 to 33 feet) |
Weight | 3.5–5 metric tons (7,716–11,023 lbs) |
Location | North America (United States) |
The Stegosaurus is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs, known for its distinctive double row of large bony plates arranged along its back.
It also had sharp spikes on its tails, known as thagomizers.
Despite the fierce appearance of this dinosaur, the Stegosaurus, like many armored dinosaurs, was a gentle herbivore.
Up to 80 Stegosaurus fossils have been found so far, which means it is quite famous in the world of paleontology.
Most Stegosaurus fossils were discovered in North America, with a few found in Europe.
2. Velociraptor

Name | Velociraptor |
Name Meaning | “Swift plunderer” |
Pronunciation | Vuh-LOS-uh-rap-tor |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 0.6 meters (2 feet) |
Length | 1.8 meters (6 feet) |
Weight | 15-20 kilograms (33-44 pounds) |
Location | Mongolia and China (Asia) |
The Velociraptor was made famous by its appearance in the Jurassic Park movies, where it was depicted as a swift and intelligent hunter.
But the Jurassic Park Velociraptor was an exaggerated version of the real one, which means the version of this predator that we are all familiar with was probably not real at all.
The real Velociraptor was a feathered carnivore that was about two meters long on average and weighed roughly 43 pounds.
It did have an enlarged sickle-shaped claw, which would have given it an equally fearsome appearance.
1. Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex)

Name | Tyrannosaurus |
Name Meaning | “Tyrant lizard” |
Pronunciation | Tie-RAN-oh-SAWR-uhs |
Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
Diet | Carnivorous |
Height | 4–6 meters (13–20 feet) |
Length | 12–15 meters (40–50 feet) |
Weight | 5–8 tons (11,000–18,000 lbs) |
Location | United States and Canada (North America) |
The Tyrannosaurus rex is arguably the most famous dinosaur of all.
This iconic dinosaur has a reputation as one of the most powerful predators to have ever lived.
The T-rex ruled the landscape of North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 66 million years ago.
It was the largest land carnivore of its time, with an average length of about 12 meters (40 feet).
Although it had stubby arms that were probably not very useful, the T-rex’s large head, powerful jaws, and teeth made it a formidable predator that could take down pretty much any prey.
The Tyrannosaurus rex also had the strongest bite force of any land animal to have ever lived.
Sources:
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-real-dilophosaurus-would-have-eaten-the-jurassic-park-version-for-breakfast/
- https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Parasaurolophus/312897
- https://new.smm.org/dino-days/battle/carnotaurus
- https://www.britannica.com/animal/Oviraptor
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/facts/triceratops-horridus
- https://www.britannica.com/animal/Allosaurus
- https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/velociraptor.html
- https://www.livescience.com/24184-stegosaurus-facts.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceratosaurus
Jerry Young is a self-proclaimed prehistoric animal nerd. He has been fascinated with these ancient creatures for as long as he can remember, and his passion for them continues to this day. With his extensive knowledge and love for prehistoric animals, he is the perfect fit for Gage Beasley Prehistoric.