Top 10 Most Iconic Cartoon Characters of All Time

You've seen them on cereal boxes, T-shirts, lunchboxes, and probably burned into the back of your eyelids from Saturday mornings spent glued to the TV. These characters didn't just show up and entertain for a few years. They stuck around, shaped pop culture, and refused to fade quietly into rerun obscurity.

Some were pranksters with an endless supply of tricks. Others were painfully relatable, stubbornly weird, or just downright chaotic. Yet somehow, they all carved out a permanent spot in your memory.

Which animated icons earned their spot in history? Vote for the ones that truly earned their stripes, their fans, and their decades-long run of relevance.

The Top Ten

Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes)

Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created by the staff of Leon Schlesinger Productions, which later became Warner Bros. Cartoons. He is one of the most iconic and recognizable cartoon characters, known for his appearances in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. His signature phrase... read more

Some of my friends, family members, and myself think that you would never want to mess around with Bugs Bunny. He is too smart and could be a very dangerous cartoon character to be around!

Bugs is so smart and talented, plus a huge entertainment to watch. I remember the days when I used to watch The Bugs Bunny Show all day.

Bugs Bunny, while no longer relevant as a cartoon today, is still recognizable even to modern kids.
Mickey Mouse (Mickey Mouse)

Mickey Mouse is a funny animal cartoon character and the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company. He was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at the Walt Disney Studio in 1928.
The first cartoon featuring Mickey Mouse was the iconic "Steamboat Willie," released later that same year. Mickey... read more

You cannot call yourself a fan of anything cartoon-related if you don't know who Mickey Mouse is. Mickey is the one who basically ignited the movement for cartoon characters all over the world. Not to mention he appeared in the world's first animated feature with sound and music. If it weren't for Steamboat Willie, we wouldn't have 99% of the movies with sound and music we have today.

Mickey Mouse is and will always be one of my lifetime favorites (along with Minnie Mouse and their friends). I have been able to, for over seven years, still speak in the voice of Mickey Mouse. I am 31 and always think about him, still watch shows that have him, like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Have a Laugh, Mickey Mouse (show), Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Mickey's Mixed-Up Adventures, and more!
Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)

Homer Jay Simpson is the main protagonist of the American animated television series The Simpsons, serving as the patriarch of the eponymous family. It is implied that he is not very intelligent, with a crayon stuck in his brain often cited as the reason. He works at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant... read more
Scooby-Doo (Scooby-Doo)

Scooby-Doo is a famous fictional dog character from the animated television series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, which premiered in 1969. He is the protagonist of the franchise, known for his role in solving mysteries alongside his human friends in Mystery Inc. The character was created by Joe Ruby and... read more

Scooby-Doo! Haha. A dog detective who loved Scooby snacks. The way he ate them made me want to eat too. Haha. Plus, I learned a lot from this cartoon! Can't forget it. Will never forget it.

Nothing can beat this classic Great Dane! One of my favorite childhood shows.
SpongeBob SquarePants (SpongeBob SquarePants)

SpongeBob SquarePants is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the American animated television series of the same name. SpongeBob is known for his bright optimism and naive, childish tendencies. He often gets into trouble in Bikini Bottom.... read more

SpongeBob is the most well-received modern cartoon icon to date. He had an early slump in quality due to his creator's departure, then a brief jump in quality due to his creator's return, and now back to a probable slump due to his creator's death. But SpongeBob's influence and greatness are forever remembered by his fans.
Some may say SpongeBob is annoying, but I think that's a bunch of nonsense.

Out of all the characters here, nothing can beat SpongeBob. Even if I like Looney Tunes, The Simpsons, etc., SpongeBob has been a part of my childhood and will always be in my heart.
Jerry Mouse (Tom and Jerry)

Gerald "Jerry" Mouse is a fictional character and one of the title characters in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Tom and Jerry series of theatrical cartoon short films. He is a clever mouse who is frequently pursued by Tom the cat but often manages to outsmart him. Jerry first appeared in the 1940 cartoon short... read more

My favorite, the Tom and Jerry show. It never gets old. I started watching it when I was five, and now I'm 15, and it's still the same. As funny as before. No cartoon can ever come close to these two. They should have been in the top 5 at least (no offense).

Jerry is the most iconic cartoon character. He was my favorite in my childhood. His tricks entertain everyone, and he is also funny. He possesses many skills and is way cooler, better, and the best character compared to that rude Tom.
Donald Duck (Mickey Mouse)

Donald Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 by Walt Disney Productions. He is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He is typically depicted wearing a sailor shirt and cap, along with a bow tie, and is known for his short temper and comedic adventures.

Donald and his duck brethren rose in popularity enough to influence the designs of the Warners from Animaniacs. Also, if Disney had to give Mickey a non-bad-guy comedic partner, it would likely be the duck that gets all the bad luck.

I grew up watching Donald Duck even before I heard of Mickey Mouse. He is one of my favorite characters of all time.
Tom (Tom and Jerry)

Thomas "Tom" Cat is a fictional character and one of the title characters in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's series of Tom and Jerry theatrical cartoon short films. He is known for his long-running rivalry with Jerry Mouse. The series began in 1940 and became one of the most famous cartoon duos in animation history... read more

No one for Tom? Only me? Wow, don't you believe it! I thought he was the best and funniest one in the cartoons! He may not be the best, but I really felt sorry for my number 2 favorite cat (Sylvester being number 1), so I voted for one of the best Hanna-Barbera characters.

Tom is an iconic cartoon character. He is very funny and has useful skills, which indicate he is a very great iconic cartoon character.

Love him just as much as Jerry (being a cat lover helps as well). Just can't have one without the other.
Fred Flintstone (The Flintstones)

Frederick "Fred" Flintstone is the main character of the animated sitcom The Flintstones, which originally aired during prime time on ABC from 1960 to 1966. Fred is portrayed as the husband of Wilma Flintstone and the father of Pebbles Flintstone. He is famous for his loud, brash personality and for... read more
Daffy Duck (Looney Tunes)

Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character produced by Warner Bros. Styled as an anthropomorphic black duck, he has appeared in cartoon series such as Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. Daffy is often portrayed as the best friend and occasional rival of Bugs Bunny.

Daffy is known to be Bugs Bunny's comedy partner. However, Daffy proved he could make it without Bugs in solo cartoons like Duck Amuck, a cartoon classic. Of course, when people think of a Looney Tunes short, you can't say rabbit season without saying duck season. *gunshot*

The Newcomers

?
Casper (Casper the Friendly Ghost)

Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. He was created in the late 1930s and made his animated debut in 1945. Casper is known for being a kind and gentle ghost who prefers making friends over scaring people.
?
Tommy Pickles (Rugrats)

Thomas "Tommy" Malcolm Pickles is a fictional character from the Nickelodeon animated television series Rugrats and its spin-off All Grown Up! He serves as the main protagonist in both shows. Tommy is known for his adventurous personality and leadership among the group of babies featured in the series... read more

The Contenders

Optimus Prime (Transformers)

Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is consistently depicted as having strong moral character, excellent leadership, and sound decision-making skills. Optimus Prime is known for his military tactics, powerful martial arts, and advanced alien weaponry, and he serves... read more

My favorite character ever. Optimus Prime is the coolest being ever created. Why can't he be real?
Snoopy (Peanuts)

Snoopy is a character in the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz. He first appeared on October 4, 1950, and often sleeps on top of his doghouse. Snoopy is the pet beagle of Charlie Brown and appears in numerous television specials as well as the 2015 feature film The Peanuts Movie.
Charlie Brown (Peanuts)

Charlie Brown is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Peanuts comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz. The comic ran from 1950 to 2000 and is considered one of the most influential and popular comic strips of all time. Charlie Brown is known for his kind nature, persistent efforts,... read more

Charlie Brown should be in the top 5. Peanuts is underrated.
Goofy (Mickey Mouse)

Goofy is a cartoon character created by Walt Disney Productions in 1932. He is a tall, anthropomorphic black dog with a Southern accent.
His usual outfit includes a turtleneck, vest, pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally styled as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey... read more
Bart Simpson (The Simpsons)

Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is the eldest child and only son in the animated TV series The Simpsons, which premiered in December 1989. He was created by Matt Groening.
Bart is known for prank-calling Moe's Tavern, skateboarding, and his catchphrases like "Eat my shorts!" His mischief often... read more

It was hard deciding between Bart and Homer to represent The Simpsons, one of the longest-running cartoon series. However, Bart is a notorious cartoon icon. Many adults during the early Simpson years didn't appreciate kids coming to school with shirts with this rascal on them. In a way, that only made Bart even more of an icon.

Kids all over my school have Bart Simpson stickers all over their laptops.
Betty Boop (Betty Boop)

Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer, with help from animators including Grim Natwick. She first appeared in the 1930 cartoon Dizzy Dishes produced by Fleischer Studios. Betty Boop became one of the most popular cartoon characters of the 1930s.

This should be number 10. She may be sexy and have funny hair, but the entertaining "Betty boop boop boop!" and her several cultural appearances, like in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", make her iconic.
Pikachu (Pokémon)

Pikachu (Japanese: ピカチュウ) is a species of Pokémon that appears in video games, animated television shows and movies, trading card games, and comic books licensed by The Pokémon Company. It is the mascot of the Pokémon franchise and is widely considered the most iconic Pokémon. Pikachu is well known for... read more
Garfield (Garfield)

Garfield is a comic strip cat created by Jim Davis in 1978. The character has appeared in over 2,500 newspapers worldwide and starred in two live-action movies, three CGI films, and two animated TV shows: Garfield and Friends (1988-1994) and The Garfield Show (2008-2014).... read more

Garfield is amazing. He does everything I want to do every day: eat, sleep, eat some more, watch TV, sleep some more, and kick Odie off the table. What's not to love?

Garfield is lazy, sarcastic, and loves lasagna. There's literally nothing to hate about him.
Alvin (Alvin and the Chipmunks)

Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated television series featuring The Chipmunks. It was produced by Bagdasarian Productions in association with Ruby-Spears Enterprises from 1983 to 1987, Murakami-Wolf-Swenson in 1988, and DIC Entertainment from 1988 to 1990. The series aired on NBC from 1983... read more
Popeye (Popeye the Sailor)

Popeye the Sailor is a fictional American cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar. The character first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929. Over time, Popeye became the title character of the strip, reflecting his popularity.

While I wouldn't put him in the top 10 due to his dwindling fame (no thanks to his reboot movie being canceled), Popeye is still somewhat fresh in the minds of cartoon fans. Maybe it's his catchy jingle, his lessons to children to eat their vegetables (even spinach), or how he represented the US Army around WWII when American pride was dangerously high. All we know is that despite all these years, people still remember this one-of-a-kind sailor man.

Promoting health and wellness to young folks - can you beat that? And also, those macho forearms would give Popeye the ultimate advantage in any arm wrestling match with any other cartoon character in the history of cartoons.
Eric Cartman (South Park)

Eric Theodore Cartman, commonly known by his last name, is a central character in the animated series South Park. Created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker and voiced by Parker, Cartman is one of four main characters, alongside Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick. He often serves as both an... read more

Personally, South Park set a standard for adult animation. If any character would be considered the face of this crude and borderline offensive yet topical and occasionally plot-rich series, it would be this sociopath of a kid, Eric Cartman.
I would've voted for Kenny, but he hardly talks intelligibly and was probably already killed.

He comes up with the best schemes.
Kyle Broflovski (South Park)

Kyle Broflovski is a main character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is known for his strong moral compass and often serves as the voice of reason among the group.

Kyle is the greatest South Park character. He's honest, self-respecting, and authentic, and helpful. He's just like Arnold Shortman in Hey Arnold, really, a good kid. Kyle has a nice personality. I like that he's genuine.
Minnie Mouse (Mickey Mouse)

Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is a cartoon character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. She was first drawn by Iwerks in 1928, at the same time as Mickey Mouse. Her former voice actor, Russi Taylor (1944 to 2019), voiced her for 30 years and was married to Wayne Allwine (1947 to 2009), the former voice of... read more

Really, I only chose Minnie because of Mickey. She doesn't hold up much as a character but is more ingrained in animation than the other characters on this list. Remember, we're grading how iconic these characters are, not how much you liked their cartoons.
Also, who are Horrid Henry, Carl Carlson, and BoBoiBoy?!
Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh)

Winnie the Pooh is a character based on A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories. The Disney media franchise began in 1966 with the theatrical release of the short Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. The character has since become a beloved figure in children's literature and animation.

Arguably the most recognized cartoon character (behind Disney's Fab 5) of all time, with still such a huge following all over the world.
Bender (Futurama)

Bender Bending Rodríguez is a fictional robot and one of the central characters in the animated television series Futurama. He was created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen and is voiced by John DiMaggio. Bender is known for his sarcastic personality, fondness for alcohol, and rebellious behavior,... read more