Top 10 Best Dinosaur Names

1. Anzu

   

   Anzu is a genus of large oviraptorosaurian dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of North Dakota and South Dakota, US. It lived approximately 66 million years ago and is known from several well-preserved fossils. The type species, Anzu wyliei, was described in 2014 and is nicknamed the chicken from hell... read more

   The first oviraptor-like theropod discovered in North America, Anzu was also one of the largest, tipping the scales at up to 500 pounds (or an order of magnitude more than its better-known relative, Oviraptor). The name of this feathered dinosaur derives from Mesopotamian folklore, where Anzu was a winged demon who stole the Tablet of Destiny from the sky god Enlil.

2. Daemonosaurus

   Despite what you may think, the Greek root "daemon" in Daemonosaurus doesn't necessarily mean "demon," but "evil spirit." Not that this distinction would matter if you were being chased by a pack of these toothy, 50-pound theropods.

   The importance of Daemonosaurus is that it was closely related to the better-known North American Coelophysis, and thus was one of the earliest true dinosaurs.

3. Gigantoraptor

   From its name, you might assume that Gigantoraptor was the largest raptor that ever lived, outclassing Velociraptor and Deinonychus. The fact is, though, this impressively named two-ton dinosaur wasn't a true raptor at all but a late Cretaceous theropod closely related to Oviraptor. For the record, the largest true raptor was the 1,500-pound Utahraptor.

4. Raptorex

   Not all dinosaurs have equally impressive names. It takes a particular type of paleontologist to come up with a name that's so striking and descriptive that it forever fixes a dinosaur in the public imagination, no matter how scant the fossil evidence might be.

   Here's an alphabetical list of the 10 most memorable dinosaur names, ranging from Anzu to Tyrannotitan. (Just how cool were these dinosaurs?)

5. Khaan

   Why do Central Asian (and North American) dino-birds get all the coolest names? Khaan is Mongolian for "lord," as you might have guessed from the famous Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan (and KHAN! from Star Trek II).

   Ironically, though, Khaan wasn't that big or fierce, only measuring about four feet from head to tail and weighing 30 pounds.

6. Iguanacolossus

   A relatively new addition to the dinosaur bestiary, Iguanacolossus (you don't need to have studied Greek to translate its name as "colossal iguana") was a multi-ton ornithopod of the late Cretaceous period. And yes, in case you were wondering, this plant-muncher was a close relative of Iguanodon, though it wasn't even remotely related to modern iguanas!

7. Dracorex

   

   Dracorex was named as a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of North America, although it is now commonly regarded as a juvenile form of Pachycephalosaurus. The only named species, Dracorex hogwartsia, was discovered in South Dakota and named in honor of the Harry Potter series... read more

8. Supersaurus

   With a name like Supersaurus, you'd think this 50-ton sauropod of the late Jurassic period liked to prance around in a cape and tights to tackle evildoers. Ironically, though, this "super lizard" was far from the biggest plant-eater of its breed. Some of the titanosaurs that succeeded it weighed more than 100 tons, consigning Supersaurus to relative sidekick status.

9. Skorpiovenator

   Why do Central Asian (and North American) dino-birds get all the coolest names? Khaan is Mongolian for "lord," as you might have guessed from the famous Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan (and KHAN! from Star Trek II).

   Ironically, though, Khaan wasn't that big or fierce, only measuring about four feet from head to tail and weighing 30 pounds.

10. Nigersaurus

    
The Newcomers
11. ?

    Giraffatitan

12. ?

    Baryonyx

    

    Baryonyx is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous Period, about 130 to 125 million years ago. Fossils have been found primarily in the United Kingdom. Baryonyx is notable for its long, crocodile-like snout and the large claw on its first finger.

The Contenders

13. Amargasaurus

    

    Native to what is now Argentina, Amargasaurus was a sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period. It had distinctive elongated neural spines along its neck and back, which may have been used for display or defense. Unlike many other sauropods, Amargasaurus was relatively small, measuring about... read more

14. Tyrannotitan

    Sometimes, the "wow factor" of a dinosaur's name is inversely proportional to how much we know about it. Tyrannotitan wasn't a true tyrannosaur, but a large theropod of middle Cretaceous South America closely related to Giganotosaurus. Beyond that, though, it's fairly obscure, which makes it similar to another controversial dinosaur on this list, Raptorex.

15. Tyrannosaurus

    

    Tyrannosaurus, whose name means "tyrant lizard" in Ancient Greek, is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. It had an extraordinary bite force estimated at up to approximately 12,800 pounds, or 5,800 kilograms of force. This is considered the strongest estimated bite of any known terrestrial animal... read more

16. Giganotosaurus

    

    Giganotosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now Argentina during the early Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 99.6 to 97 million years ago. It was one of the largest known terrestrial carnivores and may have exceeded the size of Tyrannosaurus rex. Fossil... read more

17. Dilophosaurus

    

18. Stegosaurus

    

    Stegosaurus is a type of armored dinosaur. Its fossil remains have been found in rocks dating to the Late Jurassic period, between 155 and 150 million years ago, in the western United States and Portugal. It is known for the distinctive double row of kite-shaped plates along its back and its spiked tail... read more

19. Triceratops

    

    Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago in what is now North America. It is known for its large bony frill and three distinct facial horns. Triceratops was one of the last... read more

20. Suchomimus

    

    Suchomimus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur with a crocodile-like skull that lived between 125 and 112 million years ago, during the Aptian to early Albian stages of the Cretaceous period. Its fossils were discovered in Niger, Africa. The dinosaur's elongated snout and conical teeth suggest it... read more

21. Stygimoloch

    The difficult-to-pronounce Stygimoloch hovers uneasily on the line dividing the best and worst dinosaur names.

    What puts this pachycephalosaur, or "thick-headed lizard," in the former category is that its name translates roughly as "horned demon from the river of hell," a reference to the vaguely satanic appearance of its skull.

    Some paleontologists insist Stygimoloch was a growth stage of Pachycephalosaurus.

22. Yinlong

23. Rhinorex

24. Diplodocus

    

    Diplodocus is a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs whose fossils were first discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. It lived during the Late Jurassic period, about 154 to 152 million years ago, in what is now North America. Diplodocus is known for its long neck and tail, and it was one of the longest... read more

25. Futalognkosaurus

26. Velociraptor

    

    Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived about 75 to 71 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period. It had a lightweight build and a relatively large brain for its body size. Velociraptor had sharp teeth and a large sickle-shaped claw on each foot, which it likely... read more