Top 20 Coolest Dinosaurs to Ever Roam the Earth

These Jurassic-era dinos possessed a very unique cranial structure, with two shaped crowns on top of their heads. The Dilophosaurus was the largest land animal during its day, a predatory killer that could move swiftly and gracefully to catch its prey. A mouth full of razor-sharp teeth proved deadly for anything caught by the Dilophosaurus, while its sturdy physical makeup provided this dinosaur with a natural defense against other animals. We truly feel bad for anything that ran afoul of this apex predator, since there were likely very few who could hope to match the Dilophosaurus during the time of its dinosaur dominance.

The Nigersaurus may not possess as much name recognition as its more famous dinosaur cousins, but don’t count out the coolness of this Cretaceous-era beast. Teeth are the name of the game when it comes to the unique physical structure of the Nigersaurus, since its large skull and mouth contained over five hundred of the things. These teeth also naturally replaced themselves around every two weeks and were tiny and dense choppers that primarily fed upon an herbaceous diet of plants and ferns. The aforementioned head of the Nigersaurus is also surmised to have primarily hung low to the ground, in an effort, paleontologists surmise, to routinely scan the ground for food.

Bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to cool species of dinosaurs. The Compsognathus was a diminutive and agile animal with a name that translates roughly to “pretty jaw.” Young examples of the Compsognathus were often found to be roughly the size of a chicken, although adults could potentially grow a bit larger. These quick hunters were predators, feasting upon tiny lizards and similar creatures as part of their carnivorous diet. There are also a number of reconstructed Compsognathus skeletons on display in modern museums, showcasing a unique distinction between the dinosaurs’ gigantic reputation and their smaller, but no-less-interesting, cousins.

Alright so these “wing lizards” aren’t actually dinos, but rather flying reptiles. However, they ARE cousins of dinosaurs, share a common ancestor and have been portrayed in pop culture for almost as long as their relatives. The Pteranodon certainly comes to mind, as does the Dimorphodon. It’s also sort of obvious as to what makes these creatures so cool, since the very idea of a flying creature just captures the imagination, right from the start. Basal Pterosaurs could climb certain trees on land, while Pterodactyloids sought out prey from both the air and water during the hunt. Many examples of Pterosaurs also possess attributes more similar to birds than dinosaurs, such as insulatory hair and feathers.

The coolness factor of this dino is evident right from its moniker, which is indicative of a giant, old-school battleship. The Dreadnoughtus was (thankfully) a herbivore, which meant that smaller dinosaurs needn’t fear this 85-plus foot hulk descending upon them to feast. They’re among the largest earth-bound vertebrates to ever exist, and the paleontologist who discovered them, Kenneth Lacovara, decided upon its name to prove that the Dreadnoughtus “feared nothing.” Whoever said that meat-eating, predatory dinosaurs needed to have all of the fun? The Dreadnoughtus was seriously impressive, full stop.

The Dilophosaurus isn’t the only dinosaur out there with a cool-looking dome. Enter the Pachycephalosaurus, a multisyllabic tongue-twister with a natural defense system on its head. Specifically, the Pachycephalosaurus possessed a super-thick skull roof that could serve as a battering ram, while also dissuading other predators from taking a big, dangerous bite. We use the word “could,” because many paleontologists and historians actually question whether or not this actually took place. So, is the skull structure of the Pachycephalosaurus simply a cool-looking bone-hat? Maybe, but either way, these plant-eating bipeds are super cool.

Was the Therizinosaurus a prehistoric descendant of that man of your dreams, Freddy Krueger? It’s easy to think so, thanks to those intimidating unguals, or claws, on its forelimbs. Thankfully, the Therizinosaurus was a herbivore, with this unique design intended primarily for gathering vegetation, while also potentially scaring away predators. Of course, the dominant size of the Therizinosaurus also achieved this goal, since examples of these dinosaurs could grow up to sixteen feet tall and over thirty feet long. So, although these clawed beasts didn’t prey upon other dinosaurs, no tall trees were safe from the reach of the mighty Therizinosaurus.

The Baryonyx is another example of a dinosaur, like the Therizinosaurus, with a unique claw shape on its forelimbs. In this case, however, it’s the noticeable, extended ungual on its first finger. This claw could extend up to twelve inches in length, giving the Baryonyx a distinct advantage when it came to hooking in fish, which paleontologists believe was its primary food source. Elsewhere, the Baryonyx also hunted prey on land, sometimes attacking creatures bigger than itself, while also occasionally scavenging when food was scarce. The crest that adorned the skull of a Baryonyx also gave it a unique, almost crocodilian, appearance.

The Carnotaurus was an adept hunter, a quick-footed dinosaur that could top speeds of thirty-five miles-per-hour. The physical make-up of this cool-looking beast featured a thick head and neck area with equally dense horns placed on top. Some paleontologists believe that rival Carnotaurus butted heads together during combat, similar to what goats and rams do today. These fearsome predators also tended to run quite large. Specifically, a Carnotaurus could probably reach about 26 feet in length and about ten feet in height!

Dino fans can obviously chalk up the popularity of this next entry to the “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” franchises. Both the Velociraptor and Megaraptor iterations have made appearances in these films, frightening and thrilling us in equal measure. The real-life size of a Velociraptor isn’t nearly as big as those franchises would have you believe, however, coming in at a size closer to that of a turkey. Still, this doesn’t mean that these quick and agile hunters couldn’t stalk and kill their prey, often doing so with the sickle claws that were located on their hind feet.

Belonging to the long-necked sauropod category of dinosaurs, these tall, titanic creatures are among the most famous members of that group. Compared to their fellow sauropods, Brachiosaurs have more steeply inclined necks, which – thanks to their longer forelimbs and treetop grazing habits – means they were basically the giraffes of the Jurassic period. Although it’s unlikely that brachiosaurs could stand on their hind legs as we’ve seen on film, their distinctive arched heads and familiar posture are now a mainstay of popular fiction, making the brachiosaurus one of the most well known dinos on this list.

Another of the theropods, or bipedal and generally carnivorous dinosaurs, on this list, the Allosaurus was one of the top predators of its day, taking down medium-sized sauropods and other large herbivores. With a name that means “different lizard,” its body was more evenly proportioned than many of the other large, meat-eating dinosaurs. That means Allosaurs were better suited to running at high speeds, with scientists estimating they could’ve reached up to 34 mph. Today, the allosaurus is less recognizable than some of the Cretaceous period theropods, but had “Jurassic Park” been more period accurate, this dino could’ve been the signature predator terrorizing park guests.

Large and long, this long-snouted theropod was one of the biggest predators to walk on land – maybe even bigger than a T-Rex. Essentially, the Spinosaurus was a huge crocodile on two legs. But its resemblance to those modern reptiles is more than cosmetic: based on the high location of its nostrils, and fossilized stomach contents that have been discovered, researchers have guessed that the spinosaurus was semi-aquatic and likely specialized in hunting water-based prey – kinda like a croc. With a name derived from its distinctive spinal sails, the spinosaurus – with its resemblance to contemporary reptiles – is a fascinating creature.

Sometimes, the smartest hunter is the coolest. Troodon was a small, possibly omnivorous theropod dinosaur, notable for having the highest brain-to-size ratio among dinosaurs, leading some to conclude that it may’ve been the most intelligent dinosaur. And its large, forward-facing eyes may’ve had something to do with its brain power, since it would’ve needed more intelligence to handle more visual input. It’s also theorized that Troodon’s big peepers allowed it to hunt nocturnally, which would’ve been handy, since it could be found as far north as the Arctic Circle. Despite its possible status as a genius among dinosaurs though, scientists estimate it would’ve only been about as smart a modern bird.

The Iguanodon holds the distinction of being one of the first dinosaurs ever named. And although it’s similar in build to other herbivore dinos, it tended to stick out for other reasons – mainly thanks to its so-called “thumbs,” which took the form of spikes. The spiky digits are generally thought to have acted as a form of defense or as a means to break up tough plant growth. What’s more, specimens of the Iguanodon have been found on nearly every continent, so it can claim to be one of the most thoroughly studied species as well.

While many plant-eating dinosaurs relied on their physical size or strength in numbers to protect them, the Ankylosaurus’ approach to self-defense was far more memorable. Ankylosaurus was an herbivore with some of the most impressive natural defenses ever developed; think equal parts dinosaur and modern-day tank. With a body covered in bony, armored plates, a heavy, horned skull, and a thick club at the end of its tail, Ankylosaurus could ward off attacks from many a massive predator. And given that it was alive during the late Cretaceous period, it would’ve faced some of the most notorious dinosaurs to ever walk this earth.

Slow in speed and in brain power, Stegosaurus may not have been the brightest guy around, but its characteristic spinal plates and spiked tail have made this lumbering herbivore one of the most recognizable dinosaurs out there. The evolutionary purpose of its signature plates continues to be debated today, but the most prominent theories suggest they were for display – either to attract mates or deter predators, or possibly as a form of temperature regulation. Fun fact about its other memorable feature: the arrangement of the stegosaurus’ tail spikes is called a “thagomizer.” But scientists didn’t invent the informal term; it was coined in the comic “The Far Side” by creator Gary Larson. No joke!

Thanks to “Jurassic Park,” this dinosaur is what most people picture when they think of a Velociraptor. Though the two are related, the “Jurassic Park” films and the novels they’re based on rebranded the Deinonychus, probably because, let’s face it, the name “Velociraptor” does sound cooler. But the real Velociraptor, as mentioned earlier, was only about the size of a turkey. Deinonychus, on the other hand, was much closer to the man-sized, hunter dinosaurs with the wicked claws everyone loves to see onscreen... even if studios still haven’t given them anatomically accurate feathers.

Few dinosaurs have captured the attention of humans quite like this creature. Like some of our other entries, Triceratops calls to mind a more recent animal – namely the rhinoceros. Its renowned facial horns and bony neck frill, along with its beak-like mouth, give it a great deal more personality than most other dinosaurs. While closely related dinosaurs with more horns and more elaborate frills have been discovered, Triceratops remains the best known and most popular, thanks to its depiction in popular culture as an herbivorous dinosaur capable of going toe-to-toe, or rather tooth-to-horn, with carnivores.

One of the largest land predators to ever walk the Earth, but not THE biggest as we’ve already seen, the T. Rex was, as its name proclaims, the king of its day. Some theorists have tried to dethrone it, claiming it was more scavenger than hunter, but the recent discovery of a T. Rex tooth embedded in the fossilized remains of a hadrosaur strongly suggests “predator.” Either way, its intimidating size, savagely powerful bite, and those absurdly small forelimbs have cemented it in pop culture as the coolest dinosaur of them all.

What was your favorite dinosaur growing up? Let us know in the comments!