This random dinosaur name generator joins three parts that real dinosaur names use, such as mega, cerato and saurus, into a name no dinosaur has. The lists under the tool say what every part means.
Read the full guide
Make a name, then read it
Press New dinosaur name. Tap a part to lock it or change it alone. Then find each part in the lists below: Velocistegoraptor is swift, roof and thief, so draw a fast thief with a roof of plates on its back.
How real dinosaurs got their names
Scientists build the names from Greek and Latin words. Tyrannosaurus is the tyrant lizard, Triceratops is the three-horned face and Velociraptor is the swift thief. Every part here comes from a real name like those, and each line names its dinosaur. For one that really lived, use the random dinosaur generator.
Tips
Say the name one part at a time: Pachy, stego, saurus.
Lock the ending on raptor and press again for a whole pack of thieves.
Questions and answers
What do dinosaur names mean?
Most describe the animal in Greek or Latin. Stegosaurus means roof lizard and Brontosaurus means thunder lizard. Gallimimus means chicken mimic. The lists under the tool give the meaning of every part used here and a dinosaur that has it.
Are these real dinosaurs?
No. Every name the tool can make was checked against Wikipedia's list of dinosaur genera. The first draft spelled nine real dinosaurs, Pachycephalosaurus among them, and ten other names with a Wikipedia page. Parts were removed until nothing matched.
How do I name my own dinosaur?
Decide what is special about it, then find the parts. Three horns is tri and cerato. A small animal with a helmet is micro and corytho. Finish with an ending, such as saurus for lizard, raptor for thief or rex for king.
MegaloGreat, as in Megalosaurus, the "great lizard".
MicroSmall, as in Microraptor.
NanoDwarf, as in Nanotyrannus.
SuperSuper, as in Supersaurus, the "super lizard".
Show all 42 first parts (34 more)
Speed and temper 8
ApatoDeceptive, as in Apatosaurus, the "deceptive lizard".
DeinoTerrible, as in Deinonychus, the terrible claw.
GorgoDreadful, as in Gorgosaurus, the "dreadful lizard".
MaiaGood mother, as in Maiasaura, the "good mother lizard".
TarboAlarming, as in Tarbosaurus, the "alarming lizard".
TyrannoTyrant, as in Tyrannosaurus, the "tyrant lizard".
VelociSwift, as in Velociraptor, the "swift thief".
XenoAlien or foreign, as in Xenoceratops, the "alien horned face".
Shape and looks 16
AnkyloFused or bent, as in Ankylosaurus.
CamptoBent, as in Camptosaurus, the "flexible lizard".
CarnoFlesh, as in Carnotaurus, the "meat-eating bull".
ChasmoOpening, as in Chasmosaurus, the "opening lizard".
CompsoElegant, as in Compsognathus.
DiploDouble, as in Diplodocus.
DryoTree, as in Dryosaurus, the "tree lizard".
EuoploWell-armed, as in Euoplocephalus, the "well-armed head".
OrnithoBird, as in Ornithomimus, the "bird mimic".
OviEgg, as in Oviraptor, the "egg seizer" or "egg thief".
PachyThick, as in Pachyrhinosaurus.
PlateoBroad, as in Plateosaurus, probably the "broad lizard".
SphaeroBall, as in Sphaerotholus.
StyracoSpiked, as in Styracosaurus, the "spiked lizard".
TenontoSinew, as in Tenontosaurus, the "sinew lizard".
ToroPerforated, as in Torosaurus, the "perforated lizard".
Numbers and order 6
AlloDifferent, as in Allosaurus, the "different lizard".
EoDawn, as in Eoraptor.
HeteroDifferent, as in Heterodontosaurus, the "different toothed lizard".
MonoSingle, as in Monolophosaurus, the "single-crested lizard".
PentaFive, as in Pentaceratops, the "five-horned face".
TriThree, as in Triceratops, the "three-horned face".
Thunder, fire and cold 4
BrontoThunder, as in Brontosaurus, the "thunder lizard".
CryoCold or frozen, as in Cryolophosaurus, the "cold crest lizard".
DracoDragon, as in Dracoraptor, the "dragon thief".
PyroFire, as in Pyroraptor, the "fire thief".
How this list was compiled: 42 first parts that real dinosaur names begin with. The meaning on each line is the one given in the English Wikipedia article of the dinosaur it names, read on 2026-10-01 (address in x.src); a script checked that the words behind each meaning are in that article and that the dinosaur is on Wikipedia's list of dinosaur genera. The lines are ours. Screened by script on 2026-10-01: every name the three rows can spell (42 first parts, 21 middle parts and 13 endings) was joined and looked up in the genus names of the English Wikipedia page List of dinosaur genera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dinosaur_genera, 1826 names read that day) and in the page titles of English Wikipedia (the title list of 2026-09-30), and run past a rude-word list across each join. The first draft spelled 9 real dinosaurs (Acrocanthosaurus, Brachylophosaurus, Brachypodosaurus, Cryolophosaurus, Monolophosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Paraiguanodon, Protognathosaurus) and 10 other names with a page of their own (Brachyrhinodon, Heterocheirodon, Megacephalosaurus, Megalocephalosaurus, Nanocheirodon, Nanolophodon, Paracheirodon, Protocheirodon, Trilophodon, Trilophosaurus). Parts were cut until nothing matched: the first parts Proto, Acro, Brachy and Para and the middle parts cephalo, rhino, lopho and cheiro for a real name; Masso, brachio and kentro for a rude word across a join. Therizino and Daspleto were left out to keep the names short enough for a phone. A new part needs the whole screen again. Licence: own work
Middle part: all 21 middle parts
Body parts 14
canthoThorn or spine, as in Acrocanthosaurus.
caudiTail, as in Caudipteryx, the "tail feather".
ceratoHorn, as in Ceratosaurus, the "horn lizard".
coeloHollow, as in Coelophysis.
corythoHelmet, as in Corythosaurus, the "helmeted lizard".
gnathoJaw, as in Compsognathus.
leptoSmall, as in Leptoceratops, the "small horn face".
nodoKnob, as in Nodosaurus, the "knobbed lizard".
Show all 21 middle parts (13 more)
Body parts, continued
nychoClaw, as in Stenonychosaurus, the "narrow claw lizard".
podoFoot, as in Podokesaurus, the "swift-footed lizard".
spinoSpine, as in Spinosaurus, the "spine lizard".
spondyloVertebra, a bone of the back, as in Massospondylus, the "longer vertebra".
stegoRoof, as in Stegosaurus, the "roof-lizard".
tholoDome, as in Sphaerotholus.
Other animals 7
galliChicken, as in Gallimimus, the "chicken mimic".
iguanoIguana, as in Iguanodon, the "iguana-tooth".
lycoWolf, as in Lycorhinus.
pelecaniPelican, as in Pelecanimimus, the "pelican mimic".
psittacoParrot, as in Psittacosaurus, the "parrot lizard".
struthioOstrich, as in Struthiomimus, the "ostrich mimic".
suchoCrocodile, as in Suchomimus, the "crocodile mimic".
How this list was compiled: 21 parts found inside real dinosaur names, each a body part or another animal. The meaning on each line is the one given in the English Wikipedia article of the dinosaur it names, read on 2026-10-01 (address in x.src); a script checked that the words behind each meaning are in that article and that the dinosaur is on Wikipedia's list of dinosaur genera. The lines are ours. How every join was screened is in the source of the first-part list. Licence: own work
Ending: all 13 endings
What kind of creature 9
dromeusRunner, as in Orodromeus.
lestesRobber, as in Ornitholestes, the "bird robber".
mimusMimic, a copycat, as in Gallimimus, the "chicken mimic".
raptorThief, as in Velociraptor, the "swift thief".
rexKing, as in the species name Tyrannosaurus rex.
saurusLizard, as in Megalosaurus, the "great lizard".
taurusBull, as in Carnotaurus, the "meat-eating bull".
titanA titan, a giant, as in Giraffatitan, the "titanic giraffe".
venatorHunter, as in Afrovenator.
Show all 13 endings (4 more)
A part of it 4
docusBeam, as in Diplodocus.
donTooth, as in Iguanodon, the "iguana-tooth".
peltaShield, as in Sauropelta, the "lizard shield".
pteryxFeather, as in Caudipteryx, the "tail feather".
How this list was compiled: 13 endings of real dinosaur names. The meaning on each line is the one given in the English Wikipedia article of the dinosaur it names, read on 2026-10-01 (address in x.src); a script checked that the words behind each meaning are in that article and that the dinosaur is on Wikipedia's list of dinosaur genera. The lines are ours. How every join was screened is in the source of the first-part list. Licence: own work