Most Popular Dinosaur

[BlueKrono]

Been thinking about this recently... Most of us should be able to rattle off the top 10 without even using the list. Mind, the goal isn't to figure out your personal favorites; rather which species you perceive to be the most well known to the general populace. I've found that most people can't name five dinosaurs, but if they can they're almost always the same ones. Which should nab the top 10 spots?

[tyrantqueen]

I think a lot of people would include pterodactyl as a popular one, even though it isn't a dinosaur.

[BlueKrono]

I think a lot of people would include pterodactyl as a popular one, even though it isn't a dinosaur.

True, and I never give it to them. We're talking dinosaurs here, so intentionally excluding pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, Dimetrodon and saber-toothed tigers.

[Appalachiosaurus]

This is all from personal experiences, but here is what I have to say regarding species popularity:

T. rex: The unrefuted most famous dinosaur, I have never met a single person who did not know this one.

Triceratops: Again, one that everyone has heard of. Generally if I give a person a picture of a Triceratops, they are able to put the name to it most often.

The rest are ones I did not vote for and phrases I have to say to get people to understand what I am talking about:
Brontosaurus: People don't seem to know what I am talking about unless I affirm that it is "the long-neck".
Stegosaurus: People get this one and Spinosaurus confused a lot. "The one with spikes on its back, no the plant eating one".
Velociraptor: I have met people who get this and Dilophosaurus mixed up, "it was in Jurassic Park, no the one that can open doors".
Allosaurus: Surprisingly common, but I have met people who have never heard of this one in their life, and usually it takes people two guesses when shown a picture (the first guess is always T. rex).
Spinosaurus: Exclusively known as "the one that killed the T. rex in Jurassic Park 3, yeah the one with a fin".
Brachiosaurus: People get this and Brontosaurus confused a lot, especially when "long-neck" can refer to both.
Parasaurolophus: I have only met a few people who actually knew this dinosaur, but it is more than the rest.

All the others I don't think I have met a single person in life that has even heard of them, though I think Troodon and Carnotaurus deserve a place because I have heard people mention them.

[BlueKrono]

I am definitely in the "T-rex as #1" camp. Nearly every line of figures ever produced and every dinosaur movie ever made featured one. I honestly don't think Troodon and Carnotaurus would make top 10 lists with these other choices presented here. Maybe top 20. 

[Neosodon]

I'm surprised Corythosaurus and Mamenchisaurus made it onto this list.

[Ravonium]

I honestly don't think Troodon and Carnotaurus would make top 10 lists with these other choices presented here. Maybe top 20. 

I'd certainly pick both of those dinosaurs over some of the less voted options on your list.

I'm surprised Corythosaurus and Mamenchisaurus made it onto this list.

I'm guessing the only reason Mamenchisaurus is on the list is because it appeared in one of the JP films.

[Appalachiosaurus]

I am definitely in the "T-rex as #1" camp. Nearly every line of figures ever produced and every dinosaur movie ever made featured one. I honestly don't think Troodon and Carnotaurus would make top 10 lists with these other choices presented here. Maybe top 20.

Maybe for your experiences, but I know for a fact that more people have heard of Carnotaurus than Ceratosaurus. People often confuse the Ceratosaurus in JP3 for a Carnotaurus.

[Halichoeres]

I think Disney made Carnotaurus reasonably well known. I also think that Apatosaurus has become very well known. I'd have a hard time picking a top ten, although the first five or six come easily enough. Maybe Google each one and see how many hits you get?

[DinoToyForum]

I think Disney made Carnotaurus reasonably well known. I also think that Apatosaurus has become very well known. I'd have a hard time picking a top ten, although the first five or six come easily enough. Maybe Google each one and see how many hits you get?

Or use Google Trends
https://trends.google.co.uk/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F07hjh,%2Fm%2F0f6mr,%2Fm%2F0131xwsp

[Gwangi]

Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Brontosaurus as a stand-in for all sauropods really. Beyond that I couldn't venture to guess which dinosaurs the general public knows about. It would have to appear in a movie so any JP alumni could make the list. Anything from "The Land Before Time", " Disney Dinosaur" etc. I suppose "duck bill" might still make the list, being either Parasaurolophus or Edmontosaurus. Spinosaurus is probably popular enough now.

[WarrenJB]

"What are the top 10 most well-known dinosaurs to the general public?"

Hang on 'til I find my mind-reading helmet. I left it somewhere around here with my flux capacitor.

[Carnotaurus]

I like this top, i agree that it change with the decades, series, movies, general media. I am from  Patagonia Argentina, everyone one here who knows a thing or two about dinosaurs could distinguish a Carnotaurus or has heard about Argentinosaurus and 'Gigantosaurus' (common misspeling). I did a little search with the Google trends and these 3 are more popular than Ceratosaurus or Dilophosaurus, being the Giganotosaurus the most popular of the 3 In longer period, but the Carnotaurus seems to rise his search above all the others for the JWFK trailer.
Of course the king is the most popular, followed imho by velociraptor, triceratops, stegosaurus, and spinosaurus
Greets!

[Loon]

I would say currently it is Tyrannosaurus, with Brontosaurus being a classic. The Brontosaurus was the dinosaur in the early 20th century, with Tyrannosaurus really gaining popularity and prominence as the dinosaur going in to mid to late 20th century.  The Tyrannosaurus has been the dinosaur for over 50 years, though I do see the Tyrannosaurus being "dethrowned" by some sort of raptor, most likely velociraptor as pop culture is using them as go to dinosaurs over time. I don't know, this was just a ramble.

[Sim]

I think it would've been better if there had been the opportunity for forum members to give suggestions on what dinosaur genera should go in the poll.

I agree with Halichoeres in thinking Apatosaurus has become one of the most well known dinosaurs, it was on my shortlist for the top 10 most widely known dinosaurs, eventually coming in at 11th or 12th place.  I also agree with Halichoeres about the Disney film making Carnotaurus reasonably well known.  I think it would've been good to include Apatosaurus and Carnotaurus in this poll.

Were Corythosaurus and Mamenchisaurus ever referred to by their names in the JP films they appeared in?  If they weren't, I don't see how they could have any chance of making the top 10.  Maiasaura also feels out of place to me in this poll, I can't think of any reason it would be among the most widely known dinosaurs.


My guesses, based on limited experience, for the top 10 most widely known dinosaurs are listed below, going from most known to least.

1. Tyrannosaurus
2. Triceratops
3. Stegosaurus
4. Diplodocus
5. Brontosaurus
6. Velociraptor
7. Spinosaurus
8. Brachiosaurus
9. Ankylosaurus
10. Iguanodon

[BlueKrono]

"What are the top 10 most well-known dinosaurs to the general public?"

Hang on 'til I find my mind-reading helmet. I left it somewhere around here with my flux capacitor.

That's why I put in the first comment "you PERCEIVE". If I asked you which was a more popular pet, a snake or a dog, you wouldn't have to conduct a global poll.

You guys got me - Ceratosaurus and Mamenchisaurus were two I added in last minute but didn't think belonged in the top 10 myself. I don't recall Disney's Dinosaur being a very popular movie. I would be surprised if the main characters, Iguanadon, made it in but I thought they deserved a nomination due to their lengthy history, and I'm so far I'm glad I did.

I listed Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus as synonymous as they have been for so many years, otherwise Apatosaurus would definitely have garnered a spot. In places with a lot of dinosaur finds like Argentina and the American West dinos like Argentinosaurus and Torosaurus would undoubtedly be more well known, but I don't think they'd hit top ten.

[Sim]

I would be surprised if the main characters, Iguanadon, made it in but I thought they deserved a nomination due to their lengthy history, and I'm so far I'm glad I did.

I just thought you might want to know it's spelt "Iguanodon".

[Takama]

To me, the most popular ones were the ones i recall Hevealy in the various book i read during my youth.

Almost Everything on this list is among the ones i remember as a child.

[BlueKrono]

I would be surprised if the main characters, Iguanadon, made it in but I thought they deserved a nomination due to their lengthy history, and I'm so far I'm glad I did.

I just thought you might want to know it's spelt "Iguanodon".

Touché, sir! I've changed it to the correct spelling in the poll. A note on Maiasaura and Mamenchisaurus: I didn't think they'd get many votes, but I thought some people might remember the Mother Lizard and the dino with the longest neck from their childhood books or trading cards.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

When choosing dinosaurs for the park i knew we needed the big 5,  Rex, Apato/Bronto,  Triceratops, Stegosaurus and Velociraptor ( replaced Deinonychus circa 1993)  I also knew we needed a " pterodactyl" as it rounds out the group.   looking at things like Transformers,  animated dinosaur films, ect.. you can see what's popular among the general public.