10 Times People Had A Cool Dinosaur Tattoo Idea And It Got Executed Perfectly

From dinosaur-themed birthday parties to toys, merchandise, movies, amusement park rides, conventions, and even tattoos, T-Rex and his friends have truly stood the test of time. Fascinating kids and adults alike, the prehistoric reptiles would be roaring if they were raking in royalties from their time on Earth. 

In 2020, a T-Rex fossil called “Stan” sold for a whopping 31,8 million dollars. Before that, we had Barney The Purple Dinosaur, and Ice Age. And who hasn’t heard of Jurassic Park? First released in 1993, Steven Spielberg's trilogy, and the Jurassic World trilogy that followed, have grossed over 6 billion dollars at the box office worldwide. Yet another Jurassic movie is set to hit our screens on July 2, 2025.

While we wait for that, Bored Panda has compiled a list of some of the coolest dinosaur tattoos, as shared by people on the internet. Don’t miss our interview with an expert paleontologist, who digs dinosaurs.

10 PHOTOS

#1 Glow In The Dark Dinosaur Tattoo

The other day, I asked a little kid what he knew about dinosaurs… “Dinosaurs are very powerful and they have strong jaws,” he answered confidently. “When they stomp on a person, the person can easily die. They have sharp claws and can weigh one million pounds. They have big legs. A pterodactyl can fly and it’s got a beak so it can easily bite someone.”

Now while that might be cute and slightly true, it’s not 100% accurate and more than a bit out of date. But it does go to show that no matter your age, you probably know a thing or two about the giant prehistoric reptiles that once roamed Earth.

#2 Finished Dino

To learn some more (factual) information about the reptiles that inspired the tattoos featured here, Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Kimberley Chapelle. She’s a vertebrate paleontologist and assistant professor at Stony Brook University’s Department of Anatomical Sciences. She’s so clued up that she once helped unearth a new species of dinosaur. More on that later... 

First, I wanted to know if Chapelle had any dinosaur tattoos of her own. Despite being a walking dinosaur thesaurus, Chapelle revealed that she doesn’t. "I don't have any tattoos. But if I were to get one, it would be one of a proudly South African dinosaur!” she exclaimed. Born and bred in South Africa, the scientist’s work has taken her around the world.

#3 T-Rex Game

#4 A Cute Present From The Son

Chapelle told me she always knew she wanted a career in science, and was particularly interested in anatomy and evolution. “I took an Introduction to Paleontology class in my 3rd year of undergrad, and I was hooked. I went up to the professor at the end of the first lecture and asked about postgraduate opportunities,” she said. It was a decision that shaped her future.

#5 This Fun Piece

#6 So Adorable

In 2017, she set off for Zimbabwe on a dangerous and daring mission to dig for dinosaurs. “I was lucky enough to be part of the team that did some field work in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe back in 2017 and 2018. Lake Kariba is the world's largest (by volume) man-made reservoir. We stayed on a houseboat (called Musankwa), which acted as our mobile laboratory,” she explained. 

“The fossils could only be found when the water levels were really low, allowing us to walk the shores of the islands. But far away from the water's edge, and only during the day because of the many crocodiles and hippos that inhabit the area.”

#7 My Silly Sticker Tattoo

#8 Dino Baby From The Books

#9 Loved Doing This Awesome Dino The Other Day

Crocodiles and hippos weren’t going to deter these dinosaur diggers from doing their work and finally, they hit the jackpot. “One of our team members, Paul, discovered the fossil leg of a plant-eating dinosaur. We were all very excited! It turned out to be a new Late Triassic dinosaur species, which we named Musankwa sanyatiensis. This is only the fourth dinosaur to be named from Zimbabwe.”

#10 Tea Rex