Atlasaurus was discovered by Monbaron, Russell & Taquet in 1999. It was named after the location of discovery in the High Atlas range of the Atlas Mountains of Morocco (where the Titan, Atlas was said to hold up the heavens), and for the animal's gigantic size (about 15 m (50 ft) long). It is known from a nearly complete skeleton with a skull found at Wawmda, in the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian-Callovian) Tiougguit Formation, Azilal Province, Tadla-Azilal region, Morocco.