Naming a baby is a really big decision. With all of the options available, how can you narrow it down and pick something that will make them stand out from the crowd? Here at Wicked Uncle, we believe in the power of a name. If you want to instill in interest in STEM from an early age, why not turn to science for inspiration? We’ve done some research and put together an awesome list of science inspired baby names, all used by real-life parents!
We analysed Office for National Statistics data from 1996 to 2020 and aimed to find the most popular male, female, and unisex names related to science. We looked at three topics (astronomy, chemistry, and geology) alongside investigating the use of women in science as baby-name inspiration.
Remember that a science inspired name doesn’t have to be obvious! It may be later in life that little Ruby discovers that the origin of her name is one of the most important stones in South East Asia, or Katherine discovers her namesake helped NASA reach the moon.
From Andromeda to Onyx, these names are sure to inspire. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Science Inspired Baby Names – Astronomy
Ahh, the majesty of a twinkling night sky – full of stars, and all of the mysteries it holds. For many of us, space is something that fascinates us – so it’s easy to see why some choose to take inspiration from astronomy when choosing a name for their little one.
We took a look at baby names inspired by planets, space, and moons, to find some names that are totally out of this world! Interestingly, our research showed that more parents have named their babies after astronomy over time.
Space is no longer the final frontier – it is now right amongst us. In 1996, parents gave astronomy-inspired names to just 48 babies. In 2020’s figures, there were an astonishing 2,506 babies named after space – that’s 2,458 more in just over 20 years.
The total figures for each astronomy name were:
The most popular female astronomy name in 1996 was Star, which parents chose 19 times. In 2020, the most popular female name was Luna, with 1,216 newborn girls being born with this name. Since 1996, Luna has become by far the most popular female science-related baby name, with parents naming 7,137 baby girls Luna. Saying that, I’m yet to meet one!
Interestingly, most of the astronomy-related names that we found were female names, with only one being exclusively male.
We also researched names such as Neptune, Mars, Solar, and Earth to name a few, but we found that there were no babies with these names as of yet. In the future, we hope to see more babies named after planets. After all, they really are your world!
Science Inspired Baby Names – Chemistry
Next, we investigated the baby names inspired by chemistry. For those who are slightly nerdier, this could be a very unique source of inspiration.
Strangely, the four chemistry names for babies that we managed to find are all boys’ names. Parents gave the name Calvin to 2,438 baby boys, making it the most popular. They may not realise the significance of Melvin Calvin’s contributions to biochemistry when picking out the name for their little darling. However, we’re sure that, as these little Calvins learn more about their namesake in school, their pride in the name will only grow.
In the future, we hope to see more little girls running around with chemistry-inspired names, like Maggie, short for Magnesium. It’s certainly one way to make your child stand out from the get-go!
The total figures for each chemistry-inspired baby name were:
Magnus ranked as the second most common chemistry-inspired male baby name, with parents giving this name to 1,300 boys in total. Although Magnus didn’t take the top spot, its popularity is clearly rising—more parents have chosen Magnus over Calvin for their sons in the past four years. In 2020 alone, 108 baby boys were named Magnus, while 78 were named Calvin.
It’s safe to say that Neon hasn’t quite caught on, as only 13 boys have received the name since 1996. The name has appeared sporadically in the 24 years between 1996 and 2020. Whilst there seems to be a trend towards more experimental names recently, it seems Neon has yet to reach its full potential.
We also researched statistics for names such as Argon, Cobalt, and Nickel but were unable to find any record of babies with these names. The thought of new parents proudly introducing little baby Argon doesn’t really inspire that new-baby squeal, so it’s easy to see why these names might be lacking at the moment!
Science Inspired Baby Names – Geology
In the last section of baby names relating to general science topics, we looked at baby names inspired by geology – some of the names in this list are a real gem!
We found eleven baby names with statistical significance since 1996, some of which were well-known popular names. The most popular geology-inspired girl’s name was Ruby, with parents naming 55,871 girls Ruby in total. It was really interesting to think about this name and where it originated. Of course, some credit goes to outside influences – like parents naming babies after their birthstones or even popular songs, à la Kaiser Chiefs.
The total figures for each name were:
The popularity of the name Jade has dropped dramatically since 2001. In 1996, parents named 2,750 girls Jade. This pattern continued, with parents giving more than 2,000 girls the name each year between 1996 and 2001. Comparing this to recent figures, only 421 girls have been named Jade in the past five years. This shows just how much trends can shift over time when it comes to popularity surrounding baby names.
The most popular boy name inspired by geology was Jasper by far, with 8,892 baby boys named in total. The name has been on a steady rise since 1996, when parents chose the name for a total of 94 baby boys. Since then, the popularity has grown year after year, with 727 baby boys being given this name in 2020.
Stone remained the least popular by far, with only 6 parents choosing this name for their baby boys since 2006. Perhaps this name is too boring, despite its uniqueness. In contrast, the unisex name ‘Onyx’ is a fairly new phenomenon that seems to be on the rise. Since 2009, parents have given the unisex name to 73 babies—63 boys and just 10 girls. An unusual choice that is growing in popularity.
Baby Names Relating to Women in Science
Now that we’ve covered the statistics surrounding baby names inspired by astronomy, chemistry, and geology, we also wanted to analyse names inspired by important women in the scientific field. What better way to name your child than by crowning them with the same name as an influential figure?
Our research found that parents often chose these figures’ first names for baby girls. In some cases, however, they used the figures’ surnames as first names for baby boys.
For example, Rosalind Franklin, a British chemist who first discovered the molecular structure of DNA, was used as one of the iconic figures. For Rosalind, we found that 856 baby girls had been given this name and 1,842 baby boys were named Franklin since 1996.
First, let’s take a look at the most popular girl names related to women in science. The results were:
Our research revealed Elizabeth as the most popular girl’s name inspired by women in science, with parents using the name 36,196 times.
They likely took inspiration from Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the English physician who became the first female doctor in England.
Of course, the name also relates to the late British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – so it’s safe to assume some influence has been taken from there also.
Despite being the most popular in this list, the name has dropped in popularity from 2,225 babies in 1996 to 866 in 2020.
Much like Elizabeth, the female name Katherine follows the same pattern statistically, with 1,266 babies in 1996, and only 73 in 2020 – highlighting a shift in preference away from these more ‘traditional’ names as parents aim to avoid picking a name that blends their child into the background.
Katherine comes from the first name of Katherine Johnson, the first Black woman to work at NASA. Unfortunately, the name hasn’t ever really taken off.
A girl’s name that is steadily on the rise is Valentina, taken from Valentina Tereshkova who was the first woman to visit space back in 1963. Only 19 babies were named Valentina in 1996, compared to 589 babies named this since 2018.
Lastly, let’s take a look at the most popular boy names inspired by women in science. The results were:
Understandably, there were much fewer names inspired by women in science when it comes to boys’ names. Franklin – the surname of Rosalind Franklin – featured the most, with 171 babies in 2020, and 1,842 since 1996.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson inspired 409 parents to use her surname as a first name for boys since 1996. The name Anderson was given to 27 boys in 2020, up from 20 in 2019. One to keep an eye on in years to come.
We found it interesting that 6 parents named their sons Inge since 1996. This is the first name of Inge Lehmann, a botanist, and commandant of the Women’s Royal Air Force. The last time a boy was given this name in the UK was back in 2005, when three baby boys were named Inge in the same year.
Finally, some unisex names also appeared in relation to women in science. These included Taylor (21,031 babies) inspired by Janet Taylor, who designed nautical navigation equipment, and Ada (5,109 babies) inspired by Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer. I think we can all agree that Ada Lovelace is an adorable name and an important figure in history too!
Final Thoughts
From Luna to Nova and Flint to Pearl, parents have chosen some truly unique science-inspired baby names.
Whilst some of the names that we found – like Neon – are a little bit “out there”, we’re sure these babies will be grateful for their unique names in the future.
By looking into the names inspired by historically iconic female figures from the scientific field, we were able to collect data on some of the baby names still popular today.
We found it particularly interesting that some parents used the surnames of these important female figures – like Franklin and Anderson – as first names for baby boys.
Disclaimer
Whilst all of the names covered above do relate to science in one way or another, there are undoubtedly other influences that could have inspired parents. These include birthstones, popular songs, influential figures outside of the scientific field, and more.
