100 Best Sci-Fi Names for Children
Sci-fi baby names are about much more than wacky inventions and unpronounceable alien words. In fact, some of the most memorable science fiction characters have very ordinary, classic names. Think Luke Skywalker, James T. Kirk, Sarah Connor, Amy Pond.
Other sci-fi names are more unconventional, whether they’re long-neglected gems, newly-minted names, or come from sources like classical mythology and international languages. Many parents also love these styles, so it’s no surprise that sci-fi characters have influenced baby names.
One example is Trinity. In the 1990s this name began to creep up in popularity, but after The Matrix came out in 1999, Trinity shot up from 400 girls to 4000 girls in two years, a forerunner of the trend for modern Christian names.
It was a similar story for Logan when the first X-Men film was released: Hugh Jackman’s character boosted a name that was already rising.
For the right name, parents are willing to take a gamble on brand new names, even before they know if the character will turn out to be good and bad. That’s what happened with Star Wars villain name Kylo, which rose from virtually nothing, to being given to over 200 boys the year after The Force Awakens was released.
If you’re looking for a name that nods to sci-fi, this list is for you. We’ve chosen a wide variety of names and styles from some of the most popular shows, films and books. They range from subtle sci-fi references to ones that scream out “my parents are Trekkies”, and would all fit into today’s naming landscape.
Our Top 100 Sci-Fi baby names
Aeryn — Farscape
Alia — Dune
Amelia — Doctor Who
Anakin — Star Wars
Apollo — Battlestar Galactica
Archer — Star Trek
Ariadne — Inception
Arthur — The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Astrid — Fringe
Atreyu — The Neverending Story
Ayala — Star Trek
Bastian — The Neverending Story
Ben — Star Wars
Bernard — Westworld
Bodhi — Star Wars
Boomer — Battlestar Galactica
Bowman — 2001: A Space Odyssey
Cassian — Star Wars
Castor — Orphan Black
Clara — Doctor Who
Cosima — Orphan Black
Damaya — The Fifth Season
Deckard — Blade Runner
Delphine — Orphan Black
Duncan — Dune
Eames — Inception
Eleven — Stranger Things
Elliott — E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Emmett — Back to the Future
Ender — Ender’s Game
Evie — Orphan Black
Felix — Orphan Black
Finn — Star Wars
Fisher — Star Wars
Fox — The X-Files
Freya — Stargate
Gaius — Battlestar Galactica
Geordi — Star Trek
Gordon — Flash Gordon
Helena — Orphan Black
Hermes — Futurama
Ianto — Torchwood
Ira — Orphan Black
Isaac — Isaac Asimov, author
Jack — Doctor Who
Janek — Prometheus
Jaylah — Star Trek
Jean-Luc — Star Trek
Jetson — The Jetsons
Jonas — Stargate
Joss — writer Joss Whedon
Kaylee — Firefly
Khan — Star Trek
Kira — Star Trek, Orphan Black
Kirk — Star Trek
Korben — The Fifth Element
Kylo — Star Wars
Lando — Star Wars
Leela — Doctor Who, Futurama
Leia — Star Wars
Leland — Star Trek
Logan — X-Men
Luke — Star Wars
Mace — Star Wars
Malcolm — Firefly
Maxine — Stranger Things
Mika — Orphan Black
Monty — Firefly
Morpheus — The Matrix
Nalo — author Nalo Hopkinson
Neo — The Matrix
Nova — Guardians of the Galaxy
Nyota — Star Trek
Octavia — author Octavia Estelle Butler
Poe — Star Wars
Quill — Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men
Rey — Star Wars
Ridley — director Ridley Scott
Ripley — Alien
River — Firefly, Doctor Who
Rory — Doctor Who
Rose — Doctor Who
Rudy — Orphan Black
Shepherd — Firefly
Solo — Star Wars
Stark — Farscape, Iron Man
Tanith — Stargate; author Tanith Lee
Terra — common sci-fi name for planet Earth
Tiberius — Star Trek
Trinity — The Matrix
Ursula — author Ursula K. Le Guin
Vala — Stargate
Vina — Star Trek
Wade — X-Men
Winry — Fullmetal Alchemist
Xavier — X-Men
Xena — Xena: Warrior Princess
Yusuf — Inception
Zhora — Blade Runner
Zoe — Firefly, Caprica, Doctor Who
Find even more inspiration on our list of Sci-Fi Baby Names.