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Science and Technology Names

  1. Meridian

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "midday / pinnacle"

    • Description:

      In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".
  2. Erasmus

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "beloved, desired"

    • Description:

      Erasmus has long retained the image of the bearded and bespectacled Dutch philosopher, but could be one that the audacious baby namer just might dare to dust off.
  3. Zero

    • Origin:

      Italian from Arabic and Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "void"

    • Description:

      Zero has been documented as a given name before, but it's largely familiar as a stage name (such as Zero Mostel, born Samuel Joel Mostel) and comic book and anime characters.
  4. Baird

    • Origin:

      Scottish occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "minstrel, poet"

    • Description:

      Meaning bard, this is an original choice with poetic and melodic undertones. Bard itself has also come into consideration, both names bringing to mind Shakespeare and other literary lights.

      The Scottish surname Baird's most notable bearer was John Logie Baird, the Scottish engineer and inventor of the televisor, the world's first practical television system in 1926, and also the world's first fully electronic color TV tube two years later. Some might also remember puppeteers Bil and Cora Baird.

  5. Hypatia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "highest, supreme"

    • Description:

      Hypatia, an ancient Greek name, has a distinguished namesake: Hypatia of Alexandria was an early philosopher and scholar of mathematics and astronomy--as well as inventor of several scientific instruments.
  6. Jet

    • Origin:

      Mineral and word name

    • Description:

      This super-charged variation of Jett is on the rise -- along with the unlikely newcomer Jetson.
  7. Pi

    • Description:

      Most familiar as the name of the titular character in The Life of Pi, in which it was short for Piscine Molitor Patel.
  8. Polaris

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "north star"

    • Description:

      The astronomical Polaris is better known as the North Star, the brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation. It's also the name of a character in the Marvel Universe, the daughter of Magneto.
  9. Elion

    • Description:

      Elion is a masculine name with multiple potential origins. It may derive from Greek roots meaning "sun" or serve as a variation of Elian or Elyan. In some contexts, it can be connected to the Hebrew element "El" meaning "God" or "divine." The name has seen limited but steady usage across different cultures, appearing in Baltic, Greek, and occasionally Jewish naming traditions. In modern usage, Elion might appeal to parents seeking a name with ancient resonance but contemporary sound. The name shares phonetic qualities with more common names like Elliot or Elian while maintaining a distinctive character. While never reaching widespread popularity, Elion offers a melodic quality and cross-cultural adaptability that gives it subtle appeal in diverse communities.

  10. Kepler

    • Origin:

      German surname

    • Meaning:

      "hooded cloak"

    • Description:

      Seventeenth-century German polymath Johannes Kepler discovered the laws of planetary notion, along with the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. A handful of parents use his last name for their sons every year -- with good reason. It's a solid-feeling but unique name with a great, aspirational namesake.
  11. Nikola

    • Origin:

      Serbian from the Greek Nikolaos

    • Meaning:

      "Victory of the people"

    • Description:

      Nikola is generally masculine in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Macedonia, while in Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia and the Czech Republic it is usually feminine.
  12. Trig

    • Origin:

      Norse

    • Meaning:

      "true"

    • Description:

      The name of Sarah Palin's youngest son might also be good for the child of a mathematician. Trig Palin's middle name is Paxson, after a popular snowmobiling area in Alaska.
  13. Alpha

    • Origin:

      Greek, first letter of the alphabet

    • Description:

      The first letter of the Greek alphabet ande the brightest star in every constellation, this would make an interesting choice for a first daughter, though it does give off some spectral sci-fi reverberations--and references to the term "alpha male.".
  14. Huxley

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "inhospitable place"

    • Description:

      Huxley is an increasingly popular surname-name for baby boys in the US and now is beginning to be used for girls as well. The -ley suffix, usually denoting a place, is common in names for both genders but more often for girls. Last year, about 30 baby girls were named Huxley in the US, versus about 350 baby boys.
  15. Darrow

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "spear"

    • Description:

      A family of lawyers might be interested in this surname as a tribute to famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow.
  16. Lumen

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "light"

    • Description:

      Lumen is a Latin word meaning "light", and the term used for the measurement of light output (making it an attractive choice for science-buffs).
  17. Xenon

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "stranger, foreigner"

    • Description:

      A rare way to get to that striking X initial. Xenon is also a chemical element: a colorless, odorless noble gas with atomic number 54.
  18. Alix

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "noble type"

    • Description:

      A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex, the French name Alix actually derives from a medieval French form of the name Alice or Adelaide.
  19. Karl

    • Origin:

      German and Scandinavian variation of Charles

    • Description:

      Manly almost to the point of macho.
  20. Lilavati

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit

    • Description:

      A lovely name with a lovely meaning ("amusing, charming, graceful" in Sanskrit), Lilavati is a rare Indian name with a handful of historical namesakes. Notable bearers include the daughter of great 12th century mathematician Bhaskara, who named one of his mathematical treatises after her, and a 13th century Sri Lankan queen who was only the second woman to rule the country as sovereign in her own right.