Science Cat Names

Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky nature name Primrose. Intuitive nicknames Penny or Rosie make it feel more wearable.

Penrose

Luxe baby name that could easily fit in among children named Onyx and Emerald. Goldie is a rising choice for girls.

Gold

The Slovak form of the Biblical name Paul was notably worn by 18th century scientist and scholar Pavol Adami, one of the first veterinarians.

Pavol

In mathematics, a parabola is a plane curve which is mirror-symmetrical and approximately U-shaped. Its name derives from a Greek word meaning "I place side by side".

Parabola

Gottfried is a traditional Germanic masculine name composed of the elements "gott" meaning "god" and "fried" meaning "peace," thus translating to "God's peace" or "divine protection." The name has deep historical roots in German-speaking countries, with notable bearers including philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and poet Gottfried von Stramburg. While common in medieval and early modern Germany, its usage declined in the 20th century, now giving it a somewhat antiquated or classical character. Outside German-speaking regions, Gottfried remains uncommon, often perceived as distinctively German. The name carries connotations of wisdom, divine inspiration, and scholarly pursuits due to its historical associations.

Gottfried

Spacey. Gravity will probably be too heavy and grave -- sorry -- for most parents. But one possible exception might be big fans of Alfonso Cuaron's 2013 movie Gravity. And astrophysicists.

Gravity

Sir William Osler was a Canadian physician, often referred to as the "father of modern medicine". He was one of the four founders of the John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, MD, and he also founded the History of Medicine Society at the Royal Society of Medicine, London.

Osler

Guido was very popular in Renaissance Italy, with many namesakes including painter Fra Angelico (born Guido di Pietro) and mathematician Guido Fubini. Guy Fawkes, of gunpowder plot fame, sometimes used this version. Nowadays it's unfairly overlooked, but in the current trend for snappy international names ending in -o, this cultured gem deserves more use.

Guido

You'd be forgiven for thinking this is the Catalan form of Geoffrey, but it actually comes from a slightly different Germanic name — also with a peaceful meaning. It's a historical choice, belonging to several medieval counts. In modern times, Guifré Vidal is a leading quantum physicist.

Guifré

The surname of the influential early Scottish inventor of logarithms could make an inspiring middle name choice for a mathematically inclined family. 

Napier

While this has a distinguished male namesake -- astronomer Edmund Halley and his comet -- it still strays too close to the superpopular feminine Hailey family to work for some parents for a boy. Fewer than five baby boys were given the name last year, but that could change as formerly-female names become more acceptable for boys.

Halley

A name from medieval romance with an endearingly clunky sound, à la Sherlock. The most famous modern wearer was twentieth-century psychologist/sexologist Havelock (born Henry) Ellis.

Havelock

Could be the next Nova, now that celestial baby names are in the ascendent.

Nebula

As well as Japanese physicist Hideki Yukawa, two Yankees ballplayers, Hideki Irabu and Hideki Matsui, made this name familiar to Americans.

Hideki

With a fun, lively sound and a great namesake in programming pioneer, computer scientist and United States Navy rear admiral Grace Hopper, this is one of the coolest new surname names for girls.

Hopper

Ohm, chosen by actress Hilary Swank for her son, twin of sister Aya, is a unit of electrical resistance named for 19th-century physicist Georg Ohm.

It may also be a respelling of Om, the sacred sound of Buddhism, used while meditating. This was the reasoning for Swank's choice — she said, "Ohm is considered the first universal sound and unites all people, and that sounds very fitting."

Hubble is an uncommon masculine name derived from an Old English surname, which originally referred to someone who lived near a small hill or mound (from 'hob' or 'hub'). The name gained significant recognition through astronomer Edwin Hubble, after whom NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was named. This scientific association lends the name connotations of discovery, vision, and exploration of the cosmos. As a first name, Hubble remains extremely rare, making it a truly distinctive choice. It carries a bookish, intellectual quality while maintaining a friendly, approachable sound. Parents who choose this name often have an appreciation for astronomy, science, or simply desire an uncommon name with historical significance and positive intellectual associations.

Hubble

This would be tough enough for a boy to handle, but near impossible for a girl.

Neptune

Abebe

While Nine doesn't have the on-trend sounds or the spiritual significance that Seven does, its long monosyllable gives it potential as an unexpected middle name. Given to seven babies in a recent year, it may be selected as a way to honor a significant date, a lucky number, or similar. British soccer player Andy Carroll did just that back in 2017, when he named his son  Wolf Nine after the number on his football shirt at the time. 



Nine

Science cat names are perfect for the feline furbabies of scientists, technophiles, and science lovers.

Science names for cats are drawn from the worlds of astronomy and medicine, botany and biology, chemistry and geology. Included here are the names of famous scientists along with scientific elements.

science names for cats including scientific cat names, technology cat names, science-themed names for kittens and cats (Page 14)