Science Cat Names

  1. Olive
    • Origin:

      English, from Latin, nature name
    • Meaning:

      "olive tree"
    • Description:

      Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen.
  2. Linnea
    • Origin:

      Swedish
    • Meaning:

      "twinflower, lime tree"
    • Description:

      Linnea is an attractive Scandinavian name that derives from the renowned 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who developed the Linnean system of classifying plants and animals.
  3. Nash
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "by the ash tree"
    • Description:

      Nash is an English surname whose sound puts it right in step with currently trendy names like Cash, Dash and Ash. It first came to prominence via TV character Nash Bridges, portrayed by Don Johnson in the late nineties, and also via mathematician John Nash, played by Russell Crowe in the acclaimed film A Beautiful Mind.
  4. Rosalind
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "soft horse or pretty rose"
    • Description:

      Rosalind has a distinguished literary history – used and popularized by Edmund Spenser and Shakespeare via one of his most charming heroines, in As You Like It. Along with a bouquet of other Rose names, Rosalind might be ready for a comeback.
  5. Vesper
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "evening star"
    • Description:

      This Latin word used for evening spiritual services was introduced to baby namers by the Eva Greene character Vesper Lynd in the modern James Bond film Casino Royale in 2006, based on the Ian Fleming novel, and is just now beginning to provoke interest among namers, with its spiritual reference and soft, whispery sound.
  6. Edwin
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "wealthy friend"
    • Description:

      Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the popular names list since statistics have become available.
  7. Athena
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "from Athens"
    • Description:

      Magical and distinctive but grounded and familiar too, it's no surprise that Athena has become one of the most widely used ancient goddess names in the contemporary Western world. Derived from the city name Athens, it is current a Top 100 choice in the US.
  8. Alfred
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "wise counselor; elf counsel"
    • Description:

      Alfred is up off his recliner! If you're looking for a path to Fred, you can go directly to Frederick or take the long way around with the so-out-it's-in-again Alfred. Alfred is quite popular in several European countries, especially England and Wales, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
  9. Blaise
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "to lisp, stammer"
    • Description:

      As modern as it sounds, Blaise is an ancient Christian martyr name. In Arthurian legend, Blaise is the name of Merlin the Magician's secretary. Its relation to the word and name Blaze gives it a fiery feel. Amanda Beard named her baby boy Blaise Ray.
  10. Albert
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "noble, bright"
    • Description:

      Albert has acquired a new gloss as one of the top royal baby boy names, a considerable upgrade from its serious, studious image (think Einstein, Schweitzer).
  11. Virginia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "virginal, pure"
    • Description:

      A literary name and a place name with a grand yet familiar feel, Virginia has been in the US Top 1000 since records began in the late 19th century. Also familiar in Spain, Brazil and Italy, recent years have seen it rank around the #500 mark in the States.
  12. Caelum
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "heaven"
    • Description:

      A constellation name that could have broad appeal beyond astronomers and astrophysicists, Caelum blends the sounds of Scottish Callum and modern Caden. It comes from the Latin caelum meaning "heaven, sky", giving it a subtle spiritual air and linking it to the names Celia, Cielo, and Ciel.
  13. Onyx
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "gem stone; claw, nail"
    • Description:

      Unlike Pearl and Ruby and more like Jasper, this gem name works well as a boys name. With its strong final X, it feels similar to Alex, Phoenix, Jax, and Rex, while the shiny black quality of the stone feels reminiscent of Orion. Chosen by musician Iggy Azalea for her son in 2020, it has accelerated up the charts and now sits just outside the Top 300.
  14. Maximus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "greatest"
    • Description:

      The powerful name of the powerful character played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film Gladiator first appeared on the popularity charts that same year. Max to the max. One time considered a "too much name" name, Maximus has entered the realm of possibility.
  15. Jasper
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "bringer of treasure"
    • Description:

      The ancient boys' name Jasper is popular internationally in a range of forms, including Casper and Gaspard, and now Jasper is beginning to be used for girls in the US.
  16. Leonardo
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish variation of Leonard, German
    • Meaning:

      "brave lion"
    • Description:

      For centuries this name was associated primarily with the towering figure of Italian Renaissance painter-scientist-inventor Leonardo da Vinci, and was scarcely used outside the Latin culture.
  17. Nova
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "new"
    • Description:

      Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, then fades.
  18. Acacia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "thorny"
    • Description:

      Acacia is an attractive, rarely used Greek flower name enhanced by its popular beginning-and-ending-with 'a'-construct, and is gradually beginning to catch on as a new member of the stylish girl names starting with A.
  19. Huxley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "inhospitable place"
    • Description:

      Huxley is definitely rising as a surname name, with its X that makes almost any name cooler. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015. The modern nicknames Hux and Huck certainly don't hurt.
  20. Pascal
    • Origin:

      French; English
    • Meaning:

      "of the Passover; Easter"
    • Description:

      The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday.

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