Science and Technology Names

Tau, which rhymes with cow, is the alphabetical nickname Grimes and Elon Musk chose for their third child, Techno Mechanicus. Tau is the nineteenth letter of the Greek alphabet and a common variable in physics, biology, and mathematics. In ancient Greece, it was a symbol of life and resurrection.

The name of the visionary second-century BC Indian physician, a definer of diseases and believer in a sound mind and body: a worthy inspiration.

Madhava is given as a name among Hindu baby boys, as Madhava is an epithet for the god Krishna. Madhava of Sangamagrama was a 14th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer whose contributions influenced later discoveries in calculus.

When actress Shannyn Sossamon dubbed her newborn Audio Science, it sent out some definite shock waves. We don't recommend Audio or Video for even the most intrepid baby namer.

Sunita is an easily-translated name brought to the American lexicon by astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams, who holds the record for most spacewalks by a woman.

The most common of the -illion numerical names, which are rising up the ranks.

A beyond-bold shooting-star name choice, sure to raise some relatives' eyebrows.

An early African-American name, along with variation Eartha.

The numerical -illion names (Billion, Trillion, etc.) are more common for boys — Million is the only one that also ranks for girls. No doubt it's because of the natural nickname, Millie.

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

Olympic athlete Usain Bolt introduced this unusual and electric nature name to the lexicon when he chose it for his daughter's middle name: Olympia Lightning Bolt. Now there's a name with layers of meaning!

Charismatic surname name borne by French explorer, conservationist, scientist, inventor and author Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who devoted his life to the study of the sea and all forms of life in water.

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.

One of the least attractive names to come out of the pantheon of Nobel-laureates (via Polykarp Kusch), Polykarp (also spelled Polycarp) is an early Christian saint name from Smyrna. We suggest you look elsewhere for either scientific or religious-inspired names.

Faraday is a whimsical Scottish surname that works equally well as a first name for girls or boys.

Eleven didn't feel more namelike than any other number...until the (female) "Stranger Things" character came along. Now it seems like a possibility - albeit a rare one - for both sexes. Other associations include the number of players in a football team, and Apollo 11, the spacecraft of the first moon landing.