Sci-Fi Baby Names

Katniss Everdeen is the heroine of the popular Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, whose name comes from the (very real) edible aquatic plant of the genus Sagittaria. Katniss's father tells her that if she "finds herself," she'll never go hungry. Other unusual botanical names in the series include Primrose, Posy, Rue, and Clove, all for girls. Several of the boys' names come from ancient Rome: Cato, Seneca, Flavius, Caesar. Katniss the name has less appeal than Katniss the heroine, though it's definitely more attractive than Renesmee.

If Holland works for a girl, why not Dutch for a boy? Gavin Newsom, Lt-Governor of California, kept up his geographical baby name theme when he called his 4th child Dutch William, (his other children are named Hunter, Montana and Brooklyn.)

Newer than Zac, cooler than Ed, Ned, or Ted.

Once unique to the Zappa family, now you can have your own little prima donna.

Rarely used in the last two centuries, but might be worth dusting off and holding up to the light.

This topographical name, more suited to a girl than a boy--though it would inevitably be confused with SARAH--has some distinguished bearers: famous Spanish missionary to Mexico Father Junipero Serra, and sculptor Richard Serra, known for his challenging large-scale metal works.

This animal-themed name is among the most popular for girls in contemporary Israel. Parents who want to move beyond the mega-popular Aliyah and sisters might want to consider Ayala. The male form is Ayal.

When actress Deborah Kerr entered the scene, there was a great debate over her name's pronunciation. Car or Ker. Your choice.

Tyrell is kind of part Tyrone or Tyler, part Terrell, but less than the sum of those parts.

Scorpius is the constellation that the Scorpio zodiac sign originates from. It was given its venomous name due to the constellation's resemblance to a scorpion's tail.

Flash Gordon makes this a superhero name, but Flash might just appeal to modern parents looking for one of the new active boys' names, ala Ace and Breaker and Ranger. We'd recommend something more pulled-together as a proper name with Flash as a nickname or middle name.

A nickname for Malcolm that at one point ranked independently on the US Top 1000. It still exists as an affectionate pet form, but you’re unlikely to hear a Malcolm introduce himself as Mal.

See NATASHA.

Variation of Reddick, recognizable as the name of Vin Diesel's character in the Riddick film series, based on the Chronicles of Riddick books.

Spelling variation of Erin invented for a character on the science fiction TV show Farscape.

Sharp and preppy.

Reaver sure sounds like an occupational surname, thanks to its -er ending and similarity to names like Reeve, but it is actually a name invented by science fiction writers.

The first documentation of the use of Reaver was in 1988, as the name of a team of cyborgs in a Marvel comic book. More recently, Reaver was used in the TV show Firefly as the name of a group of cannibalistic humans.

Short form of the Afrikaans name Lodewikus.