Naming a baby can be challenging, and finding a name that doesn’t kick-start a household war can be harder than you’d think. However, it is fun too and you get to decide!
From avoiding the “popular names”, to selecting a name with a deeper meaning – there are many factors that contribute to determining the name of your child. So, how do you pick a name that makes your child stand out from the crowd?
With so many options to choose from and inspiration around every corner, some parents want to give their baby a unique name without going overboard. Some may take inspiration from external sources and accidentally give their child a STEM-related name. It may be later in life that little Ruby discovers that the origin of her name is one of the most important stones in South East Asia, or that Katherine discovers that her namesake helped NASA reach the moon.
To explore this further, we at Wicked Uncle investigated the number of babies with science-inspired names in the UK.
We analysed Office for National Statistics data from 1996 to 2020 and aimed to find the most popular male, female, and unisex names related to science. We looked at the three topics mentioned above; astronomy, chemistry, and geology, alongside investigating the use of women in science as baby-name inspiration.
Methodology
We used Office for National Statistics data to source trends for baby names in the UK between 1996 and 2020.
We then examined the names relating to science generally, and names relating to women who were pioneers in science, and recorded the statistics for each name throughout this time period. We looked at astronomy, chemistry, and geology and searched for role models and geniuses.
Baby Names Relating to Science
We looked at the babies being named in relation to aspects of science. When researching, we split names into three main categories; astronomy, chemistry, and geology.
Astronomy
Ahh, the majesty of a twinkling night sky – full of stars, and all of the mysteries it holds. For many of us, space is something that fascinates us – so it’s easy to see why some choose to take inspiration from astronomy when choosing a name for their little one.
We took a look at baby names inspired by planets, space, and moons, to find some names that are totally out of this world! Interestingly, our research showed that there have been more babies named after astronomy over time.
Space is no longer the final frontier – it is now right amongst us. In 1996, there were 48 babies given astronomy-inspired names. In 2020’s figures, there were an astonishing 2,506 babies named after space – that’s 2,458 more little Jupiters and Venuses running around in just over 20 years.
The most popular female astronomy baby name in 1996 was Star, with 19 babies being given this name. In 2020, the most popular female name was Luna, with 1,216 newborn girls being born with this name. Luna is by far the most popular female science-related baby name since 1996, with 7,137 baby girls in total given this name. Saying that I’m yet to meet one!
Of course, it’s worth noting that a certain popular franchise released a book in 2003 that had a character with this name, and some inspiration is almost certain to have come from there, too. However, these statistics alone highlight just how popular astronomy-themed baby names have become.
Interestingly, most of the astronomy-related names that we found were female names, with only one being exclusively male.
The total figures for each astronomy name were:
It was interesting to see the full list of figures related to babies named after planets, moons, or stars – many of which you may even recognise. Some of the names on the list, particularly Aurora and Luna, have become fairly common names more recently.
Nova was the most popular unisex name, with 352 females and 16 males being given this name between 1996-2020.
Luna is by far the most popular name in this category, with the name being given to more than 100 girls each year since 2011. Since 2017, this number has increased to at least 1,000 babies each year. Strangely though, no new baby Luna’s were registered in 1997. Perhaps the moon had done something to offend that year.
The girls’ name ‘Star’ has remained steady throughout the years, with at least one girl being given the name each year. A bright choice!
We also researched names such as Neptune, Mars, Solar, and Earth to name a few, but we found that there were no babies with these names as of yet. In the future, we hope to see more babies named after planets, after all, they really are your world!
Chemistry
Next, we investigated the baby names inspired by chemistry. For those who are slightly nerdier, this could be a very unique source of inspiration. Unsurprisingly, there were far fewer names inspired by chemistry in comparison to the names related to astronomy, making it a great source for stand-out names.
Strangely, the four chemistry names for babies that we managed to find are all boys’ names. The most popular was Calvin, with 2,438 baby boys being given this name. Parents may not realise the significance of Melvin Calvin’s contributions to biochemistry when picking out the name for their little darling, having perhaps looked no further than their underwear drawer for inspiration. However, we’re sure that, as these little Calvins learn more about their namesake in school, their pride in the name will only grow.
In the future, we hope to see more little girls running around with chemistry-inspired names, like Maggie, short for Magnesium. It’s certainly one way to make your child stand out from the get-go!
The total figures for each baby boy’s name were:
Magnus was the second most featured chemistry-inspired male baby name with 1,300 babies being given this name in total. Despite not quite being in first place, Magnus is undoubtedly becoming more popular, with more babies being named Magnus than Calvin in the past four years. In particular, 108 baby boys were named Magnus in 2020, compared to the 78 who were named Calvin in the same year.
In a few more years, Magnus could well become a common classroom name and an adorable one at that!
It’s safe to say that Neon hasn’t quite caught on as a baby name, with only 13 boys having been given the name since 1996. The name has appeared sporadically in the 24 years between 1996 and 2020, of which 3 were in 2013, 4 in 2014, 3 in 2020, and 3 in 2019.
Whilst there seems to be a trend towards more experimental names recently, it seems Neon has yet to reach its full potential.
Like Neon, Newton has lacked popularity over the years with only 81 babies named in total. However, since 2007, the name has been given to at least 3 baby boys each year, showing a gradual increase in popularity.
We also researched statistics for names such as Argon, Cobalt, and Nickel but were unable to find any record of babies with these names. The thought of new parents proudly introducing little baby Argon doesn’t really inspire that new-baby squeal, so it’s easy to see why these names might be lacking at the moment!
Geology
In the last section of baby names relating to general science topics, we looked at baby names inspired by geology – some of the names in this list are a real gem!
Geology, or rather a general interest in collecting rocks and crystals, has gained a lot of popularity in the last decade. With so many stunning variations of stone and precious minerals, it’s no surprise that many soon-to-be parents take inspiration from these natural works of art.
We found eleven baby names with statistical significance since 1996. Some of which were well-known popular names. The most popular girl’s name inspired by geology was Ruby, with 55,871 babies being given this name in total. It was really interesting to think about this name and where it originated. Although, of course, some recognition has to be given to outside factors, such as babies being named after their birthstones, and even after popular song titles – à la Kaiser Chiefs.
The total figures for each name were:
With several well-known popular girls’ names included in this research, such as Ruby and Jade, it was no surprise to see such high figures for two of the most popular girls’ names. Many people forget that these names are originally derived from the gemstones ruby and jade.
However, the popularity of the name Jade has dropped dramatically since 2001. In 1996, there were 2,750 girls named Jade. This pattern followed with more than 2,000 girls being given the name each year between 1996-2001.
Comparing this to recent figures, only 421 girls have been named Jade in the past five years. This shows just how much trends can shift over time when it comes to popularity surrounding baby names. What would have originally been a popular baby name is now rarely used, making it fall into the ‘unique’ category in recent years.
Ruby in particular is one of the most precious stones, deep red and gorgeous. The rich and opulent stone makes for a cute baby name!
The most popular boy name inspired by geology was Jasper by far, with 8,892 baby boys named in total. The name has been on a steady rise since 1996. In 1996, the name was used for a total of 94 baby boys. Since then, the popularity has grown year after year, with 727 baby boys being given this name in 2020.
Stone was by far the least popular, with only 6 baby boys being named this since 2006. Perhaps this name is too boring, despite its unusualness. In contrast, the unisex name ‘Onyx’ is a fairly new phenomenon that seems to be on the rise. 73 babies have been given the unisex name since 2009, 63 of which are male and only 10 female. An unusual choice that is growing in popularity.
We also researched the name Slate but were unable to find any record of babies with this name since 1996.
We researched the girl’s name Crystal, which of course relates to the various gemstones that inspired the names mentioned above. We expected the name to be very popular, but surprisingly, the name had only been given to 3,143 baby girls since 1996, which was far less than you’d expect. The name had its heyday in 2007, with 237 baby girls being given the name in that year.
Baby Names Relating to Women in Science
Now that we’ve covered the statistics surrounding baby names inspired by astronomy, chemistry, and geology, we also wanted to analyse names inspired by important women in the scientific field. What better way to name your child than by crowning them with the same name as an influential figure?
Awareness of women in science has grown significantly in the past few years, but women working in the scientific field are nothing new. We wanted to find out more about these pioneering women and how their names might’ve inspired the names of new generations.
To do this, we used both the first and second names of women with important contributions to science.
Our research found that the first names of these figures were often attributed to baby girls but, in some instances, surnames matched the first names being given to baby boys.
For example, Rosalind Franklin, a British chemist who first discovered the molecular structure of DNA, was used as one of the iconic figures. For Rosalind, we found that 856 baby girls had been given this name and 1,842 baby boys were named Franklin since 1996.
These influential scientists are bound to instill inspiration into children when they learn of the background of their unique name!
First, let’s take a look at the most popular girl names related to women in science. The results were:
The research revealed Elizabeth as the most popular girl’s name inspired by women in science, with 36,196 baby girls being given this name in total.
Elizabeth is taken from the English physician Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, who was the first female doctor in England.
Of course, the name also relates to the late British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – so it’s safe to assume some influence has been taken from there also.
Despite being the most popular in this list, the name has dropped in popularity from 2,225 babies in 1996 to 866 in 2020.
Much like Elizabeth, the female name Katherine follows the same pattern statistically, with 1,266 babies in 1996, and only 73 in 2020 – highlighting a shift in preference away from these more ‘traditional’ names as parents aim to avoid picking a name that blends their child into the background.
Katherine has been taken from the first name of Katherine Johnson, the first black woman to work at NASA. Unfortunately, the name hasn’t ever really taken off.
A girl’s name that is steadily on the rise is Valentina, taken from Valentina Tereshkova who was the first woman to visit space back in 1963. Only 19 babies were named Valentina in 1996, compared to 589 babies named this since 2018.
Lastly, let’s take a look at the most popular boy names inspired by women in science. The results were:
Understandably, there were much fewer names inspired by women in science when it comes to boys’ names. Franklin – the surname of Rosalind Franklin – featured the most, with 171 babies in 2020, and 1,842 since 1996.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson had inspired 409 boys who had been given her surname as a first name since 1996. The name Anderson was given to 27 boys in 2020, up from 20 in 2019. One to keep an eye on in years to come.
It was interesting to see 6 boys be given the name Inge since 1996. This name was taken from the first name of Inge Lehmann, a botanist, and commandant of the Women’s Royal Air Force. The last time a boy was given this name in the UK was back in 2005, when three baby boys were named Inge in the same year.
Finally, there were also some unisex names included in relation to women in science. These included Taylor (21,031 names) inspired by Janet Taylor who designed equipment to be used to navigate nautically and Ada (5,109 names) inspired by Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer. I think we can all agree that Ada Lovelace is an adorable name and an important figure in history too!
Final Thoughts
We hope that this study has given you some insight into the inspiration behind baby names. It was fascinating to see how many names had originally been derived from scientific names and processes – such as Jade, Calvin, and Aurora.
From Luna to Nova, Flint to Pearl, there are some really unique names relating to science and space. For people looking to give their baby a name with a difference, there is plenty of inspiration to be taken from space and geology.
Whilst some of the names that we found – like Neon – are a little bit “out there”, we’re sure these babies will be grateful for their unique names in the future.
By looking into the names inspired by historically iconic female figures from the scientific field, we were able to collect data on some of the baby names still popular today.
In particular, it was interesting to find that some of the surnames of these important female figures were being used for baby boys’ names, such as Franklin and Anderson.
Disclaimer
Whilst all of the names covered in this article do relate to science in one way or another, there are undoubtedly other outside influences that could have inspired parents to select these names for their children including, but not limited to; birthstones, popular songs, influential figures outside of the scientific field, and more.
