Awesome Nerdy Baby Names: Discover 127 Geeky Ideas & Meanings
Looking for awesome nerdy baby names? Then search no further. Anakin or Hermione may be too obvious or over the top for you, so I’ve found many more subtly nerdy and geeky baby names. Taken from fantasy, sci-fi, books, movies, comics, video games, mythology, science and history, these names are great as first names or middle names, no matter whether you are naming a baby or even a pet.
Note: Names in pink are typically girl names, blue are boys, and orange are either.
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Top 10 Geeky & Nerdy Girl Names
- Ariadne
- Chandra
- Hypatia
- Keiko
- Linnea
- Rosalind
- Ruby
- Sabine
- Tamriel
- Vera
Nerdy Girl Names
Ada
Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace worked with Charles Babbage on the Analytical Engine, an early mechanical computer. Ada means “noble.”
Agnes
Agnes Robertson, who went by the pen name Arber, was the first woman botanist to become a Fellow in the Royal Society. Meaning: chaste
Alayne
Looking for a subtle Game of Thrones name? Alayne is a minor character in A Song of Ice and Fire. It’s is a variant spelling of Elaine, Lancelot’s lover, and Galahad’s mother in the legend of King Arthur. Meaning: “sun ray” or “shining light.”
Althea
In Greek mythology, Althaea was queen of Calydon. Althaea means “healer.”
Ariadne
Ariadne was a princess in Greek mythology, associated with mazes and labyrinths because of her involvement in the myths of the Minotaur and Theseus. And she’s a main character in the movie Inception. Meaning: “most holy.”
Ashildr
In “Doctor Who”, Ashildr is a young woman living in a Viking village, renowned for her vivid imagination. The name Ashildr is a variant of the Norse name Ashild, meaning “battle god.”
Aviendha
Aviendha is an Aiel Maiden of the Spear who travels with Rand al’Thor in The Wheel of Time series.
Cadsuane
Another Wheel of Time name, Aes Sedai Cadsuane Meliahdrin is a Green Ajah who advises Rand.
Related Post: Discover over 2,300 names from Wheel of Time here.
Calidore
Sir Calidore, the Knight of Courtesy, tames the Blatant Beast in The Faerie Queen. It means beautiful gift. In The Faerie Queen, of course, it’s a male name, but I could see it as a unisex option!
Casmilla
Casmilla is a character in the epic Roman poem The Aeneid.
Cecilia
In the Hunger Games, Cecelia is the female tribute from District 8 in the 75th Hunger Games. And Cecilia Payne- Gaposchkin was a famous astronomer. The name Cecelia means blind.
Chandra
A good name if you play Magic the Gathering. Chandra is also a reference to Dr. R. Chandra, a character in Arthur C. Clarke’s Space Odyssey series, and a character in the TV series Heroes. Chandra means “moon” or “shining” in Sanskrit.
Related post: over 300 Magic: The Gathering Baby Names!
Clementia
Clementia is a goddess of forgiveness and mercy in Roman mythology. I love this name- it’s a twist on virtue names like Patience or Constance. And as you might expect, the name means merciful, gentle.
Drasna
Drasna is a dragon-type Pokemon trainer and member of the Kalos Elite Four.
Egeria
Egeria is a nymph in Greek mythology. This name may refer to the black poplar tree
Epione
Epione is one of the Amazons in Wonder Woman in the DC universe. This Greek name means soothing.
Evangeline
Evangeline is an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This name means good news. This is my favorite nerdy girl name!
Henrietta
Henrietta Swann Leavitt was an American astronomer. She made important advances in understanding how the brightness of a distant galaxy could be used to calculate its distance from Earth. And this name is a form of Henry, meaning home ruler.
Hera
Hera: This name has more than a mythological connotation. Hera is also the name of a character from Battlestar Galactica, Pepper Potts’ superhero code name, and a character in Star Wars Rebels. Meaning: “hero,” or “chosen.”
Related post: 268 more Star Wars Baby Names!
Herminia
Herminia Cinna is a scholar and author in Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. This name probably comes from the Greek god Hermes, messenger of the gods and patron of travellers, writers and athletes.
Hildegard
Hildegard of Bingen was Germine abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and polymath. She is often considered to be the founder of scientific natural history in Germany. This name means battle enclosure.
Hypatia
Hypatia was a 5th century Roman philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician, renowned as a great teacher and a wise counselor. Hypatia means “highest” or “supreme.”
Irene
Irene Joliot-Curie and her husband were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935 for their discovery of artificial radioactivity. Plus, in the Byzantine Empire, Empress Irene of Athens was the first woman to lead the empire. Meaning: “peace.” Related post: 135 Chemistry-Themed Baby Names
Jocelyn
Jocelyn: Astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered the first radio pulsars in 1967. Meaning: “lord.”
Keiko
Keiko: This Japanese name is borne by a character in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. The meaning of this name is “happy child.”
Kestia
Kestia the Cultivator is a nymph who is responsible for crop growth and irrigation in Magic: The Gathering.
Larrin
Larrin is a leader among the Travellers in Stargate Atlantis
Leela
Leela was the captain of the Planet Express spaceship in Futurama. And there’s another Leela from Doctor Who, the companion of the Fourth Doctor. The name is a variant of Leila, which means “night beauty.”
Liara
Liara T’Soni is an asari squad mate in Mass Effect. It might mean light for me in Hebrew.
Linnea
Linnea: This sciencey girl name comes from the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favorite flower.
Lise
Lise: Another girl’s name from science history – Lise Meitner was an Austrian-Swedish physicist who worked on radioactivity and nuclear physics. She led the small group of scientists who first discovered nuclear fission. A variant of Elizabeth, meaning “oath.”
Meredith
Meredith Rodney McKay is the Head of the Science and Research Division of the Atlantis Expedition in Stargate Atlantis. Did you know Meredith can be a masculine name, especially in Wales? It means sea lord.
Metis
Metis is the Greek titaness of good counsel, advice, planning, cunning, craftiness, and wisdom. And Metis is Athena Cykes mother in Ace Attorney. It means wisdom and skill.
Michonne
Michonne is a great name from The Walking Dead comics and TV show.
Mina
Williamina “Mina” Paton Stevens Fleming was a Scottish astronomer who helped develop a common system for designating stars, cataloguing thousands of stars, and discovering the Horsehead Nebula. Meaning: will helmet
Nakia
Nakia is T’Challa’s love interest in the Marvel cinematic universe.
Ororo
Ororo Munroe, also known as Storm in X-Men, claims her name means beauty. However, in Swahili, her name means soft, sensitive, delicate.
Quinn
Quinn: If you like Harley Quinn, but Harley is just too popular, Quinn is a good alternative. It is derived from the Irish word for “chief.”
Related post: Coolest Names in the World!
Remy
Remy LeBeau is also known as Gambit in the X-Men. It could be short for Remington. But on its own, it means oarsman or rower.
Rosalind
Rosalind: Rosalind Elsie Franklin was an English chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite. This name is also from Shakespeare’s play As You Like It. Rosalind means “beautiful rose.”
Rosentia
Rosentia Gallenus is a collector of arcane artifacts in Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
Rowena
Rowena: It is the name of the heroine in Ivanhoe, Sir Walter Scott’s novel. Plus, Rowena was a figure from British mythology. Meaning: “joy, bliss.”
Ruby
Ruby is a popular object-oriented scripting language. It means “ruby,” as in the gemstone, or “red.” It’s a great choice if you’re looking for subtly nerdy baby names!
Sabine
Sabine: The gorgeous name Sabine comes from Star Wars Rebels. It is derived from Sabines, an ancient people who lived in Italy.
Sagan
Sagan. Carl Sagan was an American astronomer who assembled the first physical messages sent into space and popularized science and astronomy.
Tallissan
Tallissan “Tallie” Lintra is a Rebel pilot in The Force Awakens. And in Welsh legend, Taliesin was a companion of King Arthur. Meaning: shining brow.
Tamriel
Tamriel is the name of the continent in Skyrim. But it makes a beautiful girl’s name too!
Tanis
Tanis is the leader of the group of heroes in the Dragonlance Chronicles novels. This unisex Greek name means serpent
Teyla
The name Teyla is from Stargate: Atlantis. Its origin is unknown but it may be a variant of Taylor, which as you may have guessed, means “tailor.”
Thalia
Thalia is the Greek goddess of festive celebrations. She is also a muse of poetry and comedy, and appears in the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. It means to blossom.
Thetia
Thetia is a kingdom in Magic: The Gathering. While it isn’t traditionally used as a name, I think it’s quite beautiful and unique!
More unique name ideas: Rare Baby Girl Names!
Thrace
Thrace is a heroine and sorceress in Greek mythology
Tona
Tona. In the Warhammer 40k universe, Captain Tona Criid of the Imperial Guard rose to prominence after her hive was destroyed by the forces of chaos.
Trillian
Trillian: The name of the astrophysicist in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s actually a contraction of the name Tricia McMillian.
Vera
Vera: Female scientist Vera Rubin was an American astronomer who pioneered work on galaxy rotation rates. It means “faith” in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word verus, or “true.”
Related post: Looking for more nerdy names? Check out 150+ science-themed baby names here!
Top 10 Geeky & Nerdy Boy Names
These names for boys are uncommon but aren’t overly nerdy! Our top ten baby boy names:
- Bexar
- Desmond
- Erwin
- Hayden
- Idris
- Jules
- Marius
- Oberon
- Rigel
- Rossby
You might also enjoy our list of Unique Boy Names!
Nerdy Boy Names
Alistair
Alistair: Different spellings of this name appear in Dragon Age, Game of Thrones, Charmed, Supernatural, Dr Who, and Spiderman. Alistair is an anglicized version of Alexander which means “to defend.”
=Related post: over 1,600 Game of Thrones name ideas=
Alyx
Alyx: Any Half Life 2 fan will recognize this variant of Alexander. Of course, Alyx in Half Life 2 is a female, but has so many variations for both boys and girls!
Ayo
Ayo is one of the Black Panther’s bodyguards in the Marvel cinematic universe. And his name means joy in Yoruba.
Bexar
Bexar: Here’s a name for the history nerds. The Siege of Béxar was an early campaign during the Texas Revolution at what is now San Antonio, Texas. Bexar comes from the town of the same name in Spain.
Blaise
Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician known for Pascal’s Wager, Pascal’s Triangle, Pascal’s Law, and Pascal’s Theorem.
Braith
Braith is a Redguard child in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. This name may mean speckled.
Calder
Calder: Continuing the Skyrim theme, Calder is the Housecarl of the Hjerim Estate in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim.
Calem
Calem is the male protagonist of Pokemon X and Y. His name means dove
Carl
Carl: Many famous scientists bore this name: Carl Sagan, Carl Linneaus, Carl Gauss. This German name is a variant of Charles.
Corim
Corim Ashlen is the Loremaster of the Mages Guild in Lillandril in Elder Scrolls: Arena. It may mean spear. I love this nerdy boy name since it’s unique yet might slip under the radar.
Corsen
Corsen Mon Duur is a dwarf in Magic: The Gathering, and his name is Romansh (Swiss).
Daltus
Daltus. King Daltus is one of the Kings of Hyrule during the The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.
Dashiell
Dashiell: With a nickname like Dash, how could you not love this name from The Incredibles?
Deckard
Deckard: An awesome name used in Blade Runner (and the book it’s based on, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), and Diablo. Derived from Richard, it means “brave power.”
Derrial
Derrial: In Firefly, Derrial Book is a “shepherd.” Derrial may be a variation of Daryl, referring to a person who came from Airelle in France
Desmond
Desmond: The famous game “Assassin’s Creed is built around Desmond Miles. And Desmond Belmont is the protagonist of Castlevania: Order of Shadows. It originated from Kingdom of Desmond, a medieval Irish kingdom.
Devis
Devis is the iconic half- elf bard in Dungeons & Dragons. This name may mean beloved.
Devon
Devon: Is a name derived from the Devonian geological period nerdy enough for you? Did you know Devon Grandahl is a distant relative of Gandalf? This ancient name might mean “fawn” (Irish), “poet” (Old French), or “divine” (Latin).
Dillon
Dillon. Col. Dillon Everett is a character in Stargate Atlantis. This name is often spelled Dylan. Meaning: “great tide” in Welsh.
Dolim
Dolim is a Xindi Council member in Star Trek: Enterprise. It could be related to Donald, which means ruler of the world.
Dryden
Dryden Vos is a member of the Crimson Dawn Syndicate in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Meaning: dry valley
Eldin
Eldin is a light spirit and a dragon in The Legend of Zelda. Meaning: old friend
Emmett
Emmett: From our favorite time-traveling mad scientist, of course. It means “universal.”
Enabran
Enabran Tain is the leader of the Obsidian Order in Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Meaning: unknown
Enoch
Enoch Coltrane is a character in the Agents of SHIELD in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Meaning: dedicated
Ernest
Ernest: There’s American author Ernest Hemingway, and it was used by Oscar Wilde in his comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. And don’t forget Ernie Macmillan from Harry Potter. This German name means serious.
Erwin
Erwin: Pay homage to Schrodinger with this German name.
Fandral
Fandral is an Asgardian warrior who is a charter member of The Warriors Three, and a friend of Thor in Marvel Comics.
Felix
Felix Klein was a German mathematician known for his work on group theory and non-Euclidean geometry. Felix means lucky, successful.
Finnick
Finnick: Author Suzanne Collins may have invented the name Finnick for her Hunger Games novels, but it’s definitely awesome! It is derived from the Gaelic name Finn, which means “fair.”
Galahad
Galahad is the son of Sir Lancelot and Elaine in Arthurian legend.
Garrick
Garrick: Did you know Garrick Ollivander owns the magic wand shop in Diagon Alley in Harry Potter? Plus, there’s Gareth, a Knight of the Round Table, and Garrus Vakarian, the Turian squadmate from Mass Effect. Meaning: oak tree grove
Geordi
Geordi: Who can’t love LeVar Burton’s character Geordi La Forge from “Star Trek: The Next Generation?” Geordie is a diminutive of George, which means “farmer.”
=Related Post: 115 Star Trek Baby Names=
Gideon
Gideon Lightwood is a character in The Infernal Devices. Meaning: feller, hewer
Harlow
Harlow Shapley was an American astronomer known for determining the position of the sun in the Milky Way. His name means rocky hill.
Hayden
Hayden: Did you know Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden surveyed the area that is now Yellowstone? Another famous Hayden: actor Hayden Christensen.
Idris
Idris: A Unix-like OS and Idris Elba, who played the captain in Prometheus. Meaning: “ardent lord.”
Isaac
Isaac: You can’t go wrong naming your kid after two of the most noteworthy Isaacs: Newton or Asimov-known for his works of science fiction. It means “he will rejoice.”
Jace
Jace: There’s Jace Bellaren from Magic: the Gathering. And he’s one of Space Ghost’s sidekicks, and a character in The Mortal Instruments series. Jace is a short form of Jason, meaning “healer.”
Jareth
Jareth: Are you a fan of David Bowie or Labyrinth? This name is a combination of Jared and Gareth.
Jaskier
Jaskier is a bard in The Witcher video game series and TV series. This name is Polish for dandelion
Jules
Jules: What’s nerdier than naming a child after Jules Verne, one of the fathers of science fiction? Jules is a variant of Julian, which means “devoted to Jupiter.”
Kelvin
Kelvin: Lord Kelvin was a Scots Irish physicist and engineer who performed important work on the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The Kelvin unit of temperature is named after him. The name comes from the River Kelvin in Scotland.
Kent
Kent: Kal-el would be a difficult name for anyone, and Clark is pretty popular these days. So how about using Superman’s last name? Kent comes from the name of a county in England.
Logan
Logan: As in Wolverine from the X-Men, of course. Originally derived from a Scottish place name meaning “little hollow” in Gaelic.
Magnus
Magnus: Albertus Magnus was a German mathematician in the 12th century. And Magnus Bane is a warlock in The Mortal Instruments. Meaning: great. This nerdy baby name definitely sounds geeky yet grand!
Maurits
Maurits Escher (you may know him as MC Escher) was a Dutch mathematician known for his drawing and printing works. This Dutch name means moorish.
Marius
Marius: This name comes from the book and musical Les Miserables. It means “Mars'” as in the Roman god of war.
Max
Max: A name by itself, or a nickname for Maxwell or Maximilian, there’s physicist Max Planck, Max Rockatansky from Mad Max, and finally, the main character from Where the Wild Things Are. It means “greatest.”Let the wild rumpus start!
Meliodas
Meliodas, also known as Rivalen, is Tristan’s father in Arthurian legend.
Nebin
Nebin is the iconic wizard in Dungeons & Dragons.
Nestor
Nestor is a king of Pylos who sailed with the Argonauts in Greek mythology. It means returner or homecomer.
Oberon
Oberon: From Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream to Warframe, and an alternate spelling of Oberyn from Game of Thrones, there are several reasons this name is conclusively nerdy.
Ophion
Ophion is a Greek titan who ruled Olympus. Meaning: serpent
Rhodes
Rhodes: Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes is the superhero known as War Machine in the Marvel cinematic universe. It means cleared land.
Rigel
Rigel: Not only is Rigel the name of a star, it’s also a reference to Farscape, Elder Scrolls and Fire Emblem.
Rory
Rory: Rory is one of my favorite names from Doctor Who. Meaning: “red-haired king.” Related post: find 51 more Doctor Who baby names here!
Rossby
Rossby: Carl-Gustaf Arvid Rossby was a Swedish-born American meteorologist who identified and characterized both the jet stream and the long waves in the westerlies that were later named Rossby waves.
Sidon
Sidon Ithano is a pirate in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Syrio
Syrio Forel is a swordsman who trains Arya in Game of Thrones. The name comes from Sirius, meaning burning.
Thales
Thales was a Greek mathematician and philosopher known for Thales Theorem. Meaning: to blossom
Tobias
Tobias is Han Solo’s mentor in Solo: A Star Wars Story. And any Animorphs readers will recognize this name. This biblical name means Yahweh is good.
Wade
Wade: You definitely can’t go wrong with Deadpool and Ready Player One references. Wade means “a ford” or “to go” in Old English. “Ready, Player 3?” also makes a great pregnancy announcement (click for my post on simple nerdy pregnancy announcements!)
Find more nerdy name ideas in: Stereotypical Names for a Nerd
FAQ
What is the rarest name on this list?
The rarest names on this list were given to fewer than five babies in the US last year: Ashildr, Braith, Cadsuane, Calidore, Casmilla, Clementia, Corim, Derrial, Drasna, Egeria, Enabran, Fandral, Hermenia, Rivalen, Syrio, Tallissan, Taliesin, Tamriel
What are some badass names?
Some badass names from this list are: Bexar, Calder, Calidore, Daltus, Deckard, Hildegard, Magnus, Quinn, Rigel, Thalia, and Vera
What are some pretty names?
Some pretty names from this list are: Ariadne, Corsen, Devon, Emmett, Idris, Jules, Liara, Linnea, Rosentia, and Sabine
Related post: Fun and Nerdy Baby Toys
Conclusions
So, what are your favorite nerd-inspired or geeky baby names? I’d love to add them to the list here- tell me all about them in the comments!
Looking for more name ideas?
It can be hard- nearly impossible- to find nerdy baby names you love! If you like a specific genre of nerdy baby names, check out these posts for hundreds of more ideas!
- Go back to the roundup of all my nerdy baby names posts here.
- Check out my collection of over 50 baby names from Dr Who!
- Or 135 baby names inspired by chemists and chemistry
- And 81 unique Lord of the Rings baby names!
- Here are 99 names that mean timekeeper
- Math Names for Babies