Get Ready To Geek Out With These 20 Sci-Fi Baby Names

Inspired by the science fiction fantasy book series and subsequent 2020 film Artemis Fowl, the baby name Artemis could be a wonderful gender-neutral name choice. The film’s main character is male, but The Bump noted the baby name Artemis trends female because it’s also the name of the Greek goddess of the moon.

Sometimes you want to give your baby a name with a sci-fi connection, but don’t want it to be super obvious. If Star Wars names like Leia, Anakin, or even Luke are too on the nose for your taste, perhaps try Ben on for size. When Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was exiled to Tatooine, he lived there under the alias Ben, which was also the name that Leia and Han Solo chose for their son.

There’s no denying that Zoe Saldana’s character in Guardians of the Galaxy is an all-around bad*ass. So, if you’re looking for a powerful baby girl name with a strong sci-fi connection, Gamora could be it. The name also has a biblical connection to the city named Gammorah, according to Nameberry.

After the first Twilight film was released in 2008, the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) reported a significant increase in the popularity of the name Bella for baby girls (jumping from #122 to #58 in one year), and it’s remained fairly popular ever since. The name Bella comes from the Latin word belle, which means beautiful, according to Baby Center. So even if you’re not a hardcore Twilight fan, the name is still a gorgeous choice.

Tolkien fans, listen up. It is OK to name your baby Gandalf after the wise wizard from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. You may even call it the “one name to rule them all” I’ve yet to meet a single person with this name, but boy do I really, really want to.

Keanu Reeves’ character in The Matrix might just spark some baby name inspiration for you. The baby name Neo means “new” or “gift” and is of Latin origin, according to Namberry, but I can totally picture a little kid named Neo as the coolest little kid in his preschool class. (And yes, he’ll be wearing sunglasses.)

Despite the lasting popularity of Captain Kirk among Trekkies, the name hasn’t been in the SSA’s top 1000 popular baby names since 2002. One of my 8-year-old son’s classmates this year is named Kirk, but I have no idea if his parents had Star Trek on in the delivery room, or if they just chose a name that wasn’t particularly popular around the time he was born.

Wand-waving Potterheads have so many adorable sci-fi-inspired baby names from the fantasy series to choose from, but Harry really is the most obvious choice. Despite the popularity of the Harry Potter series, the main protagonist’s moniker has never seen an astronomic rise as a trending baby name here in the U.S., not ever ranking above the 501st most popular baby name, per the SSA.

James Marsden’s character in the HBO sci-fi thriller Westworld could inspire your next baby’s name. The gender-neutral baby name Teddy is short for Theodore for boys and Theodora for girls. Teddy also fits the current trend of choosing baby names with historical ties, thanks to the association with president Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt.

Winter is here, and Game of Thrones may have inspired a blizzard’s worth of baby girls named Arya as a trendy (yet also totally hardcore) baby name. Despite it being now tied forever to the name of a fictional warrior, the name itself has a gorgeous meaning. Arya is of Sanskrit origin and means “noble,” according to Namberry.

Stranger Things fans may have their hopes set on an influx of babies named Eleven after the series’ main character (and I don’t disagree), but Dustin is also a strong choice for fans who want a baby name that is a little more mainstream than a numerical figure. His character is smart and confident but also embraces his goofy side — all admirable traits when you’re looking to name a baby.

Any crossover Doctor Who and Gilmore Girls fans out there? While ‘90s kids may have strong associations with the name Rory to a certain Stars Hollow resident, it can also be a sci-fi baby name choice backed up by the Doctor Who character with the same name. The name Rory is also a great choice for sci-fi fans who want a gender-neutral baby name.

In the Battlestar Galactica reboot in 2003, the character of Lieutenant Starbuck was re-imagined as Kara Thrace. The baby name Kara means “dear” or “friend” and has roots in Norse mythology, according to Nameberry. One alternative spelling of the name is Cara, and similar name choices include Kiara and Kira.

From the popular sci-fi television series Fringe, the character Astrid gives way to this baby name choice that also has a strong astrological connection. Similar in sound to the word asteroid, the baby name Astrid means “fair and beautiful” or “goddess” and is of Old Norse origin, according to The Bump.

Does this baby name just scream “I love The Hunger Games” so loudly that it’s almost too in-your-face about it? Possibly. But it’s also one sci-fi baby name that you probably won’t soon find in your child’s preschool class. Despite the franchise’s immense popularity, the name Katniss has yet to breach the top 1000 baby names reported by the SSA.

Fans of Buffy The Vampire Slayer may associate this sci-fi baby name with Buffy’s red-haired BFF played by Alyson Hannigan. (Which may make the name even more appealing for parents who are also fans of American Pie and How I Met Your Mother.) Pop culture connections aside, the baby name Willow is of English origin and means “of the willow tree,” according to Nameberry.

Yes, as in LeVar Burton. Trekkies will know Burton from his famed role in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Geordi La Forge. But, if your better half doesn’t happen to be as into sci-fi as you are, they might still be pleased to have a baby name connected to the one and only host of Reading Rainbow.

Here is yet another sci-fi baby name that is perfect for Star Wars fans. Rey is a short and sweet name, but thanks to the character’s portrayal in Episodes VII-IX (not to mention Daisy Ridley’s standout performance) it’s also a baby name choice with a bit of an edge to it.

Ellen Ripley of the Alien franchise is totally a character worth naming your baby after. Arguably Sigourney Weaver’s most famous role to play, the character is hailed by many as one of the most significant in the sci-fi genre. The name has never graced the SSA’s list of most popular baby names, so it’s also a unique choice.

Fans of Firefly and Serenity may just swoon over this name of the character made popular by actor Nathan Fillion. Although Mal could be short for Malcom, as it was for Fillion’s character, Mal could also be used as a nickname for Malorie or Mallory, making it a great gender-neutral choice with a sci-fi connection.