Scientist Name Generator & Backstories

Science has driven our society forward, giving us new technology, eliminating lethal diseases, and helping us understand our world. And that progress has been led by genius scientists.

Most scientists focus more on their work than their public image, and thus almost always use their birth names. This helps reward credit where credit is due, such as on research papers or scientific awards.

Good Scientist Names

A scientist’s name will reflect what part of the world they were born in, and therefore what scientific traditions they follow. It should also sound snappy so that if a discovery is named after them, it can smoothly enter common usage.

• Edwin Hubble
• Irene Joliot
• Emmy Noether
• Johannes Kepler
• Henry Moseley
• Omar Khayyam
• Karl Landsteiner
• Srinivasa Ramanujan

Hans Oersted

The first man to connect electricity to magnetism, significantly advancing the world’s understanding of electrophysics.

• Max Planck
• Ernest Rutherford
• Stephanie Kwolek
• Theodor Schwann
• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
• Dmitri Mendeleev
• Florence Nightingale

Alfred Nobel

After making huge innovations in weapons technology, he felt so guilty that he donated all his profits.

• Claudius Ptolemy
• Francesco Redi
• Gene Shoemaker

Female Scientist Names

Women have had an enduring contribution to science, even if it is often overlooked, but modern history has endeavored to recognize innovative female scientists.

• Henrietta Leavitt
• Janet Taylor
• Lise Meitner
• Alice Ball
• Rita Montalcini
• Gerty Cori
• Helen Taussig
• Barbara McClintock

Rachel Carson

A chemist who studied pesticides and who advocated for their elimination after realizing how dangerous they were.

• Beatrice Shilling
• Sophia Louisa
• Katherine Johnson
• Helen Gwynne
• Dorothy Hodgkin
• Chien-Shiung Wu
• Gertrude Elion

Rosalind Franklin

The brains behind biochemical x-raying, and who had her biggest discovery stolen by her colleagues.

• Marie Tharp
• Jane Goodall
• Cecilia Gaposchkin

Male Scientist Names

Science has been a male-dominated field for centuries, and many of history’s most important discoveries come from brilliant men.

• Zhang Heng
• Nicolaus Copernicus
• Louis Pasteur
• Alexander Bell
• Linus Pauling
• Ibn al-Haytham
• Antoine Lavoisier
• Francis Crick

Robert Boyle

A scientific philosopher whose ideas led to the scientific method of experimentation, forming the foundation of modern science.

• Anders Celsius
• Carl Linnaeus
• James Watson
• Michael Faraday
• Luis Alvarez
• Andre Ampere
• Richard Feynman

Amedeo Avogadro

One of the most influential scientists in the field of molecular theory who spent his life experimenting with gasses.

• Francis Bacon
• Gregor Mendel
• Alan Turing

Mad Scientist Names

Not all scientists dream of peace and prosperity—some wish to dominate the world through their inventions.

• Doctor Chaos
• Professor Gander
• Doctor Matter
• Professor Possibility
• Doctor Rubble
• Professor Grim
• Doctor Calamity
• Professor Misery

Doctor Deficit

An insane physicist whose antimatter weapons were once used to hold the government of Costa Rica hostage.

• Professor Panic
• Doctor Anxiety
• Professor Dismal
• Doctor Terror
• Professor Hollow
• Doctor Pollution

Professor Pressure

Though mostly unknown to the public, many security agencies spent years searching for her underwater fortress near the Marianas Trench.

• Doctor Spark
• Professor Venom
• Doctor Ruin
• Professor Regret

Scientists vary greatly, from selfless innovators to obsessive maniacs. Hopefully this article has helped you pick a name that reflects your scientist’s personality. If you liked the article, share it with your friends and drop us a comment below!