12 Baby Names Inspired By Nobel Prize-Winning Scientists And Activists

Some people say that having kids is a noble pursuit. Generally, those people are parents who are totally into having kids. If you do believe you’re doing something important by making a baby, you can make your feelings known (without sounding like such a jerk) by naming your kid after one of these super smart people. That way, having a kid is literally a Nobel pursuit.

Science Names For Boys

These guys rocked some serious science, peace and literature accomplishments. They had dope names, too.

Werner

For: Werner Heisenberg Why: Totally discovered the underlying principles of quantum mechanics and, if you’re feeling lowbrow (or talking to Bryan Cranston), you can claim a roundabout reference to Breaking Bad.

Kofi

For: Kofi Annan Why: Dude shared his peace prize with the entire United Nations, of which he was the Secretary General at the time. Great name if you want to mess with your kid and tell him you named him after a secretary.

Desmond

For: Desmond TuTu Why: Archbishop TuTu was awarded his prize for his incredibly brave stand against South African apartheid. Also, great lesson for your kid that it’s legit for guys to love TuTus.

Woodrow

For: Woodrow Wilson Why: Woodrow Wilson scored his prize for establishing the League Of Nations, which is not as cool as the League Of Justice, but still pretty super, man.

Linus

For: Linus Pauling Why: The guy has 2 Nobel prizes: one for peace, because he actively campaigned against nuclear proliferation, and one in chemistry, because he discovered some amazing stuff that will drive your kid crazy when he gets into chemistry.

Ernest

For: Ernest Hemingway Why: The importance of being Ernest was the fact that he was a tremendous, bang up, Nobel-prize winning writer. It could get confusing if you both start going by Poppa, though.

Science Names For Girls

You might think the only go-to here is naming your kid Madame or Curie. But there have been a slew of amazing Nobel women. Their names deserve a legacy.

Gerty

For: Gerty Cori Why: A badass scientist who fought to be admitted to medical school long before it was common for women, and discovered how carbohydrates are broken down, leading to advances in diabetes research. Also, it’s a good name considering the main ingredient in girls is apparently sugar?

Christiane

For: Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Why: Deep research with fruit flies earned Christiane a shared Nobel prize in medicine. Her discoveries helped unlock information about evolution, i.e. the process that ensures your daughter will be way smarter than you.

Ada

For: Ada Yonath Why: The first Israeli woman to win a Nobel prize, she also broke a 45 year drought of women receiving a Nobel in chemistry when she took the honor in 2009. You’ve had droughts of no chemistry with women too. But that’s hardly remarkable.

Teresa

For: Mother Teresa Why: Because she’s freakin’ Mother Teresa.

Toni

For: Toni Morrison Why: For some of the most stunning and difficult writing about the experience of African American women to ever be put down on paper. But beware, it could inspire your daughter to put you in The Book of Mean People if you get too tough with discipline.

Malala

For: Malala Yousafzai Why: Because Malala is by far one of the bravest and most inspiring young women in the modern age. However, a problem does arise however when your little girl wants to make a doc: He Named Me Malala is already taken.