Get

In Your Inbox

Catster is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

Scientific Cat Names: 180 Great Ideas for Your Smart Cat

Share

Scientific Cat Names

Bringing home a brand new kitty is so exciting. Whether adopting, buying from a breeder, or picking up a kitten from a free litter, your new family member will surely bring you joy and happiness. However, you have to find a suitable name. So, where should you start? If you are a science buff, there are several selections you can make in this category that would be unique and fitting. Here are 180 scientific names for your new kitty.

divider cat paws oct 2026Great Inventors of the Past

We wouldn’t be where we are today without the world’s great inventors. You might not be familiar with every inventor, but some of them have pretty cool names. And they did some pretty amazing things.

Male Cat Names

  • Edison—Thomas Edison
  • Graham Bell—Alexander Graham Bell
  • Henry—Henry Ford
  • Franklin—Benjamin Franklin
  • Eli—Eli Whitney
  • Archimedes—Archimedes
  • Babbage—Charles Babbage
  • Morse—Samuel Morse
  • Gutenburg—Johannes Gutenbyrg
  • Jefferson—Thomas Jefferson
  • Logie—John Logie Baird
  • Galileo—Galileo
  • Vitaly—Vitaly Abalakov
  • Guido—Guido of Arezzo

Female Cat Names

  • Marian—Marian Croak
  • Margaret—Margaret E. Knight
  • Beasley—Maria E. Beasley
  • Hedy—Hedy Lemarr
  • Josephine—Josephine Cochrane
  • Melitta—Melitta Bentz
  • Beulah—Beulah Louise Henry
  • Sarah—Sarah Boone
  • Florence—Florence Parpart
  • Patricia—Patricia Bath
  • Magie—Lizzie Magie
  • Ellen—Ellen Egin
  • Caresse—Caresse Crosby
  • Esther—Esther Takeuchi
Devon Rex cat is travelling on owners lap in a car
Image Credit: Veera, Shutterstock

Famous Scientific Researchers

Thanks to the ongoing research and service scientific researchers have put in through the years, several of the world’s mysteries have been solved. You could honor your favorite researcher by naming your kitty after their works of genius.

Male Cat Names

  • Einstein—Albert Einstein
  • Darwin—Charles Darwin
  • Tesla—Nikola Tesla
  • Hawking—Steven Hawking
  • Copernicus—Nicolaus Copernicus
  • Aristotle—Aristotle
  • Bohr—Neils Bohr

Female Cat Names

  • Rosalind—Rosalind Franklin
  • Marie—Marie Curie
  • Barbara—Barbara McClintock
  • Rita—Rita Levi Montalcini
  • Ada—Ada Lovelace
  • Lise—Lise Meitner
  • Wu—Chien-Shiung Wu
  • Doudna—Jennifer Doudna
cat with glasses
Image by: Kashaeva Irina, Shutterstock

Science on TV

Whether you’re talking fiction or nonfiction, there are plenty of science buffs on TV, too. You could name them after a type of scientist on your favorite show or go with a classic.

Male Cat Names

  • Nye—Bill Nye
  • Beakman—Beakman’s World
  • Sid—Sid the Science Kid
  • deGrasse—Neil deGrasse Tyson
  • Dr. Emmet Brown—Back to the Future
  • Dr. Frankenstein—Frankenstein
  • Strangeglove—Dr. Strangeglove
  • Rotwang—Metropolis
  • Walter—Breaking Bad
  • Wu—Jurassic Park
  • Farnsworth—Futurama
  • Szalinski—Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
  • Ross—Friends
  • Jimmy Neutron—Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius
  • Dexter—Dexter’s Laboratory
  • Pinky—Pinky & the Brain
  • Bruce—The Incredible Hulk
  • The Professor—Gilligan’s Island
  • Wall-E—Wall-E

Female Cat Names

  • Miss Frizzle—The Magic School Bus
  • Scully—X-Files
  • Jane—Thor: Dark World
  • Keough—Outbreak
  • Gwen—Gwen Stacy
  • Jo—Twister
  • Stone—Gravity
  • Lily—Chain Reaction
  • Marta—The Bourne Legacy
  • Helen—The Day the Earth Stood Still
  • Charlie—Top Gun
  • Sarah—The Lost World: Jurassic Park
  • Emma—The Saint
  • Bindi—Bindi the Jungle Girl
  • Sue Storm—The Fantastic Four
  • Ellie—Jurassic Park
  • Susan—Robot
  • Mears—Contagion
  • Amelia—Interstellar
  • Grace—Avatar
  • Fossey—Gorillas in the Mist
  • Peggy—Captain America: The First Avenger
  • Arroway—Contact
grey cat reading book
Image Credit: HannaN, Shutterstock

Famous Mathematicians

We all know that math and science go hand in hand. Are there any mathematical geniuses that you could name your cat after?

Male Cat Names

  • Newton—Isaac Newton
  • Euclid—Euclid of Alexandria
  • Pythagoras—Pythagoras of Samos
  • Archimedes—Archimedes of Syracuse
  • Magnus—Albertus Magnus
  • Alexander—Alexander Grothendieck
  • Carl—Carl Gauss
  • Leonhard—Leonhard Euler
  • Arthur—Arthur Caley
  • Hilbert—David Hilbert
  • Riemann—Bernhard Riemann

Female Cat Names

  • Ada—Ada Lovelace
  • Emmy—Emmy Noether
  • Sophie—Sophie Germain
  • Hypatia—Hypatia
  • Sofya—Sofya Kovalevskaya
  • Majorie—Majorie Lee Browne
  • Ingrid—Ingrid Daubechies
  • Euphemia—Euphemia Haynes
  • Dorothy—Dorothy Vaughn
  • Evelyn—Evelyn Boyd Granville
  • Phillipa—Phillipa Fawcett
  • Daina—Daina Taimina
ginger-cat-reading-book
Image Credit: Happy Author, Shutterstock

Science-Related Words

Rather than naming them after a person, there are plenty of excellent words relating to nature, space, chemical compounds, and other words in science.

  • Beaker
  • Everest
  • Permafrost
  • Botany
  • Celsius
  • Fahrenheit
  • Zinc
  • Compound
  • Molecule
  • Atom
  • Chemist
  • Alchemy
  • Robot
  • Pi
  • Cortex
  • Quantum
  • Bunsen
  • Flask
  • Pipette
  • Petri
  • Thermos
  • Graphite
  • Nimbus
  • Cirrus
  • Cumulus
  • Fossil
  • Darwin
  • Cuvette
  • Data
  • Gibbous
  • Syzygy
  • Penumbra
  • Magnet
  • Arctic

Space-Related Science Names

Here are some space-related words you can use for your kitty if you are so inclined. We think they would be interesting at the very least and pretty cool in the best-case scenario! If you’re looking for a conversation starter, start with these unisex names that work for boys or girls!

  • Comet
  • Cosmo
  • Constellation
  • Sputnik
  • Nasa
  • Orbit
  • Orion
  • Andromeda
  • Draco
  • Jupiter
  • Cassiopeia
  • Nova
  • Aries
  • Sirius
  • Moon
  • Neptune
  • Halley
  • Celeste
  • Oberon
  • Star
  • Janus
  • Mercury
  • Juno
  • Luna
  • Eclipse
  • Light Year
  • Pluto
  • Alien
  • Fractal
  • Plasma
  • Wandflower
  • Jaxa
  • Density
  • Soyuz
  • Asteroid
  • Galaxy
  • Phobos
  • Echo
cat in a space suit on the moon
Image by: 12222786, Pixabay

divider single cat paw oct 2024

How to Name Your Cat

Naming your cat can be challenging and exciting at the same time. So, what is a good way to pick your cat’s name? You probably already have a couple of options you’ve been mulling over, but you can’t pick the one that fits them best. Don’t worry, sometimes, we all need a little inspiration.

Pick at Random

You could always let fate decide for you. Just put your favorites in a hat or whatever you choose. You can draw a name and call it a day.

Personality Fit

Naming your cat based on their personality is one of the best ways to go about it. Sometimes, specific names just fit like a glove. Test out a few and see what works!

Pick a Sentimental Favorite

If you can’t decide, name your cat after your favorite scientific innovator or science-related subject matter.

In the Name of Science

We scoured the web and put our heads together to come up with terrific scientific names we think you’ll love. Check them out!

calico cat sitting on books
Image Credit: Filtrovany_Fotographer, Pixabay

divider cat faces oct 2024

Final Thoughts

We hope we’ve given you science junkies plenty to think about! We certainly had fun compiling a list of creative ideas you can use. If you love some of the names on this list but can’t decide, remember to think about how you will name your kitty. We have complete confidence that you will pick the best scientific name of all, and it will fit your cat like a glove, hopefully like the one they’ll be wearing for midnight experiments.

See also:


Featured Image Credit: FotoYakov, Shutterstock

Want content like this delivered to you?

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

News, insights, expert advice, and everything cat

* By submitting, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy.




How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate (you can leave written feedback after clicking submit)

Help us improve Catster for pet parents!

Your feedback really matters.

What did you like about this post? Also how can we improve it?

Join the conversation

Leave a Reply

You’re very welcome to leave a comment or question. Please know that all comments must meet our community guidelines, and your email address will NOT be published. Let’s have a positive and constructive conversation.


Talk With A Vet Online

Peace of mind,
anywhere, anytime

Affordable vet advice

Ask Dr. Paola – Help! My Momma Cat Is Very Thin! (May 18, 2026)

Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” series, where every Monday we bring expert advice straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to help our...

The Cat Biting Mistakes Most Owners Make (And What Works Instead)

Cat bites sent more than 400,000 people to emergency rooms in the US each year.1 Not scratches. Bites. And the reason they’re so...

Do Cats Cause Schizophrenia? Scientists Find a Link – Here’s What It Means

Being a fierce advocate (and occasional recipient of) mental health support and awareness, the term ‘crazy’ is not one I like to fling...

One in 100 Cats Gets Diabetes – Here’s How to Catch It Early

One in every 100 cats develops diabetes.1 That’s not a rare, unlucky condition reserved for cats with obvious health problems. It’s common enough...

More related

Sentry Calming Collar for Cats Review 2026: Pros, Cons & FAQ

Review Summary The Sentry Calming Collar for cats works under the premise of cat pheromone science. Simply put, mother cats produce a pheromone...

Peterbald Cat Breed: Info, Pictures, Temperament & More

When folks think about the quintessential hairless cat breed, their minds will probably go right to the Sphynx. But there are many other...

Why Is My Cat Leaking Poop? 5 Vet-Reviewed Reasons & Treatment

We do our best to keep our cats as healthy as possible, so it can be quite alarming when they start exhibiting unusual...

Tiger Cat: Info, Pictures, Facts & Origins

Tiger cats, also known as tabby cats, are one of the most recognizable kitties in the feline world. However, they’re also very misunderstood....

Keep reading

How to Introduce a Hyper Dog to a Kitten: Vet-Reviewed Step-by-Step Guide

Having a family full of furry friends can be a lot of fun if all the required precautions have been considered. When you want to introduce more than one species into the mix, things can be more complicated, even when...

dog and kitten

Why Does My Cat Pee In The Litter Box But Poop On The Floor? 9 Vet-Reviewed Reasons & Solutions

For some, dealing with the litter box is easy. But for other cat owners, not so much. Here’s the thing—cats are finicky creatures, especially when it comes to the litter box. A tiny detail can cause a cat to start...

man holding a plastic shovel is removing cat poop from the litter

How to Introduce a Cat to a New Litter Box (7 Vet-Approved Tips)

There are several possible reasons you might need to switch up your cat’s litter box. Perhaps they have outgrown their present one, are having difficulties getting in and out, or need something more open or enclosed. Simple enough, right? Not...

sphynx cat using purple cat litter box

Is Your Cat Your Bathroom Buddy? 7 Vet-Reviewed Reasons Why Cats Sit At Your Feet

If you’re a cat owner, you know how much your feline loves to join you in the bathroom. Your cat often interrupts what feels like a private and quiet time, leaving you with the question, “Why does my cat sit...

light grey cat with rubber ducky bath bathroom shampoo

11 Vet-Reviewed Cat Sounds & Their Meanings (With Audio)

Have you ever wondered what your cat is trying to tell you when they purr, meow, or chirp? Our gorgeous domestic cats use a wide range of vocal cues to express their opinions, and some cats are incredibly loud when...

cat meowing

Can I Take My Cat to the Beach? 6 Vet-Reviewed Tips and FAQ

A fun day at the beach is the perfect way to spend an afternoon, and it’s common to see dog lovers with their furry friends on the beach running along the shoreline. We know that some beaches don’t allow dogs,...

woman and her cat in the beach

Cat Dingleberries: Vet Reviewed Causes & Prevention Tips

Dingleberries (singular dingleberry) is a slang term for dried feces stuck onto a cat’s fur around the anal area and back end. While it’s not a pleasant topic, and many cat parents may wish to leave that area alone, it’s...

cat licking its butt

Why Does My Cat Bite Their Feet? 7 Vet-Verified Reasons

Cats do all sorts of strange things! The motivations of most feline behavior remain, for the most part, opaque at best, with cat lovers reduced to playing with educated guesses when attempting to explain their pets’ various quirks. They intentionally...

bengal cat biting its paw

Love Cats? So Do We! Join the Catster Community

Stay informed with expert pet care insights delivered straight to your inbox! Discover professional guidance on animal behavior, feeding tips, trusted product picks, and much more.




Sign up for the Catster Email Newsletter

Stay informed with expert pet care insights delivered straight to your inbox! Discover professional guidance on animal behavior, feeding tips, trusted product picks, and much more.