Fantasy and sci-fi are having a moment right now, thanks to the wild popularity of things like Star Wars and Game of Thrones. It's never been a cooler time to be a "nerd." But it's not just the story lines and creative details that grab the attention of sci-fi lovers and fantasy fans alike. In these genres and stories, we're transported to the farthest reaches of the human imagination and introduced to characters with totally diverse origins, ideas, and, yes, names.
Fantasy and sci-fi are the perfect places to look for baby name inspiration, because they're some of the only genres where writers and artists are still challenging the status quo and coming up with names that are new, fresh, exciting, and maybe even totally unused before now. Whether parents are seeking something that sounds valiant and strong or holding out for a name that's a little more otherworldly, sci-fi and fantasy baby names are where they'll find it.
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Here, we got the 411 on 29 of the most imaginative baby boy names inspired by all things sci-fi and fantasy. Some are names parents might recognize from their favorite books, movies, and television shows. But others might not have made it onto the radar yet. Either way, each of these names is the perfect fit for a curious and adventurous baby boy.
XAVIER
Fans of X-Men might gravitate to Xavier, the last name of Professor X, a mutant telepath who can control and read minds. Perhaps as a result of the films' popularity, it has been in the top 100 for the past 10 years. Of Arabic and Basque origin, Xavier means "new house or bright."
BERNARD
On Westworld, Bernard Lowe, played by Jeffrey Wright, is the head of the Westworld Programming Division and creator of artificial people. A compound name, Bernard is composed of the elements bern (bear) and hard (bold, hearty, brave, strong). It was in the top 100 names for boys through the first half of the 20th century, which explains why it's also the birth name of one popular Vermont senator: Bernie Sanders.
WILLIAM
Battlestar Galatica fans know William as the commanding officer of the series. He was also a veteran of the Cylon War and once the highest-ranking officer in the Colonial Fleet. The classic English name William also brings to mind the heir to the British throne. It means "resolute protector."
WESTLEY
A variation on the name Wesley, Westley made it into the top 1,000 among boys' names in the US in 2016. It's an English name, meaning "western meadow." And it has its fantasy roots in 1987's The Princess Bride. Westley is the protagonist of the film, played by Cary Elwes.
HAROLD
Meaning "army ruler," Harold hit peak popularity in the 1910s. But fans of Doctor Who might be into the name as it was the 18th Incarnation of The Master, the renegade Time Lord who serves as the Doctor's archenemy and one of the most recurring antagonists throughout the series.
MALCOLM
Coming in at No. 391 in 2017, Malcolm isn't the most popular boys' name out there, but it may very well be a favorite among fans of the show Firefly, a space Western drama television series that aired in the early '00s. In the show, the captain of Serenity is Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, played by Nathan Fillion. The meaning of Malcolm: "devotee of St. Colomba."
QUINN
Fans of the '90s sci-fi/fantasy series Sliders will recall that Quinn is the main character, played by Jerry O'Connell. Quinn comes from the Irish name Ó Cuinn. While the unisex name is still fairly popular for boys, most recently, it has been in the top 100 for girls.
RUFUS
Rufus has been the name of a couple of sci fi and fantasy characters over the years. The late comedian George Carlin was Rufus, a guide and mentor from the future, in both Bill & Ted movies. Then, in the NBC time travel show Timeless, Rufus was the name of a programmer and pilot of the "Lifeboat" team, portrayed by Malcolm Barrett. The name is of Latin origin and means redhead.
ZIGGY
David Bowie fans love the name Ziggy as it brings to mind the rock star's alien stage persona Ziggy Stardust. But the name, which means "victorious peace," also related to another fantasy and sci-fi pop culture entity: late '80s/early '90s show Quantum Leap. Ziggy is the name of the super hybrid computer that runs the Project Quantum Leap.
EMMETT
Fans of Back to the Future might want to pay tribute to Doc Brown by going with Emmett, which is of course the Doc's first name. It means "truth" in Hebrew. While it wasn't popular in the middle of the 20th century, it's been on the rise, making the top 200 within the past three years.
PERSEUS
Some parents probably recognize Perseus, the son of Zeus, from Greek mythology or the constellation of the same name. But Perseus enters the world of fantasy as the full name of the titular character in author Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Unsurprisingly, the name has never ranked in the top 1,000 baby names in the US, but nicknames like Pierce, Percy, and Sea might have modern parents giving this name a second look.
FOX
Nothing says science fiction quite like taking baby name inspo from the X-Files. Lovers of the series will immediately recognize the name of their favorite agent, Fox Mulder. While Fox is traditionally a last name (think Megan Fox, Michael J. Fox, and add an extra "x" to get to the illustrious Jamie Foxx), the title is gaining ground as a first name for millennial parents who want something quirky.
BASTIAN
Former '80s kids will recognize Bastian as the title character in The Neverending Story. It seems like Bastian would be a nickname for the longer and more popular name Sebastian, but surprisingly, that's not always the case. While the name has never ranked in the top 1,000 US baby names, it has gained traction as a first name, with stars like Jeremy Sisto choosing it for their kids.
KAEL
Kael is a Gaelic name that claims fantasy status from General Kael, the leader of the Nockmaar army in Willow. It's also the name of a character in World of Warcraft. The name Kael is rare in the US and has never ranked in the top 1,000 baby names, but parents are probably familiar with similar spellings like Kail, Cael, and Gael.
GAIUS
Dr. Gaius Baltar is a scientist on Battlestar Galactica. The name is pronounced GIE-us and is Latin for "I am glad." While the name certainly isn't popular (yet), it does share a few famous associations outside of the fantasy world. Julius Caesar's full name was actually Gaius Julius Caesar, and Gaius Charles is an American actor best known for his role on Friday Night Lights. If Gaius seems a little too complex, parents can opt for the equally cute nicknames Gus and Guy.
ORION
To most of us, Orion is associated only with the constellation Orion's Belt. But the name is actually popular throughout the fantasy world. Orion Black was the father of Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series, and it's the name of a warrior god in the comic book series New Gods. Real-world uses of the name are on the rise, as well. As of 2015, 368 out of every one million babies born are named Orion.
CASPIAN
There's something undeniably regal and adventurous about the name Caspian. Meaning "of the sea," the name is most recognizable from C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. It's also the name of the main character in The Hollow book trilogy. Caspian has yet to achieve popularity in the US, though actress Neve Campbell did name her son Caspian in 2012, so at least any new little Caspians will be in good company.
MARTY
What science fiction character was cooler than Marty McFly in Back to the Future? (Except for maybe Doc Brown, of course.) Marty didn't actually find footing as a baby name in the US until the 1930s. It reached peak popularity in the 1950s, sitting at No. 238 on the 1,000 most popular US baby names, and it has since fallen off the radar. But in a time when parents are scrambling to bring back old classics, Marty is a cool, gender neutral name that deserves a second look.
LOGAN
Sure, Wolverine sounds like a cool name, but can anyone really picture a President Wolverine? No, and that's why it's a safer choice to opt for his real name, Logan. The name Logan comes from Ireland and means "dweller in the little hollow." While Logan has been around for a while, it's only in the past decade that it's achieved true mainstream staying power. In 2016, it was the 17th most popular baby boy name in the US.
SIRIUS
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. It's also the name of the beloved character from the Harry Potter series, Sirius Black. While the name is known and loved by millions of J.K. Rowling fans, it has yet to achieve popularity in the US or elsewhere. Sirius has never ranked in the top 1,000 baby names.
ARTEMIS
Artemis, the title character from the book series Artemis Fowl, is originally the name of a Greek goddess, though many prefer to use it as a boys' name. The name is incredibly rare in the US, but parents will probably recognize its more popular nicknames: Art and Artie. Artemis sounds like the perfect name for a brainy boy who is clever and quick.
SOREN
Soren is a Danish name shared by characters from The Matrix Reloaded, Underworld, and Guardians of Ga'Hook. Soren is a gender neutral name, though it's more often used for little boys, which is likely due to its association with the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. While the name has never ranked in the top 1,000 US baby names, it is extremely popular in Norway.
SEPTIMUS
Septimus Heap is the seventh son and the title character in the children's book series Septimus Heap. But that doesn't mean parents need to have seven sons to use and love this unusual name. This Roman name is rare, especially in the US. But it has a stately vibe, and it lends itself to cute nicknames, like Tim.
TYRIAN
Tyrian is a character in The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. It's also close to the popular character Tyrion from Game of Thrones. The name comes from Latin and was used to describe the royal purple dye used for clothing in the Roman Empire, which leads to its unmistakably regal sound. While Tyrian never been popular in the US, it is gaining popularity, thanks to the close-but-not-quite Game of Thrones association. Popular Nicknames include Ty and Rian.
RONAN
Ronan is an old Irish name that means "little seal." It's also the name of a heroic centaur in the Harry Potter series, a character from the sci-fi TV series Stargate: Atlantis, and a villain in Guardians of the Galaxy. The name is quite popular in the US — it was a part of the booming late '90s trend of Irish names that also brought us Aiden. But it's less popular than some of its counterparts, meaning it still has room to grow!
HAN
Han is most commonly used as a variant of Hans or a nickname for Hanson, but it's also the name of the Star Wars character Han Solo. While other Star Wars names, like Kylo and Luke, have found their footing in recent years, Han is one of those names that's still relatively unused. It has never ranked in the top 1,000 US baby names and doesn't have many other associations outside of sci-fi. That means it's a perfect name for parents to start claiming the title and making it their own.
GEORDIE
Geordie, pronounced like Jordy, is a variant of the name George and means "farmer," which is light years away from its sci-fi association of a character in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The name is popular in England but hasn't quite caught on with the same spark in the US. While Geordie has never ranked in the top 1,000 US baby names, people might recognize popular figures like pro football player Jordy Nelson or actress Jordy Lucas.
ODO
This one is for the Lord of the Rings fans. Odo, pronounced like Otto, is the hobbit Bilbo's cousin. And for the sci-fi fans in the house, it's also the name of a character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Odo is a short, simple name that's easy to spell and doesn't require any accents. In German, it means "wealthy." We can't think of a better omen than that.
ANGEL
Angel is a beloved character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the real world, the name Angel is wildly popular and means "messenger." In Spain, Angel is traditionally a boys' name, though many Americans prefer to use it for girls. The name has been a mainstay on the most popular US baby names list since the '80s, and it's not going anywhere fast.
