Top 15 Genius Baby Names
Image: iStock
It’s natural for any parent to want their child to grow up into great personalities. But did you know that choosing a genius name for your child could help that dream come true? The Mirror has collated the names that are likely to make geniuses of your kids! MooseRoots, a genealogy research website, has made a list of 14,750 names of well-known writers, philosophers, mathematicians, artists, composers, scientists, inventors, MacArthur fellows and Nobel laureates and has observed the majority of the first names that are the most common among these notable personalities.
The list includes both male and female genius names, thought the female names are a bit underrepresented. Therefore don’t be surprised to find most of the male names outranking that of the female names.
1. John
Genius Count 352
Who can forget the genius of John Lenon – one of the Beatles? The more academically oriented will, of course, be familiar with John Dalton (chemist) and John Witherspoon (teacher).
Apparently John has been the most popular of all Christian names across borders, cultures, and languages.
2. Robert
Genius Count: 220
With its Germanic, Romanian and French origins, Robert means ‘bright, fame, famous’. The famous men with Robert as their first names – Robert Frost (author), Robert Moorg (inventor), Robert Wilson (scientist).
3. William
Genius Count: 201
The first name William often reminds of the great literary genius William Shakespeare, who is famous across the world. William means ‘desire, protection, will, helmet’. Its origin is English and is popular in Norway and Sweden, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand. Other famous geniuses with William as their first name: William Taft (academic) and William Faulkner (author).
4. Charles
Genius Count: 148
Charles Darwin whose work on the theory of evolution and Charles Dickens whose literary works stand out as classics to this days serve as examples for the popularity of Charles as the first name. Charles means ‘free man’ and has its origins are English and French. It’s also a popular name in Belgium, Northern Ireland, and New Zealand.
5. Mary
Genius Count: 140
This female name is the most popular and common among the Christian names. Mary is the name of the mother of Jesus Christ. It’s of Greek origin. The other famous women with Mary as their first name are Mary Styles Harris (scientist), Mary Walker (surgeon) and Mary Leakey (anthropologist).
6. David
Genius Count: 132
David just comes ahead of James by one count. It means ‘Darling’ and is popular in most of the English-speaking countries, Sweden, Norway, and Spain. Famous men with David as their first name are: David Walker (writer) and David Alfaro Siqueiros (painter).
7. James
Genius Count: 131
James is a biblical name with two of Jesus’s disciples bearing this name. It is a popular name across Britain, Sweden, and New Zealand. Men famous with James as their first name: James Ballard (author), James A. Naismith (inventor), and James Monroe (diplomat).
8. Richard
Genius Count: 129
Richard is of Czech, English, German and French origin. It means ‘powerful and strong’. Famous men: Richard Hoe (inventor), Richard Wright (author) and Richard Wilson (painter).
9. Johan
Genius Count: 128
Johan is a name more common in Europe than in the US. It is a German name with Hebrew roots that means ‘Jehovah has been gracious’. It is also spelled as Johann. Another version is Johannes. Famous men: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (author), Johann Sebastian Bach (composer), and Johann Heinrich von Thunen (economist).
10. George
It shares the genius count of 128 with Johan.
George means ‘Earth Farmer’. It has swollen in popularity especially with Prince George. The other famous men with George are English author George Orwell, George Handel (composer), and George Eastman (inventor).
11. Paul
Genius Count: 113
With a decline in popularity, Paul was the most common name in the 1920s. It means ‘small’. Famous men with Paul as their first name: Paul Robeson (activist), Paul Samuelson (economist), Paul Signac (artist).
12. Elisabeth
Genius Count: 88
Elisabeth is a name of English and Swiss origin. It became popular after Elisabeth I became the queen. Famous women with Elisabeth as their first name: Elisabeth Stanton (activist), Elizabeth Stern (doctor) and Elisabeth Jennings Graham (teacher).
13. Maria
Genius Count: 72
Maria is a name with its Greek, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Swiss and Latin origins. Famous women are: Maria Callas (soprano), Maria Montessori (educator) and Maria Olenina d’Alheim (singer).
14. Anne
Genius Count: 56
Anne has Hebrew origins. It means ‘God has favored me (with a child)’. It is believed that it is another name of Mother Mary. Famous women are: Mary Anne Evans (popularly known as George Elliott) and Anne Mary Imafidon (child prodigy).
15. Margaret
Genius Count: 55
Margaret is of Greek and English origins meaning ‘pearl’. It has been a popular name for quite long but perhaps saw a decline in popularity last year. Famous women with Margaret as their first name: Margaret Cavendish (aristocrat and scientist), Margaret Thatcher (former Prime Minister of Britain), Margaret Fuller (journalist) and Margaret Bryan (scientist).
What name would you choose for your genius child? Write is back!
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.
