Scientists Offer Space-Themed Names for Newborns in South Florida
Kellie Gerardi, an astronaut with NASA, announced the birth of her second daughter, Maxine Quinn, on April 5. Gerardi and her husband, Steven Baumruk, chose the name Maxine, a nickname—Max Q—referring to the point in a rocket’s ascent when atmospheric pressure peaks. Maxine’s older sister is Delta Victoria, a name that alludes to the rocket science term delta‑v.
The newborn’s name is already noted in historical data. Social Security Administration records place Maxine in the top 100 baby names during the 1915‑1930 period. Between 1974 and 1996 the name fell in popularity, but it has risen slowly since then. In 2024 Maxine ranked 520th among girls’ names in the United States.
Other space‑themed family news from the week included astronaut Victor Glover’s internet‑famed daughter Maya, and the Artemis crew naming a lunar crater after Reid Wiseman’s wife, NICU nurse Carroll. Astronaut Emily Calandrelli delivered her second child earlier in the month.