John Napier
![](/Images/godic/202501/29/John_Napier5122.jpg")
![Merchiston Castle](/Images/godic/202501/29/Merchiston_Tower,_Edinburgh5122.jpg")
![Merchiston Castle from an 1834 woodcut](/Images/godic/202501/29/Merchiston_castle5122.jpg")
![Bust of Napier, holding his 'bones', at the Craighouse Campus of Napier University, Edinburgh](/Images/godic/202501/29/Bust_of_the_mathematician_John_Napier_of_Merchiston5122.jpg")
John Napier of Merchiston (/ˈneɪpɪər/; 1550 – 4 April 1617; also signed as Neper, Nepair; nicknamed Marvellous Merchiston) was a Scottish landowner known as a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer. He was the 8th Laird of Merchiston. His Latinized name was Joannes Neper.