Isaac is a Hebrew name which means "he will laugh". His middle name, Kenneth, is Gaelic and it means "born of fire". Although he will not, of course, be born of fire, and neither of his parents will be pyrokinetics, it may refer to his ability of elemental precognition which can use fire. His surname of Parkman may refer to a park-keeper or a person who works in or owns a park, while Petrelli means "rock".