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.John Napier is best known as the discoverer of logarithms.