Let's rename the scales something more memorable
Music theory is hard. Its naming conventions make it harder. Scale names are especially confusing. For example, the diatonic modes are named after places in and around ancient Greece. I'm sure that Aristoxenes found these names memorable and meaningful in 300 BC, and maybe medieval European theorists felt that way too, but now they are no help at all. The names "harmonic minor" and "melodic minor" are a little better, because they at least try to describe the scales' respective functions. But those functions only apply in historical music. It's routine in current music to make melodies from harmonic minor and harmonies from melodic minor. You can see why people hate music theory.
So, here's my proposal: let's rename the scales so that their names give you a better idea of their function and/or cultural context, and to advance the larger goal of decolonizing music theory.
Major scale: A fine name, we can keep it, but if you call it "Ionian mode," you should stop.
Natural minor: Also an okay name, but please stop saying "Aeolian mode."
Melodic minor: Some people already call it "Jazz minor" and I propose we make that official.
Harmonic minor: Let's call it Classical minor. The important use case for this scale is to generate the minor-key V7 chord, so maybe we should call it Dominant minor or Leading Tone minor? I like "Classical minor" better because it's a nice complement to Jazz minor.
Dorian mode: Let's rename it Funk Minor. I would also consider So What minor or Chameleon minor. Apparently someone just calls it "the key of James Brown" which is also not bad.
Phrygian mode: Trap minor.
Mixolydian mode: Rock major.
Mixolydian b6: Single Ladies scale. Few people talk about this scale except jazz theorists and Adam Neely, but it's quite a useful one, and it should be part of the standard theory core.
Lydian mode: Dreams major, in honor of the Lydian-based Fleetwood Mac song, and the film score convention that Lydian mode signifies a dream sequence.
Lydian dominant mode: Simpsons scale. It's already nicknamed the acoustic scale and the Bartók scale, but neither name has caught on.
Phrygian dominant mode: Hijaz-Nahawand, Hijaz maqam, Ahava Rabah, Freygish, escala Andaluza, Dastgāh-e Homāyoun, Raga Bhairav, Basant Mukhari, or Vakulabharanam, depending on ethnic context.
Locrian mode: Björk minor, in honor of "Army of Me," the only really well-known piece of music that's built on it.
Harmonic major: Lord of the Rings scale. This is another scale that's not part of standard theory pedagogy, but it should be, because it's so useful for film and game scores when you need an epic feel.
Blues scale: A fine name, but people should understand that the blues scale is different from blue notes. The blues scale is the group of piano-key (12-tone equal temperament) notes you use to play the blues. Blue notes are in between the piano keys.
A proposal to push this idea further:
https://twitter.com/NRudback/status/1282618651926048768
What do you say, music world?