Naming your baby is an out-of-this-world experience! Did you know that celestial-inspired names have seen a huge increase in popularity over the last five years?
It’s no wonder parents are looking to the stars for inspiration! When you’re an astronomy enthusiast or when you simply love the mystique of the cosmos, celestial names are so unique and magical options to choose from.
In this post, I share 224 cool celestial name options for your precious baby.
I have two kids, and I’ve been twice in your shoes, trying to find the perfect name for a human being whom I have never seen yet. And I know it’s a matter of what resonates better. Just trust your gut.
I’ve also curated the best Spanish names for boys, and if you need a color-inspired name, check out these names that mean blue and names that mean green. You can also celebrate diversity with these gender-neutral names that fit perfectly in today’s world.
Lunar-Inspired Celestial Names
As the famous astronomer Carl Sagan once said, “We are all made of star stuff,” and what better way to honor that connection than with a lunar-inspired name?
Male Lunar-Inspired Celestial Names
- Atlas — One of Saturn’s moons, named after the Titan who held up the celestial spheres.
- Thoth — The Egyptian god of the moon, wisdom, and writing.
- Mani — The Norse personification of the moon, brother to the sun goddess Sol.
- Ganymede — The largest moon in our solar system, orbiting Jupiter.
- Titan — Saturn’s largest moon, the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere.
- Oberon — The outermost of Uranus’s major moons, named after the king of the fairies.
- Triton — Neptune’s largest moon, named after the son of Poseidon.
- Aibek — A Kazakh name meaning “master of the moon.”
- Qamar — An Arabic name meaning “moon.”
Female Lunar-Inspired Celestial Names
- Luna — The classic Latin name for the moon, popularized by Harry Potter and celestial enthusiasts alike.
- Selene — The Greek goddess of the moon, representing divine feminine energy.
- Chandra — A Hindu lunar deity name, meaning “moon” or “illustrious” in Sanskrit.
- Phoebe — Another of Saturn’s moons, named after a Titaness associated with the moon in Greek mythology.
- Artemis — The Greek goddess of the moon and the hunt, twin sister to Apollo.
- Hecate — A Greek goddess associated with the dark phase of the moon and magic.
- Tsuki — The Japanese word for “moon,” simple and elegant.
- Callisto — One of Jupiter’s moons, named after a nymph from Greek mythology.
- Elara — Another of Jupiter’s moons, named after one of Zeus’s lovers.
- Io — The innermost of Jupiter’s four largest moons, known for its volcanic activity.
- Europa — One of Jupiter’s Galilean moons, potentially harboring an ocean under its icy surface.
- Rhea — The second-largest moon of Saturn, named after the Titan mother of the gods.
- Tethys — A mid-sized moon of Saturn, named after a Titan of the sea.
- Miranda — A moon of Uranus, named after a character from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”
- Titania — The largest moon of Uranus, named after the queen of the fairies.
- Nix — A small moon of Pluto, named after the Greek goddess of night and darkness.
- Leanne — A variant of “Liana,” meaning “to climb like a vine,” reminiscent of lunar phases.
- Neoma — A Greek name meaning “new moon,” perfect for a fresh start.
- Amaris — A name of Hebrew origin meaning “child of the moon.”
- Larissa — A moon of Neptune, named after a nymph in Greek mythology.
- Portia — One of Uranus’s moons, named after a character in Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.”
- Aylin — A Turkish name meaning “halo of the moon.”
- Jaci — A Tupi-Guarani name meaning “moon” in this South American indigenous language.
- Mahina — A Hawaiian name meaning “moon.”
- Yueliang — The Chinese word for “moon,” exotic and melodious.
- Dawa — A Tibetan name meaning “moon” or “month.”
- Indu — A Sanskrit name meaning “bright drop” or “moon.”
- Mayari — The lunar goddess in Philippine mythology.
- Ophelia — A moon of Uranus, named after Hamlet’s love interest in Shakespeare’s play.
- Vesper — The evening star, often mistaken for the moon in twilight.
- Cordelia — An inner moon of Uranus, named after King Lear’s daughter in Shakespeare.
- Bianca — Another of Uranus’s moons, named after a character in “The Taming of the Shrew.”
- Juliet — A moon of Uranus, named after Shakespeare’s tragic heroine.
- Ariel — One of Uranus’s major moons, named after a character in “The Tempest.”
- Belinda — An inner moon of Uranus, continuing the Shakespearean theme.
- Despina — A moon of Neptune, named after a Nereid in Greek mythology.
- Galatea — Another of Neptune’s moons, named after one of the Nereids.
- Halimede — An irregular moon of Neptune, named after one of Nereus’s daughters.
- Leda — A moon of Jupiter, named after the mother of Castor and Pollux in Greek mythology.
Solar System-Inspired Names
Did you know that NASA’s Planetary Science Division has discovered over 5,000 exoplanets as of 2023?
Let’s explore 50 captivating solar system-inspired names that could perfectly suit your little astronaut-in-training.
Male Solar System-Inspired Celestial Names
- Mercury — Named after the Roman messenger god, this planet is closest to the sun.
- Apollo — The Greek god of the sun, music, and poetry.
- Sol — The Latin name for our sun, simple yet powerful.
- Eros — One of the largest near-Earth asteroids, named after the Greek god of love.
- Chiron — A minor planet named after the wisest of the centaurs in Greek mythology.
- Pluto — Once the ninth planet, now a dwarf planet, named after the Roman god of the underworld.
- Charon — Pluto’s largest moon, named after the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology.
- Deimos — One of Mars’ moons, meaning “dread” in Greek.
- Phobos — Mars’ other moon, meaning “fear” in Greek.
- Hyperion — A moon of Saturn, named after one of the Titans in Greek mythology.
- Enceladus — One of Saturn’s moons, known for its icy jets, named after a Giant in Greek mythology.
- Mimas — A moon of Saturn, named after a Giant slain by Hercules in Greek mythology.
- Proteus — One of Neptune’s largest moons, named after the shape-shifting sea god.
- Umbriel — One of Uranus’ moons, named after a character in Alexander Pope’s poem.
- Cupid — A moon of Uranus, named after the Roman god of love.
- Stephano — Another of Uranus’ moons, named after a character in “The Tempest.”
- Prospero — One of Uranus’ moons, named after the protagonist of “The Tempest.”
- Pan — A moon of Saturn, named after the Greek god of shepherds and flocks.
- Prometheus — A moon of Saturn, named after the Titan who gave fire to humans.
- Epimetheus — Another of Saturn’s moons, named after Prometheus’ brother.
- Kerberos — Another of Pluto’s moons, named after the multi-headed dog guarding the underworld.
- Weywot — Quaoar’s moon, named after the son of Quaoar in Native American mythology.
Female Solar System-Inspired Celestial Names
- Ceres — The largest object in the asteroid belt, named after the Roman goddess of agriculture.
- Eris — A dwarf planet named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord.
- Haumea — A dwarf planet named after the Hawaiian goddess of fertility.
- Sedna — A trans-Neptunian object named after the Inuit goddess of the sea.
- Vesta — The second-largest object in the asteroid belt, named after the Roman goddess of hearth and home.
- Pallas — A large asteroid named after Athena’s epithet, Pallas.
- Juno — An asteroid named after Jupiter’s wife in Roman mythology.
- Hygiea — One of the largest asteroids in the main belt, named after the Greek goddess of health.
- Amalthea — One of Jupiter’s moons, named after the goat that nursed Zeus.
- Thebe — Another of Jupiter’s moons, named after a nymph associated with the planet in Greek mythology.
- Naiad — A moon of Neptune, named after the water nymphs of Greek mythology.
- Nereid — Another of Neptune’s moons, named after the sea nymphs of Greek mythology.
- Rosalind — A moon of Uranus, continuing the tradition of Shakespearean names.
- Helene — A moon of Saturn, named after Helen of Troy.
- Telesto — Another of Saturn’s moons, named after a sea nymph in Greek mythology.
- Calypso — A moon of Saturn, named after the nymph who detained Odysseus.
- Pandora — Another of Saturn’s moons, named after the first woman in Greek mythology.
- Hydra — One of Pluto’s moons, named after the multi-headed serpent in Greek mythology.
- Styx — One of Pluto’s moons, named after the river separating the world of the living from the dead.
- Dysnomia — Eris’ moon, named after the Greek spirit of lawlessness.
- Namaka — One of Haumea’s moons, named after a water spirit in Hawaiian mythology.
- Hi’iaka — Another of Haumea’s moons, named after one of the patron goddesses of Hawaii.
- Vanth — Orcus’ moon, named after an Etruscan goddess who guided the souls of the dead.
Remember, many of these names can be used for any gender, depending on personal preference. The categorization is based on traditional associations, but feel free to use any name that resonates with you for your child!
Star-Inspired Celestial Names
Did you know that astronomers estimate there are over 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy alone?
As Neil deGrasse Tyson once said, “We are all connected; To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically.”
See these awesome star-inspired names that could illuminate your child’s future.
Male Star-Inspired Celestial Names
- Aster — Greek for “star,” a simple yet powerful celestial name.
- Castor — One of the twin stars in the Gemini constellation.
- Pollux — The other twin star in Gemini, brother to Castor.
- Rigel — The brightest star in the Orion constellation.
- Aldebaran — The brightest star in Taurus, meaning “the follower” in Arabic.
- Arcturus — The brightest star in Boötes, meaning “guardian of the bear” in Ancient Greek.
- Regulus — The brightest star in Leo, meaning “little king” in Latin.
- Antares — The brightest star in Scorpius, often called the “heart of the scorpion.”
- Betelgeuse — A red supergiant in Orion, one of the largest known stars.
- Deneb — The brightest star in Cygnus, meaning “tail” in Arabic.
- Acamar — A star in Eridanus, meaning “end of the river” in Arabic.
- Alnitak — One of the stars in Orion’s belt, meaning “the girdle” in Arabic.
- Bellatrix — A star in Orion, meaning “female warrior” in Latin.
- Canopus — The second brightest star in the night sky, named after a navigator in Greek mythology.
- Fomalhaut — The brightest star in Piscis Austrinus, meaning “mouth of the fish” in Arabic.
- Hadar — The second brightest star in Centaurus, also known as Beta Centauri.
- Mimosa — A star in the Southern Cross constellation, also known as Beta Crucis.
- Nashira — A star in Capricornus, meaning “bearer of good news” in Arabic.
- Polaris — The North Star, the brightest star in Ursa Minor.
- Spica — The brightest star in Virgo, meaning “ear of wheat” in Latin.
- Thuban — A star in Draco, once the North Star in ancient Egyptian times.
- Zaniah — A star in Virgo, meaning “corner” in Arabic.
- Zavijava — Another star in Virgo, with an Arabic name meaning “the corner of the barking dog.”
- Zubenelgenubi — A star in Libra, meaning “the southern claw” in Arabic.
- Zubeneschamali — Another star in Libra, meaning “the northern claw” in Arabic.
Female Star-Inspired Celestial Names
- Estelle — French name meaning “star.”
- Astra — Latin name meaning “of the stars.”
- Starla — A modern name meaning “star.”
- Esther — Persian name possibly meaning “star.”
- Danica — Slavic name meaning “morning star.”
- Hoshi — Japanese name meaning “star.”
- Tara — Sanskrit name meaning “star.”
- Seren — Welsh name meaning “star.”
- Stella — Latin name meaning “star.”
- Astrid — Scandinavian name meaning “divinely beautiful” or “star.”
- Nashira — Arabic name meaning “bearer of good news,” also a star in Capricornus.
- Bellatrix — Latin name meaning “female warrior,” also a star in Orion.
- Nova — Latin word for “new,” often used to describe a suddenly brightening star.
- Lyra — The constellation containing the star Vega.
- Carina — The constellation of the ship’s keel in the southern sky.
- Cassiopeia — A northern constellation named after a queen in Greek mythology.
- Andromeda — A constellation named after the daughter of Cassiopeia in Greek mythology.
- Celeste — Latin name meaning “heavenly.”
- Maia — One of the Pleiades stars in Greek mythology.
- Alcyone — The brightest of the Pleiades stars.
- Electra — Another of the Pleiades stars in Greek mythology.
- Celaeno — One of the Pleiades stars, meaning “darkness” in Greek.
- Taygeta — One of the Pleiades stars in Greek mythology.
- Asterope — One of the Pleiades stars, meaning “lightning” in Greek.
Bright stars, mythological constellations… There’s a stellar name to suit every parent’s taste!
Cosmic Phenomenon-Inspired Names
Did you know that the Hubble Space Telescope has made more than 1.5 million observations since its launch in 1990?
As Carl Sagan beautifully put it, “The cosmos is full beyond measure of elegant truths; of exquisite interrelationships; of the awesome machinery of nature.”
Let’s dive into a universe of great names inspired by cosmic phenomena!
Male Cosmic Phenomenon-Inspired Names
- Altair — Named after the brightest star in the Aquila constellation, meaning “the flying eagle” in Arabic.
- Blaze — Inspired by the fiery nature of stars and supernovas.
- Drake — Derived from the Latin “draco,” meaning dragon, inspired by the Draco constellation.
- Flare — Inspired by solar flares, intense bursts of radiation from the sun’s surface.
- Galax — A unique name inspired by the word “galaxy.”
- Halo — Inspired by the rings of light seen around celestial bodies.
- Jett — Reminiscent of the powerful jets emitted by some galaxies and black holes.
- Koronis — Named after a family of asteroids in the main asteroid belt.
- Leo — Named after the lion constellation, one of the zodiac signs.
- Meteor — Inspired by the streaks of light we see as space rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere.
- Neo — Means “new” in Greek, often used in naming newly discovered astronomical objects.
- Orion — Named after the hunter constellation, one of the most recognizable in the night sky.
- Perseus — Named after the constellation of the Greek hero who slayed Medusa.
- Quasar — Inspired by the incredibly bright and distant celestial objects.
- Ray — Inspired by cosmic rays, high-energy radiation from outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
- Sirius — Named after the brightest star in the night sky.
- Taurus — Named after the bull constellation, one of the zodiac signs.
- Umbra — The darkest part of a shadow, often used in describing eclipses.
- Void — Inspired by the vast empty spaces between galaxies.
- Wezen — Named after a star in the Canis Major constellation.
- Xeon — A creative spin on “xenon,” one of the noble gases found in the universe.
- Yildun — Named after a star in the Little Dipper constellation.
- Zenith — The point in the sky directly above an observer.
- Aegir — Named after a class of extremely fast-moving stars.
- Boötes — Named after the herdsman constellation.
- Cepheus — Named after the king constellation in the northern sky.
- Eridanus — Named after the river constellation in the southern hemisphere.
Female Cosmic Phenomenon-Inspired Names
- Andromeda — Named after the galaxy nearest to our Milky Way.
- Aura — Inspired by the beautiful lights of auroras in the Earth’s atmosphere.
- Celeste — Derived from the Latin word for “heavenly” or “celestial.”
- Dawn — Inspired by the first light of day, reminiscent of a star’s birth.
- Eclipse — Inspired by the celestial event when one body obscures another.
- Galaxia — A feminine form inspired by the word “galaxy.”
- Halley — Named after the famous comet visible from Earth every 75-76 years.
- Illyria — Named after a star in the constellation Carina.
- Juno — Named after an asteroid and the Roman goddess of marriage.
- Kochab — Named after a star in the Little Dipper constellation.
- Lyra — Named after the lyre constellation.
- Mira — Named after a variable star, means “wonderful” in Latin.
- Nebula — Inspired by the beautiful clouds of gas and dust in space.
- Omega — The last letter of the Greek alphabet, often used in astronomy.
- Phoenix — Named after the constellation of the mythical bird reborn from ashes.
- Qadira — Arabic name meaning “powerful,” inspired by the power of cosmic events.
- Raven — Named after the constellation Corvus, the crow.
- Saiph — Named after a star in the Orion constellation.
- Terra — Latin name for Earth, our cosmic home.
- Vela — Named after the sails constellation.
- Willow — Inspired by the graceful, flowing shapes seen in some nebulae.
- Xena — Nicknamed used for the dwarf planet Eris upon its discovery.
- Yara — Arabic name meaning “small butterfly,” inspired by the delicate beauty of distant galaxies.
- Zosma — Named after a star in the Leo constellation.
- Aether — Named after the fifth element in alchemical traditions, associated with the cosmos.
- Borealis — Inspired by the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.
- Cassini — Named after the space probe that studied Saturn and its moons.
- Faye — Named after a periodic comet discovered in 1843.
I hope you honor the wonders of the universe by choosing one of these cool cosmic phenomenon-inspired names listed above.
Unique and Modern Celestial Names
Did you know that in 2023, celestial-inspired names saw a huge increase in popularity among new parents?
See these unique and modern celestial names that could set your child apart.
Male Unique and Modern Celestial Names
- Aether — The fifth element in ancient and medieval science, thought to be the material that filled the universe beyond Earth.
- Aleph — The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, often used in astronomy to denote the brightest star in a constellation.
- Aster — Greek for “star,” a simple yet powerful celestial name.
- Caelum — Latin for “sky” or “heaven,” also a faint constellation in the southern sky.
- Cyrus — Persian name meaning “sun,” perfect for a bright and cheerful child.
- Draco — Latin for “dragon,” a constellation in the northern sky.
- Elio — Italian variant of Helios, the Greek sun god.
- Finlay — Scottish name meaning “fair-haired warrior,” reminiscent of a bright star.
- Galileo — After the famous astronomer who improved the telescope.
- Helios — Greek god of the sun, riding his chariot across the sky each day.
- Iota — The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet, often used in astronomy.
- Jove — Another name for Jupiter, king of the Roman gods.
- Kepler — After Johannes Kepler, the astronomer who discovered the laws of planetary motion.
- Lelantos — Greek for “moving unseen,” like the mysteries of the cosmos.
- Meissa — A star in the constellation Orion, from the Arabic for “shining one.”
- Nash — The gamma star in the constellation Sagittarius.
- Phoenix — A constellation in the southern sky, named after the mythical bird.
- Quillon — A variation of Cullen, meaning “handsome” in Gaelic, like a shining star.
- Raiden — Japanese name meaning “thunder and lightning,” like cosmic energy.
- Samson — Hebrew name meaning “sun,” for a child as bright as our nearest star.
- Tycho — After Tycho Brahe, the Danish nobleman known for his accurate astronomical observations.
- Upsilon — The 20th letter of the Greek alphabet, used in astronomy to name stars.
- Vega — One of the brightest stars in the night sky, in the constellation Lyra.
- Zephyr — The west wind in Greek mythology, like cosmic breezes.
- Alnilam — The middle star in Orion’s belt, meaning “string of pearls” in Arabic.
- Boreas — The Greek god of the north wind, like cosmic currents.
- Cygnus — The swan constellation, associated with several myths in Greek mythology.
- Davin — Irish name meaning “deer friend,” reminiscent of celestial grace.
- Einar — Norse name meaning “one warrior,” like a lone star in the sky.
Female Unique and Modern Celestial Names
- Adhara — The second brightest star in the constellation Canis Major.
- Belinda — A moon of Uranus, named after a character in Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock.”
- Cressida — One of Uranus’s moons, named after a character in Shakespeare’s “Troilus and Cressida.”
- Deva — Sanskrit for “divine,” like the celestial bodies.
- Elanor — Meaning “star sun” in Tolkien’s Elvish language.
- Faye — After the Faye comet, discovered in 1843.
- Gioya — Italian for “joy,” like the wonder of gazing at the stars.
- Hesperia — Greek for “evening star,” another name for Venus.
- Juno — Roman goddess and an asteroid in the main belt.
- Kala — Sanskrit for “time,” a concept closely tied to the cosmos.
- Lyra — The constellation containing the star Vega.
- Maristella — Latin for “star of the sea.”
- Omega — The last letter of the Greek alphabet, used in astronomy and physics.
- Pandora — A moon of Saturn, named after the first woman in Greek mythology.
- Qadira — Arabic for “powerful,” like the forces of the universe.
- Seren — Welsh for “star,” a simple and beautiful celestial name.
- Tala — Filipino name meaning “bright star.”
- Umbriel — One of Uranus’s moons, named after a character in Alexander Pope’s poem.
- Vela — A constellation in the southern sky, representing a ship’s sails.
- Wrenna — A variation of Wren, a small bird, reminiscent of the delicate beauty of stars.
- Xenia — Greek for “hospitable,” like the vast, welcoming universe.
- Yara — Arabic name meaning “small butterfly,” evoking the delicate beauty of distant galaxies.
- Zinnia — A flower name, reminiscent of the colorful nebulae in space.
- Alouette — French for “skylark,” a bird that sings as it soars high in the sky.
- Beryl — A gemstone name, like the twinkling of stars.
- Calypso — One of Saturn’s moons, named after the nymph in Greek mythology.
- Dione — One of Saturn’s moons, named after a Greek goddess.
These unique and modern celestial names offer a fresh take on cosmic inspiration. Whether you’re looking for something subtle or boldly astronomical, there’s a name here to make your little star shine bright!
Wrapping Up
Choosing a celestial name for your baby is like picking a star from the vast night sky – each one unique and brilliant in its own way.
From classic lunar names like Luna to more unconventional choices like Nebula, there’s a celestial name to suit every taste and style.
Remember, the perfect name is one that resonates with you. May your naming journey be as magical as the cosmos itself!
Further reading on BecomingMamas.com: Discover these beautiful female Japanese names, perfect for giving your baby a unique and meaningful identity.
Explore these enchanting book character-inspired baby names, perfect for giving your child a name filled with literary magic and adventure.
These nature names for girls are perfect for giving your daughter a name that reflects the beauty and serenity of the natural world.
Last Updated on July 15, 2024 by Tania Nizova | Published: July 15, 2024
Mom of 3-year-old superhero Michael and 7-year-old princess Stasia. 👩👧👦
Passionate about research and getting to the core, enjoying processing information & always hungry for more. 📖
Learning & sharing how to be a better mom. Join me, and let’s grow together! 🌼