200+ Baby Names That Mean Moon — Dreamy & Deeply Rooted

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The moon has always been a naming muse. Long before Luna cracked the top five, women in ancient Greece named their daughters Selene. Mothers in Sanskrit-speaking households have called their girls Chandra for thousands of years. A Māori baby named Marama, a Turkish girl named Aylin, a Hawaiian girl named Mahina — these aren’t trends, they’re traditions so old they predate most written records. What unites them is the same instinct: the moon is luminous, cyclical, and profoundly feminine. It pulls tides and marks months and has been watching over us since before we had words for it.

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Popularity below is calculated from Social Security Administration data through 2024, the most recent year on record.

Here’s what’s in store –

The Greek and Roman Classics

Sanskrit and South Asian Moon Names

Persian, Turkish, and Arabic Moon Names

Celtic, Norse, and Northern European Moon Names

East Asian Moon Names

Hawaiian, Māori, Pacific, and Indigenous Americas

Ancient and Deep-Cut Moon Names

Moon Names for Boys

Luna is a beautiful name — but it’s also everywhere now. If you love what Luna represents and want something equally rooted but less expected, this list is for you. There are Sanskrit names that celebrate the full moon’s specific brilliance, Turkish names built from the word for the halo that rings the moon on a clear winter night, and Irish names that belong to goddesses who ruled the sky before the Romans arrived with their pantheons. The depth behind each of these names is part of what makes them so compelling.

A word on accuracy: every name in this list is real, documented in its culture of origin, and carries a genuine lunar meaning or strong mythological lunar association. No invented words dressed up as names. Where a name belongs to a deity rather than having a literal translation, the deity’s primary domain is the moon. Where a name has evolved into multiple spellings across cultures, the most common modern usage is noted.

Whether you’re drawn to the crystalline elegance of Selene, the warm familiarity of Diana, the lyrical complexity of Coyolxauhqui, or the minimalist beauty of Dal, you’ll find your moon here.

The Greek and Roman Classics

The oldest moon names most Western parents will recognize come from Greece and Rome, where the moon was a goddess with a name, a chariot, and a complicated love life. These names have been in continuous use for centuries and carry a weight of myth that newer coinages simply can’t replicate.

Luna

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LOO-na · ˈluːnə
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #13 and falling (#10 → #13, 2024)

Selene

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: suh-LEE-nee · səˈliːni
Meaning: moon (as the Greek moon goddess)
Popularity: #675 and rising (#708 → #675, 2024)

The Titaness who drove a silver chariot across the night sky; more deliberate and mythologically weighty than Luna.

Artemis

Origin: Ancient Greek (deeper root uncertain)
Pronunciation: AR-tuh-miss · ˈɑːrtəmɪs
Meaning: moon and hunt goddess
Popularity: #1,022 and falling (#853 → #1,022, 2024)

Twin of Apollo and guardian of wild things; fierce, independent, and climbing charts steadily.

Diana

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: dy-AN-uh · daɪˈænə
Meaning: divine, heavenly
Popularity: #243 and falling (#228 → #243, 2024)

The Roman Artemis; stately and evergreen in a way that crosses every era from ancient Rome to Princess Diana.

Cynthia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: SIN-thee-ah · ˈsɪnθiə
Meaning: of/from Mount Cynthus, an epithet of the goddess Artemis
Popularity: #826 and rising (#871 → #826, 2024)

An epithet for Artemis, born on the island of Delos; literary and quietly sophisticated with Cynnie as a sweet nickname.

Phoebe

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-bee · ˈfiːbi
Meaning: bright, shining
Popularity: #183 and rising (#190 → #183, 2024)

A moon Titaness whose light is literally in her name; beloved by poets and now by a new generation of parents.

Theia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: THEE-uh · ˈθiːə
Meaning: ‘Goddess’ or ‘divine one’ in Greek; the name of the Titan associated with sight and radiant light, mother of the sun, moon, and dawn deities.
Popularity: #1,844 and rising (#2,014 → #1,844, 2024)

Mother of Selene, Helios, and Eos — she generated all the great lights of the sky; rare and mythologically extraordinary.

Hecate

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: HEK-uh-tee · ˈhɛkəti
Meaning: possibly ‘one who works/strikes from afar’ or ‘the far-reaching one’ (an epithet related to Apollo); origin genuinely disputed
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Goddess of magic, crossroads, and the crescent moon; dark and dramatic without being gloomy.

Mene

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: MEE-nee · ˈmiːni
Meaning: Greek moon goddess presiding over the months, sometimes treated as an epithet of Selene
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Callista

Origin: Greek (via Italian)
Pronunciation: kuh-LIS-tuh · kəˈlɪstə
Meaning: most beautiful
Popularity: #3,889 and rising (#4,667 → #3,889, 2024)

Lucina

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: loo-SEE-nah · luːˈsiːnə
Meaning: she who brings into the light
Popularity: #3,141 and rising (#3,308 → #3,141, 2024)

Lucina is sometimes glossed as ‘moonlight,’ but her core meaning is about the light of birth; any moon association comes only from her occasional overlap with the moon-linked goddess Diana, not from her own etymology.

Delia

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: DEEL-yah · ˈdiːljə
Meaning: an epithet of the goddess Artemis referring to her birth on the island of Delos (‘of Delos’)
Popularity: #1,522 and falling (#1,443 → #1,522, 2024)

An epithet for Artemis honoring her birthplace; short, bright, and less obviously lunar, which gives it range.

Latona

Origin: Latin (from Greek)
Pronunciation: luh-TOH-nuh · ləˈtoʊ.nə
Meaning: the Roman name for the Greek goddess Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis; Leto’s own ultimate root is disputed among classicists
Popularity: #12,372 as of 1991 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mother of Diana and Apollo, who sheltered her divine children; unusual and beautiful with that distinctive -ona ending.

Menodora

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: men-oh-DOR-ah · ˌmɛnəˈdɔːrə
Meaning: gift of the moon (from Greek roots for ‘moon/month’ and ‘gift’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Borne by a 4th-century Christian martyr; almost unknown in modern use, which makes it extraordinary.

Elara

Origin: Greek (mythological name)
Pronunciation: eh-LAR-ah · ɛˈlɑːrə
Meaning: “moon,” Jovian satellite
Popularity: #1,156 and rising (#1,381 → #1,156, 2024)

One of Zeus’s mortal loves, whose name now belongs to a moon of Jupiter; gaining quiet traction.

Leucothea

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: loo-KOH-thee-ə · luːˈkoʊθiə
Meaning: white goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A sea deity with lunar associations to her whiteness and night-sea domain; wildly uncommon and hauntingly beautiful.

Noctiluca

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: nok-tih-LOO-kah · ˌnɒktɪˈluːkə
Meaning: shining by night
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Roman epithet for the moon personified; bold and unusual, with Nocti as an unexpected nickname.

Cinzia

Origin: Italian (from Ancient Greek via Latin)
Pronunciation: CHIN-tsyah
Meaning: of/from Mount Cynthus (epithet of Artemis)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Italian form of Cynthia; instantly warmer with a Mediterranean lilt.

Selena

Origin: Greek (via Selene) or Latin (via Selina), disputed
Pronunciation: suh-LEE-nuh · səˈliːnə
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #245 and falling (#229 → #245, 2024)

The Spanish variant of Selene; forever linked to the iconic Tejano singer, which makes it feel full of life.

Lunetta

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: loo-NET-tah · luˈnɛtta
Meaning: little moon (Italian luna, ‘moon’ + diminutive suffix -etta)
Popularity: #12,885 and rising (#16,728 → #12,885, 2024)

Lunette

Origin: French
Pronunciation: loo-NET · luˈnɛt
Meaning: little moon
Popularity: #11,692 and falling (#9,358 → #11,692, 2024)

An Arthurian character name and architectural term for a semicircular window shaped like the crescent; literary and layered.

Origin: Ancient Greek (mythological name, deeper root uncertain)
Pronunciation: EYE-oh · ˈaɪoʊ
Meaning: moon of Jupiter
Popularity: #9,867 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of Zeus’s loves and one of the four Galilean moons; the shortest moon name on this list, wildly ancient.

Artemisia

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: ar-tuh-MEE-zee-uh · ˌɑːrtɪˈmiːziə
Meaning: of Artemis
Popularity: #11,179 and falling (#5,772 → #11,179, 2024)

Artemisia is often said to mean ‘gift of Artemis,’ but the name is simply built on Artemis’s name itself rather than meaning ‘gift of’ anything.

Callirrhoe

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-LEER-oh-ee · kəˈlɪroʊi
Meaning: beautiful stream/flowing water
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A nymph and moon of Jupiter; rare and gorgeous, with that rolling double-r sound.

Eileithyia

Origin: Greek (Greek mythology)
Pronunciation: eye-lih-THY-uh · aɪlɪˈθaɪə
Meaning: she who arrives to bring aid
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Birth goddess linked to the lunar cycle’s role in human fertility; impossible at a pediatrician’s office but extraordinary.

Semele

Origin: Greek (mythological)
Pronunciation: SEM-uh-lee · ˈsɛməli
Meaning: earth (scholars link the name to an ancient earth-goddess figure)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mortal mother of Dionysus, her name appears in astronomical contexts as a Jovian moon; sounds like a name from another world entirely.

Phoibia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-bee-uh · ˈfiːbiə
Meaning: radiant, bright, pure (feminine form built on phoibos, an epithet of Apollo)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Feminine form of Phoebus used as a lunar epithet by some ancient writers; barely known outside classics.

Trivia

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: TRIV-ee-uh · ˈtrɪviə
Meaning: epithet of the Roman goddess Diana as guardian of crossroads (Latin ‘three roads’)
Popularity: #15,744 as of 1996 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Roman epithet for the moon goddess of crossroads; surprising, archaic, and secretly wonderful.

Sanskrit and South Asian Moon Names

Sanskrit gave the world some of the most beautiful moon vocabulary in existence, and South Asian naming traditions have been drawing from it for millennia. Chandra (the moon itself), Purnima (the full moon night), Jyotsna (moonlight flooding a room) — these names are precise in a way that Western lunar names rarely are.

Chandra

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: CHAHN-drah · ˈtʃʌndrə
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #11,381 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The moon itself, and a Hindu deity; one of the most widely used names across India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and for good reason.

Purnima

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: poor-NEE-mah · pʊrˈniːmə
Meaning: full moon (the lunar day/tithi on which the moon is full)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Specific to the night of the full moon rather than the moon in general; lyrical and meaningful in a way that rewards knowing what it means.

Chandni

Origin: Sanskrit (used in Hindi)
Pronunciation: CHAHND-nee · ˈtʃɑːndni
Meaning: moonlight
Popularity: #18,182 as of 2007 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Shashi

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: SHUH-shee · ˈʃʌʃi
Meaning: the moon (literally ‘hare, ‘ an epithet based on hare-shaped markings seen on the moon)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Literally “the one with the rabbit mark” — because Hindus see a rabbit in the moon’s surface, not a face; unusual and rich with myth.

Indu

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: IN-doo · ˈɪnduː
Meaning: moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Soma

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: SOH-mah · ˈsoʊmə
Meaning: the sacred ritual drink of Vedic tradition, personified as the moon god Soma
Popularity: #7,645 and rising (#10,643 → #7,645, 2024)

The name’s original meaning is the sacred ritual drink of Vedic tradition — the ‘moon’ association comes later, from Soma being identified with the moon god Chandra.

Jyotsna

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: JYOT-snah · dʒjoːtsnɑː
Meaning: moonlight
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The quality of light the moon casts; poetic and specific, with a rhythm that’s genuinely pleasing to say aloud.

Kaumudi

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: kow-MOO-dee · kaʊˈmuːdi
Meaning: moonlight
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Chandrika

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: chuhn-DREE-kuh · tʃʌnˈdriːkə
Meaning: moonlight, moonshine
Popularity: #15,917 as of 2002 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A soft, feminine form derived from Chandra; very common in South India with a lovely diminutive feel.

Chandralekha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: chuhn-druh-LAY-kuh · ˌtʃʌndrəˈleɪkə
Meaning: streak/line of the moon (i.e., crescent moon)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Chandravathi

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: chuhn-druh-VAH-tee · ˌtʃʌndrəˈvɑːti
Meaning: possessing/endowed with moon(-like radiance)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A classical South Indian name with a musical cadence; more elaborate than Chandra but equally rooted.

Sasikala

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: shah-shee-KAH-lah · ʃəʃiˈkɑːlə
Meaning: a phase (digit/sliver) of the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The second element more precisely denotes a ‘digit’ or ‘phase’ of the moon (as in its traditional sixteen phases) rather than a beam of moonlight.

Kumuda

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: koo-MOO-dah · kʊˈmuːdə
Meaning: a night-blooming white water lily (moonflower); also the name of a mythic elephant guarding the southwest direction in Hindu cosmology
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The lotus that opens specifically at moonrise; precise and evocative.

Prabha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: PRAH-bah · ˈprɑːbə
Meaning: light or radiance
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Often used to mean the specific light of the moon; short and strong.

Nishigandha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: nee-shee-GUN-duh · niːʃɪˈɡəndʱə
Meaning: night-fragrance (the Sanskrit/Hindi name for the tuberose flower, which blooms fragrant at night)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rohini

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: roh-HEE-nee · roʊˈhiːni
Meaning: the red one; growing, ascending
Popularity: #17,132 and rising (#17,270 → #17,132, 2024)

The lunar mansion where the moon is most exalted in Vedic astrology; one of the most auspicious nakshatra names.

Chandamayi

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: chuhn-duh-MY-ee · ˌtʃʌndəˈmaɪi
Meaning: full of/made of moon(light)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

As if assembled from moonlight itself; rare and extraordinary.

Chandramukhi

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: chuhn-druh-MOO-kee · ˌtʃʌndrəˈmuːki
Meaning: moon-faced
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the oldest and most romantic of the lunar epithets; famously a character in classic Indian literature.

Chandrakanta

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: chuhn-druh-KAHN-tuh · ˌtʃʌndrəˈkɑːntə
Meaning: beloved by the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A gemstone that was said to form from moonlight; luminous and ancient.

Ratri

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: RAH-tree · ˈraːtriː
Meaning: night
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Nisha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: NEE-shuh · ˈniːʃə
Meaning: night
Popularity: #6,550 and rising (#9,432 → #6,550, 2024)

The gentler, more common sister of Ratri; widely used across South Asia as a standalone name.

Tara

Origin: Irish (place name); also Sanskrit (‘star’)
Pronunciation: TAIR-ah · ˈtɛrə
Meaning: named after the Hill of Tara, ancient seat of Irish kings (the place name’s own root meaning is disputed); a separate Sanskrit-origin sense means ‘star’
Popularity: #1,021 and rising (#1,163 → #1,021, 2024)

The literal meaning of the underlying Irish place name (Teamhair) isn’t confirmed to be ‘hill’ — sources only identify it as the name of the hill/ancient royal site, not the Irish word for ‘hill’ itself.

Revati

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: RAY-vuh-tee · ˈreɪvʌti
Meaning: wealthy, prosperous
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A lunar nakshatra and the wife of Balarama in Hindu epics; musical and deeply traditional.

Indurekha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: in-doo-RAY-kah · ɪnduːˈreɪkə
Meaning: a streak of the crescent moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

“A line of moonlight”; elaborate and rare, with that beautiful -rekha suffix.

Shashikanta

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: shuh-shee-KAHN-tuh · ˌʃʌʃiˈkɑːntə
Meaning: beloved of the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The gemstone moonstone was called shashikanta in Sanskrit because it was believed to form from moon rays.

Amrita

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: um-REE-tuh · ʌmˈriːtə
Meaning: immortal, nectar of immortality
Popularity: #11,138 and rising (#13,577 → #11,138, 2024)

Jyothika

Origin: Sanskrit/Tamil
Pronunciation: JYOH-tih-kah
Meaning: light or radiance
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Southern variant of Jyotsna; widely used in Tamil Nadu with a bright, open sound.

Persian, Turkish, and Arabic Moon Names

The crescent moon has held a central place in Persian, Turkish, and Arab culture for centuries, and the naming traditions reflect that. Turkish names are particularly rich here — there’s a whole family of Ay- names (ay meaning “moon” in Turkish) that give you distinct, beautiful options with shared lunar roots.

Aylin

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: AY-lin · ˈeɪlɪn
Meaning: moonlight, or the halo around the moon
Popularity: #386 and rising (#422 → #386, 2024)

The halo that appears around the moon on humid nights; one of the most common girls’ names in Turkey and increasingly used elsewhere.

Ayla

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: AY-lah · ˈeɪlə
Meaning: halo around the moon (moonlight)
Popularity: #69 and rising (#105 → #69, 2024)

Close to Aylin but shorter and more international; also used in Hebrew with different roots.

Aynur

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: eye-NOOR · aɪˈnʊər
Meaning: moonlight (ay ‘moon’ + nur ‘light’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Combines ay (moon) + nur (light, from Arabic); a complete image in two syllables.

Aysel

Origin: Turkish/Azerbaijani
Pronunciation: EYE-sel · ˈaɪsɛl
Meaning: moon flood, moonlight stream
Popularity: #2,064 and falling (#1,635 → #2,064, 2024)

Aysun

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: eye-SOON · aɪˈsuːn
Meaning: a face as beautiful as the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A comparison built into the name itself; warm and romantic.

Aydan

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: EYE-dahn · ˈaɪdɑːn
Meaning: from the moon
Popularity: #1,607 and falling (#1,536 → #1,607, 2024)

Direct and clean; works beautifully in English-speaking contexts as well as Turkish.

Aytaç

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: eye-TAHTCH · aɪˈtɑːtʃ
Meaning: moon crown (ay ‘moon’ + taç ‘crown’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The crown of light the moon wears at its fullest; less common internationally but striking.

Ilkay

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: EEL-kye · ˈiːlkaɪ
Meaning: the first (new) moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Specifically the crescent of the new month, not the full moon; precise and beautiful.

Aynaz

Origin: Turkish/Persian
Pronunciation: eye-NAHZ · aɪˈnɑːz
Meaning: moon of grace/charm (ay ‘moon’ + naz ‘grace, coquetry’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The face of someone so beautiful it resembles the moon; an older poetic form.

Qamar

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: KAH-mar · ˈkɑː.mɑːr
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #3,360 and rising (#3,818 → #3,360, 2024)

Hilal

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: hih-LAHL · hɪˈlɑːl
Meaning: crescent moon
Popularity: #10,243 and falling (#9,215 → #10,243, 2024)

Badr

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: BAH-der · bɑdr
Meaning: full moon (specifically the moon on the 14th night of the lunar month)
Popularity: #5,916 and rising (#6,264 → #5,916, 2024)

Badria

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: bahd-REE-ah · bɑdˈriː.jɐ
Meaning: of the full moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The feminine form of Badr; less common than Badr itself, which makes it feel rare and special.

Hala

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: HAH-lah · ˈhæːlæ
Meaning: the halo or ring of light around the moon
Popularity: #3,406 and rising (#3,930 → #3,406, 2024)

Kamaria

Origin: Arabic/Swahili
Pronunciation: kuh-MAR-ee-uh · kəˈmæriə
Meaning: moon, moonlight (commonly traced to Arabic qamar, reflected via Swahili)
Popularity: #2,699 and falling (#2,365 → #2,699, 2024)

The Swahili version of the Arabic qamari; widely used across East Africa.

Mahtab

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: mah-TAHB · mæhˈtɒːb
Meaning: moonlight
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mahsa

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: MAH-sah · ˈmɑːsɑː
Meaning: resembling the moon
Popularity: #3,466 and rising (#4,159 → #3,466, 2024)

Mahvash

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: mah-VAHSH · mɑːhˈvæʃ
Meaning: moon-like (Persian mah, ‘moon’ + the suffix -vash, meaning ‘resembling/-like’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The suffix -vash actually means ‘like/resembling,’ not ‘face’ — so Mahvash more precisely means ‘moon-like’ rather than ‘moon-faced,’ which belongs to related names such as Mahru or Mahrukh.

Mahrukh

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: mah-ROOK · mɑːhˈruːk
Meaning: moon-cheeked (Persian mah, ‘moon’ + rukh, ‘cheek/face’), a classical Persian beauty epithet
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mahru

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: mah-ROO · mɑːhˈruː
Meaning: moon-faced (Persian mah, ‘moon’ + ru, ‘face’), a classical Persian poetic epithet for beauty
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The shorter, more intimate version of Mahrukh; ancient and lovely.

Mah

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: MAH · mɑːh
Meaning: moon (Persian mah, ماه)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Just the word itself used as a given name; minimal and striking.

Leila

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: LAY-lah · ˈleɪlə
Meaning: night
Popularity: #268 and falling (#240 → #268, 2024)

The night as the moon’s domain; made famous in Arabic poetry through the Layla and Majnun romance.

Samira

Origin: Arabic (Persian usage)
Pronunciation: suh-MEER-ah · səˈmɪrə
Meaning: a companion for evening conversation (feminine of Samir)
Popularity: #773 and rising (#803 → #773, 2024)

Nour

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: NOOR · ˈnʊr
Meaning: light
Popularity: #1,856 and rising (#1,884 → #1,856, 2024)

Qamariyya

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: kah-mah-REE-yuh · qɑmɑˈrijːə
Meaning: moonlike, lunar (from qamar, ‘moon’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The adjective form of qamar turned into a given name; elaborate and rare outside classical Arabic tradition.

Purnama

Origin: Malay/Indonesian (from Sanskrit)
Pronunciation: poor-NAH-mah · pʊrˈnɑːmə
Meaning: full moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Southeast Asian lunar name carrying Sanskrit roots across the ocean.

Celtic, Norse, and Northern European Moon Names

Northern and Western European lunar naming is older and stranger than the Roman tradition — more tied to fairy queens, silver wheels in the sky, and goddesses who roamed forests at night. The Norse moon god Máni rode across the sky pursued by a wolf. The Welsh moon goddess Arianrhod ruled a castle of silver. These names carry that wildness in them.

Arianrhod

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: ahr-YAHN-rod · arˈjanr̥ɔd
Meaning: silver wheel
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rhiannon

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: ree-AN-un · riˈænən
Meaning: traditionally reconstructed as ‘great queen’ or ‘divine queen’, name of a major figure in Welsh mythology
Popularity: #1,310 and falling (#1,157 → #1,310, 2024)

Cerridwen

Origin: Welsh (mythological name, etymology disputed)
Pronunciation: keh-RID-wen · kɛˈrɪdwɛn
Meaning: moon and inspiration goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Keeper of the cauldron of inspiration, she brews her magic under the moon; one of the most evocative names in this list.

Aine

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: AWN-yuh · ˈɑːnjə
Meaning: radiance or brightness
Popularity: #3,112 and falling (#2,888 → #3,112, 2024)

The Irish goddess of love, light, and the summer moon; short, soft, and beautiful.

Etain

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: ay-TEEN · eɪˈtiːn
Meaning: uncertain; possibly related to Old Irish words for either ‘jealousy’ or ‘shining, brightness’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A fairy queen with lunar luminance in her myth; one of the most romantic Irish mythological names.

Gwendolyn

Origin: Welsh (English spelling variant)
Pronunciation: GWEN-duh-lin · ˈɡwɛndəlɪn
Meaning: white/fair ring
Popularity: #393 and falling (#378 → #393, 2024)

Elaine

Origin: Old French (from Helen, a Welsh derivation also proposed)
Pronunciation: ih-LAYN · ɪˈleɪn
Meaning: shining light (disputed)
Popularity: #369 and rising (#381 → #369, 2024)

Nanna

Origin: Old Norse (Germanic)
Pronunciation: NAHN-nah · ˈnɑːnə
Meaning: Likely from a root meaning ‘brave, daring’ (possibly instead an old word for ‘mother’); belongs to a Norse goddess, wife of the god Baldr, known for her devotion to him
Popularity: #15,005 as of 1994 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mona

Origin: Old English; also Irish and Arabic
Pronunciation: MOH-nah · ˈmoʊnə
Meaning: moon (Old English mōna); noble (Irish); wish/desire (Arabic Muna)
Popularity: #2,224 and falling (#2,116 → #2,224, 2024)

The Old English word for moon used as a given name; simple, solid, and underused in the modern moment.

Lunete

Origin: Old French (Arthurian literature)
Pronunciation: loo-NET · luˈnɛt
Meaning: little moon (Old French lune, ‘moon’ + a diminutive suffix)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A character in Chrétien de Troyes’s Arthurian romances; medieval and rare.

Viviane

Origin: French
Pronunciation: viv-ee-AN
Meaning: alive, living
Popularity: #4,538 and rising (#4,729 → #4,538, 2024)

The Lady of the Lake’s name carries the moon’s mystery over water; Arthurian and deeply atmospheric.

Nimue

Origin: Arthurian legend (disputed, possibly Celtic)
Pronunciation: NIM-way · ˈnɪmweɪ
Meaning: enchantress of the moon
Popularity: #16,954 and falling (#13,082 → #16,954, 2024)

Merlin’s pupil and captor; one of the most mysteriously beautiful Arthurian names.

Morgan

Origin: Welsh (Old Welsh)
Pronunciation: MOR-gan · ˈmɔːrɡən
Meaning: chief (a compound of uncertain ‘sea’ or ‘great’ plus a root meaning ‘circle, ‘ together read as ‘chief’)
Popularity: #276 and falling (#247 → #276, 2024)

Morgan le Fay’s connection to water and night sky gives her name lunar gravity.

Holda

Origin: Old High German (Swabian)
Pronunciation: HOHL-dah · ˈhɔlda
Meaning: favor, grace
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

She shook the snow from her feather bed and filled the night sky; ancient and magical.

Flidais

Origin: Irish (mythological)
Pronunciation: FLIH-dish · ˈflɪdɪʃ
Meaning: forest and moon goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Irish goddess of the hunt and forest in Artemis’s tradition; wild and rare.

Boann

Origin: Old Irish (mythological)
Pronunciation: BO-ahn · ˈboʊ.ɑːn
Meaning: white cow (from Old Irish ‘bó, ‘ cow, + ‘find/fionn, ‘ white)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Medb

Origin: Irish (Old Irish, from Proto-Celtic)
Pronunciation: MAYV · meɪv
Meaning: she who intoxicates
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Perchta

Origin: Old High German (Alpine)
Pronunciation: PAIRK-tuh · ˈpɛʁçta
Meaning: bright, shining
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

She walked the land at midwinter when the moon rules longest; fearsome and unforgettable.

Habondia

Origin: Medieval Latin (mythological)
Pronunciation: huh-BAHN-dee-uh · həˈbɒndiə
Meaning: abundance
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Habondia is documented as a goddess of abundance/plenty; the ‘moon goddess’ part isn’t clearly supported by the original medieval material and appears to be a later addition.

Albina

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: al-BEE-nuh · ælˈbiːnə
Meaning: white or fair-skinned (feminine of the Roman name Albinus, from albus ‘white’)
Popularity: #10,282 and rising (#12,228 → #10,282, 2024)

The whiteness of moonlight given a name; used in Romano-British inscriptions.

Kuu

Origin: Finnish
Pronunciation: KOO · kuː
Meaning: the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Kuutar

Origin: Finnish (mythological figure)
Pronunciation: KOO-tahr · ˈkuːtɑːr
Meaning: moon maiden
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Brigantia

Origin: Celtic (British)
Pronunciation: brih-GAN-tee-uh · brɪˈɡæntiə
Meaning: high, elevated one; also a Celtic goddess of victory and sovereignty
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Máni

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: MAH-nee · ˈmɑːni
Meaning: Old Norse word for ‘moon’; also the Norse god who personified the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Menulis

Origin: Lithuanian
Pronunciation: may-NOO-lis · meɪˈnuːlɪs
Meaning: moon (also the name of a Baltic moon deity)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

East Asian Moon Names

The moon holds a particularly rich place in East Asian culture — the Mid-Autumn Festival, the tale of Chang’e, the Japanese tradition of moon-viewing (tsukimi) — and the naming traditions reflect it. Japanese names built on tsuki (moon) have their own internal logic and beauty, while Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Southeast Asian names add further dimension.

Chang’e

Origin: Chinese (mythological)
Pronunciation: CHAHNG-uh · tʂʰɑ̌ŋ.ɤ̌
Meaning: Chinese moon goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The goddess who drank the elixir of immortality and floated up to live on the moon with her jade rabbit; poetic and deeply storied.

Kaguya

Origin: Japanese (folklore name)
Pronunciation: KAH-goo-yah · ˈkɑːɡuːjɑː
Meaning: name of the legendary moon princess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

From the classic tale of the bamboo princess who came from the moon; romantic and otherworldly.

Tsuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: TSOO-kee · ˈtsuːki
Meaning: moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The word itself used as a name; spare and modern-feeling despite being ancient.

Tsukiko

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: tsoo-KEE-koh · tsuːˈkiːkoʊ
Meaning: moon child
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tsukimi

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: tsoo-KEE-mee · tsuːˈkiːmi
Meaning: moon viewing
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Named for the annual tradition of watching the harvest moon; lyrical and culturally specific.

Mizuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: mee-ZOO-kee · mi.zɯ.ki
Meaning: “beautiful moon”
Popularity: #11,782 and falling (#10,091 → #11,782, 2024)

Combines mizu (water, or beautiful in some readings) + ki (moon); widely used in Japan with genuine charm.

Hazuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: hah-ZOO-kee · hɑːˈzuːki
Meaning: leaf month
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The traditional Japanese name for August — the moon of falling leaves; seasonal and evocative.

Uzuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: oo-ZOO-kee · uːˈzuːki
Meaning: “moon of April”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The traditional name for April’s moon; gentle and underused outside Japan.

Yuzuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: yoo-ZOO-kee · juːˈzuː.ki
Meaning: citrus and moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Combines yu (gentle, tender) + zuki (moon); soft and beautiful.

Tsukiyo

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: tsoo-KEE-yoh · tsuːˈkiːjoʊ
Meaning: “moonlit night”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The entire experience of a moonlit night compressed into a name.

Asazuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: ah-sah-ZOO-kee · ˌɑːsəˈzuːki
Meaning: morning + moon (compound reading ‘morning moon’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The moon still visible at dawn; unusual even in Japan and quietly beautiful.

Minazuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: mee-nah-ZOO-kee · minazɯki
Meaning: traditional name for the sixth lunar month (roughly June); refers to the month, not the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Reika

Origin: Japanese (meaning depends on kanji spelling chosen)
Pronunciation: RAY-kah · ˈreɪkɑː
Meaning: “beautiful moon-flower”
Popularity: #11,893 and rising (#14,791 → #11,893, 2024)

One reading of Reika combines rei (moonlike beauty) + ka (flower); elegant and feminine.

Dalnim

Origin: Korean
Pronunciation: DAHL-neem · dal.nim
Meaning: the moon, personified (‘dear/lady moon’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

-nim is an honorific meaning roughly ‘dear/lady,’ not literally ‘spirit’ or ‘goddess’; there’s no deity implied by the term itself.

Dal

Origin: Korean
Pronunciation: DAHL · dɑːl
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #11,187 and falling (#9,954 → #11,187, 2024)

Worin

Origin: Korean
Pronunciation: WOH-rin · wʌ.ɾin
Meaning: “moonflower”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A flower that blooms in moonlight; poetic and rarely used outside Korea.

Buan

Origin: Tagalog
Pronunciation: boo-AHN · buːˈɑːn
Meaning: “moon”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mayari

Origin: Tagalog (mythological name)
Pronunciation: mah-YAH-ree · mɑˈjɑːri
Meaning: Filipino moon goddess
Popularity: #4,721 and falling (#3,685 → #4,721, 2024)

The daughter of Bathala who rules the moon after a negotiation with her brother who rules the sun; powerful and mythologically rich.

Tala

Pronunciation: TAH-lah · ˈtɑːlə
Meaning: “star”
Popularity: #1,336 and rising (#1,461 → #1,336, 2024)

In Philippine mythology, Tala presides over stars and works alongside the moon; her story is inextricable from lunar myth.

Bulan

Origin: Austronesian (Malay/Indonesian, also Tagalog/Ilocano and other Philippine languages)
Pronunciation: BOO-lahn · ˈbuːlɑːn
Meaning: moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Nguyệt

Origin: Vietnamese
Pronunciation: NGWEE-et · ŋwiət̚
Meaning: moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ngân

Origin: Vietnamese
Pronunciation: NGUN · ŋən
Meaning: silver
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Chan

Origin: ambiguous — Chinese surname (romanization of 陳 Chen or 詹 Zhan) or Khmer name element (चन्द, related to ‘moon’); no Hebrew connection attested
Pronunciation: CHAN · ˈtʃæn
Meaning: Chinese surname 陳, ‘to display or exhibit’; in Khmer, ‘moon’
Popularity: #11,143 and falling (#9,136 → #11,143, 2024)

The Khmer word for moon used as a given name, especially for girls born under a full moon.

Yuè

Origin: Chinese
Pronunciation: YWEH · ˈjweɪ
Meaning: “moon”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Chinese character for moon used directly as a name; simple and elegant.

Hawaiian, Māori, Pacific, and Indigenous Americas

The moon was a navigator, a calendar, a god, and a grandmother across Pacific and Indigenous American cultures. These names don’t translate into English cleanly because the concepts behind them are richer than any single word — Marama in Māori means moon, light, understanding, and clarity simultaneously.

Mahina

Origin: Hawaiian
Pronunciation: mah-HEE-nah · mɑːˈhiːnə
Meaning: moon, moonlight
Popularity: #3,672 and falling (#3,161 → #3,672, 2024)

Hina

Origin: Japanese; also Hawaiian/Polynesian and South Asian
Pronunciation: HEE-nah · ˈhiːnə
Meaning: moon goddess (Polynesian); sun, light (Japanese)
Popularity: #4,687 and rising (#6,040 → #4,687, 2024)

One of the most important deities across Polynesia — Hina of the moon, Hina who pounded tapa cloth by moonlight; deep and oceanic.

Marama

Origin: Māori
Pronunciation: MAH-rah-mah · ˈmɑːrəmə
Meaning: moon (also ‘light’ or ‘understanding’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mahealani

Origin: Hawaiian
Pronunciation: mah-hay-ah-LAH-nee · mɑːˌheɪ.əˈlɑːni
Meaning: name of a full-moon night in the traditional Hawaiian lunar calendar, connoting radiance and fullness
Popularity: #8,220 and falling (#7,879 → #8,220, 2024)

Hina-uri

Origin: Māori
Pronunciation: hee-nah-OO-ree · ˌhiːnɑːˈuːri
Meaning: the dark aspect of Hina
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The dark moon phase personified as a goddess; rare and atmospheric.

Sina

Origin: Samoan, Scottish Gaelic, and Persian
Pronunciation: SEE-nah · ˈsiːnə
Meaning: moon goddess (Samoan); God is gracious (Scottish, via Sìne/Jane); honors Avicenna (Persian)
Popularity: #7,175 and rising (#8,875 → #7,175, 2024)

The Samoan equivalent of Hina; she lives in the moon and has the same mythological weight across Samoa.

Ixchel

Origin: Mayan (Yucatec)
Pronunciation: eesh-CHEL · iːʃˈtʃɛl
Meaning: Maya moon goddess
Popularity: #3,232 and rising (#4,225 → #3,232, 2024)

Goddess of the moon, medicine, and weaving; ancient, powerful, and increasingly known outside Mexico.

Metztli

Origin: Nahuatl
Pronunciation: METST-lee · ˈmɛtstli
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #3,354 and falling (#2,304 → #3,354, 2024)

Quilla

Origin: Quechua
Pronunciation: KEEL-yuh · ˈkiːljə
Meaning: the moon
Popularity: #10,937 as of 2021 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Incan moon goddess’s name simply means “moon” in Quechua; clear, beautiful, and rarely encountered.

Mama Quilla

Origin: Quechua (Inca mythological figure)
Pronunciation: MAH-muh KEEL-yuh · ˈmɑːmə ˈkiːljə
Meaning: mother moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Jaci

Origin: Tupi-Guarani (Brazilian)
Pronunciation: yah-SEE · jɑːˈsiː
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #3,185 and falling (#2,738 → #3,185, 2024)

Hanwi

Origin: Lakota
Pronunciation: hahn-WEE · hɑːnˈwiː
Meaning: the night sun, i.e. the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Lakota name for the moon — literally “the sun of the night” — and the name of a moon goddess in Lakota tradition.

Coyolxauhqui

Origin: Nahuatl (Aztec/Mexica mythological figure)
Pronunciation: koh-yohl-SHAHW-kee · koʊˌjɒlˈʃaʊki
Meaning: adorned with bells
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Aztec moon goddess whose shattered body became the moon; too elaborate for everyday use but magnificent on paper.

Akna

Origin: Maya (mythological)
Pronunciation: AHK-nah · ˈɑːknə
Meaning: name of a Maya goddess linked to childbirth, sometimes described in modern sources as a moon deity
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A quieter Maya moon deity associated with childbirth; short, accessible, and carries real mythological weight.

Tlazolteotl

Origin: Nahuatl
Pronunciation: tlah-zohl-TAY-oht-ul · tlɑːzoʊlˈteɪoʊtəl
Meaning: Aztec goddess of vice, filth, and ritual purification
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tlazolteotl is documented as an Aztec goddess of vice, filth, and ritual purification (steam baths) — not specifically an earth or moon deity.

Alignak

Origin: Inuit (claimed mythological name)
Pronunciation: uh-LIG-nuk · əˈlɪɡnʌk
Meaning: “moon”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Inuit moon spirit and hunter’s guide; used in Greenlandic and Canadian Inuit traditions.

Sarpanit

Origin: Akkadian/Sumerian (Mesopotamian mythology, deity name)
Pronunciation: sar-PAH-nit · sɑːrˈpɑːnɪt
Meaning: Babylonian moon goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Wife of Marduk, associated with the crescent moon and fertility; ancient and almost unknown in modern naming.

Losna

Origin: Etruscan
Pronunciation: LOS-nah · ˈlɒsnə
Meaning: name of an Etruscan moon goddess (attested in Etruscan mirror inscriptions); the underlying meaning of the name itself is not established
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tanit

Origin: Punic/Phoenician
Pronunciation: TAH-nit · ˈtɑːnɪt
Meaning: Name of the chief goddess of ancient Carthage; the literal meaning of the underlying root isn’t established.
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

We couldn’t find a reliable source confirming this meaning, so treat it as unconfirmed.

Nikkal

Origin: Ugaritic (from Sumerian)
Pronunciation: NIK-kahl · nɪkˈkɑːl
Meaning: great lady/queen
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The moon goddess of Ugarit in ancient Syria, wife of the moon god Yarikh; rare and extraordinary.

Bendis

Origin: Thracian (mythological)
Pronunciation: BEN-diss · ˈbɛndɪs
Meaning: Thracian moon goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Goddess of the moon and hunt in ancient Thrace, similar to Artemis; mentioned by Plato, almost unknown as a baby name.

Selardi

Origin: Urartian (claimed mythological name)
Pronunciation: seh-LAR-dee · sɛˈlɑːrdi
Meaning: Urartian moon goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The moon goddess of the ancient Kingdom of Urartu (modern Armenia/Turkey); as rare as it gets.

Origin: Marshallese
Meaning: moon goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The moon deity in Marshall Islands mythology; minimal and beautiful.

Komorkis

Origin: Blackfoot
Pronunciation: koh-MOR-kis · koʊˈmɔːrkɪs
Meaning: moon deity
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The moon in Blackfoot Indigenous tradition; rarely used as a given name but deeply rooted.

Ancient and Deep-Cut Moon Names

These are the names for parents who have done the research and want something that carries real history. Some belong to ancient deities; some are Hebrew names for the moon itself; some came from cultures that don’t get enough airtime in Western naming conversations.

Levana

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: leh-VAH-nuh · ləˈvɑːnə
Meaning: moon (from Hebrew lavan, ‘white’)
Popularity: #7,411 and rising (#7,860 → #7,411, 2024)

Levanah

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: leh-VAH-nuh · ləˈvɑːnə
Meaning: the moon (from the Hebrew root l-v-n, ‘white’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Yareah

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: yah-RAY-akh · jaˈʁe.ax
Meaning: “moon”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The ancient Hebrew word for moon, distinct from levanah; biblical and rarely used as a given name in the modern world.

Dziewanna

Origin: Slavic (Polish mythology)
Pronunciation: jeh-VAHN-nah · dʑɛˈvanna
Meaning: Slavic goddess of forests and the hunt (Diana/Artemis-like figure)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Devana/Dziewanna is chiefly attested as a forest-and-hunt goddess akin to Diana; a specific ‘moon goddess’ role isn’t well-attested and looks like a popular extension via the Diana/Artemis comparison.

Marzanna

Origin: Slavic
Pronunciation: mar-ZAH-nuh · mɑːrˈzɑːnə
Meaning: tied to an old Slavic root for death; name of a winter-ending goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Marzanna isn’t associated with the moon in Slavic tradition — her domain is winter’s end, death, and rebirth.

Armazi

Origin: Georgian (mythological)
Pronunciation: ar-MAH-zee · ɑːrˈmɑːzi
Meaning: name of the chief/supreme deity of pre-Christian Georgian religion, often linked to the Zoroastrian Ahura Mazda; not clearly lunar
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Armazi is documented mainly as the chief/supreme pre-Christian Georgian deity (often linked to Ahura Mazda), not specifically as a moon god in mainstream accounts.

Isis

Origin: Ancient Egyptian (via Greek Isis, from Egyptian Aset)
Pronunciation: EYE-sis · ˈaɪsɪs
Meaning: traditionally glossed as ‘throne’ (from the throne symbol in her name), though the exact root is debated among Egyptologists
Popularity: #1,082 and rising (#1,464 → #1,082, 2024)

This is the traditional gloss from the throne hieroglyph in her name, but Egyptologists regard the precise etymology as uncertain rather than firmly established.

Tanith

Origin: Phoenician (Punic)
Pronunciation: TAN-ith · ˈtænɪθ
Meaning: variant of Tanit
Popularity: #14,699 as of 2011 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The name of the Carthaginian moon goddess in its other common spelling; slightly more accessible than Tanit.

Meness

Origin: Latvian
Pronunciation: MEH-nes · ˈmɛnɛs
Meaning: moon; also the name of the Latvian/Baltic moon god in traditional mythology
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Lucifer

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LOO-sif-ur · ˈluːsɪfər
Meaning: light-bringer (Latin lux, ‘light’ + ferre, ‘to bring’); originally an epithet for the morning star (Venus), later applied to Satan
Popularity: #2,766 and rising (#2,867 → #2,766, 2024)

Lucifer wasn’t originally a name for Satan — it’s a Latin epithet meaning ‘light-bringer’ for the morning star; the devil association came later, likely from a misread Bible verse.

Moon Names for Boys

The moon has always had masculine identities too — the Norse Máni, the Egyptian Khonsu, the Arabic Badr, the Sanskrit Chandra. These boy names carry lunar meaning with the same depth as the girls’ names above.

The Norse god who drove the moon chariot while a wolf pursued him; striking and unusual in English-speaking contexts.

Endymion

Origin: Greek (mythological name)
Pronunciation: en-DIM-ee-un · ɛnˈdɪmiən
Meaning: the mortal loved by Selene
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Selene fell so deeply in love with the sleeping shepherd Endymion that she visited him every night; mythologically rich.

Khonsu

Origin: Egyptian
Pronunciation: KON-soo · ˈkɒnsuː
Meaning: ‘traveler’ or ‘wanderer,’ describing the moon’s nightly crossing of the sky; name of the ancient Egyptian moon god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Egyptian moon god who traversed the night sky; ancient, powerful, and rarely heard.

Thoth

Origin: Egyptian, via Greek
Pronunciation: TOHT · toʊt
Meaning: name of the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom, writing, and the moon; the deeper meaning of his Egyptian name Djehuty isn’t clearly known
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Thoth kept lunar time and recorded all knowledge; a name with immense mythological weight.

Iah

Origin: Egyptian
Pronunciation: EE-ah · ˈiːɑː
Meaning: moon; name of the ancient Egyptian god who personified the moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Egyptian moon deity; short, clean, and almost shockingly rare for a moon name.

Chandran

Origin: Tamil (from Sanskrit chandra)
Pronunciation: CHUHN-drun · ˈtʃʌndrən
Meaning: moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Tamil masculine form of Chandra; widely used in South India.

Rajnish

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: rahj-NEESH · rɑːdʒˈniːʃ
Meaning: lord of the night (a poetic epithet for the moon)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name for the moon as the ruler of the night sky; used in India.

Aydın

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: eye-DUHN · aɪˈdɯn
Meaning: brightness and clear-mindedness, in the sense of being enlightened
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Aydın carries the root ay (moon) and means “illuminated”; widely used in Turkey.

Maan

Origin: Dutch
Pronunciation: MAHN · mɑːn
Meaning: moon (the ordinary Dutch word); unrelated places spelled the same way exist in Jordan/Syria and India
Popularity: #9,497 and falling (#8,716 → #9,497, 2024)

Yarikh

Origin: Ugaritic (Canaanite mythology)
Pronunciation: YAH-rikh · ˈjaː.rɪx
Meaning: moon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sin

Origin: Akkadian/Sumerian (Mesopotamian mythology)
Pronunciation: SEEN · siːn
Meaning: moon god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tsukito

Origin: Japanese (uncertain composition)
Meaning: not canonical, but **Tsukimaro** — “moon circle”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings