200+ Cosmic Baby Names Inspired by the Universe

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Astronomy has been naming things since long before anyone kept written records — the sun, the moon, the planets, and the shapes people traced between the stars. Every culture that looked up needed some way to explain what they saw, so they gave it names, usually borrowed from gods, heroes, or ideas worth remembering. Pick a cosmic name for your child and you’re pulling from that same well: a word that once described the universe, now describing a person.

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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 –

Stars and Constellations

Planets, Moons, and Dwarf Worlds

Moon-Inspired Names from Around the World

Sky Gods and Mythological Heavens

The Seven Sisters: Pleiades and Star Cluster Names

Cosmic Phenomena: Novas, Nebulae, and Deep Space

Names That Mean Star, Light, or Heaven

What makes cosmic names so compelling right now isn’t just the trend toward the unusual — it’s that they’re genuinely meaningful. These aren’t invented words with good sounds. Names like Vega, Rigel, and Selene have histories stretching back millennia. They were used by astronomers, mythologists, poets, and parents long before they showed up on a Pinterest board. When you name a child Orion or Lyra, you’re handing them a thread that runs all the way back through human history.

This list covers the full spectrum: star and constellation names with documented use as given names; planets, moons, and dwarf worlds with surprising depth; lunar names from Turkish, Arabic, Sanskrit, Māori, and Armenian traditions; sky deities from Greek, Norse, Hindu, Japanese, and Slavic mythology; the Pleiades and their mythological sisters; cosmic phenomena like novas and nebulae; and dozens of names from across cultures that mean star, light, or heaven. More than 200 names, all real, all with accurate origins.

Whether you’re after something soft and romantic like Lyra or bold and ancient like Hyperion, the universe has more names than you could use in a lifetime. Here are the best of them.

Stars and Constellations

The 88 official constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union have been accumulating names for millennia — Greek, Roman, Arabic, and pre-classical. Many of the brightest stars in those constellations carry Arabic names from the golden age of Islamic astronomy, when Arab scholars were doing the most sophisticated stargazing in the world. This section draws from both traditions.

Orion

Origin: Ancient Greek (etymology uncertain)
Pronunciation: oh-RY-un · oʊˈraɪən
Meaning: uncertain; possibly ‘heaven’s light’ (a speculative Akkadian derivation, not firmly established)
Popularity: #325 and rising (#373 → #325, 2024)

‘Hunter’ isn’t an etymological meaning — it describes the mythological figure, not the word’s origin, which is actually uncertain (a speculative Akkadian ‘heaven’s light’ derivation remains unproven).

Lyra

Origin: Ancient Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: LY-rah · ˈlaɪrə
Meaning: a lyre, the stringed musical instrument
Popularity: #482, holding steady (2024)

Named for the lyre of Orpheus; delicate and musical, rising fast in baby name charts.

Vega

Origin: Arabic (via the star name)
Pronunciation: VAY-gah · ˈveɪgə
Meaning: falling eagle (referring to the star Vega’s Arabic name)
Popularity: #3,944 and falling (#3,470 → #3,944, 2024)

The fifth-brightest star in the sky; sleek, short, and effortlessly cool.

Rigel

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: RYE-jəl · ˈraɪdʒəl
Meaning: the foot of the giant (referring to its position in the constellation Orion)
Popularity: #6,095 and falling (#4,710 → #6,095, 2024)

Orion’s brightest star; uncommon as a given name and all the better for it.

Altair

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: al-TAIR · ælˈtaɪər
Meaning: the flying eagle (referring to the star Alpha Aquilae)
Popularity: #4,063 and rising (#5,938 → #4,063, 2024)

It isn’t the generic word for ‘star’ — it’s Arabic for ‘the flying eagle,’ naming one specific bright star, not stars in general.

Sirius

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: SEER-ee-uhs · ˈsɪriəs
Meaning: the scorching one
Popularity: #2,657 and falling (#2,530 → #2,657, 2024)

The brightest star in the night sky; Harry Potter’s Sirius Black made this familiar without making it common.

Castor

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: KASS-ter · ˈkæstər
Meaning: beaver (mythological Gemini twin’s name)
Popularity: #6,887 and rising (#7,359 → #6,887, 2024)

One of the Gemini twins; sophisticated and underused, with a stately feel.

Pollux

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: PAHL-uks · ˈpɒləks
Meaning: very sweet
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The brighter Gemini twin; genuinely rare as a given name and beautifully symmetrical.

Spica

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SPY-kuh · ˈspaɪkə
Meaning: ear of grain/wheat
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Virgo’s brightest star; rare as a given name, quietly stunning, and agricultural in the best mythological sense.

Deneb

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: DEN-ebb · ˈdɛnɛb
Meaning: tail, specifically ‘the hen’s tail’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Capella

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: kuh-PEL-uh · kəˈpɛlə
Meaning: little she-goat
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Arcturus

Origin: Ancient Greek (via Latin); star name
Pronunciation: ark-TOOR-uhs · ɑːrkˈtjʊərəs
Meaning: guardian of the bear
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The fourth-brightest star in the sky; ancient and grand, nickname Arc for everyday use.

Canopus

Origin: Greek, via Latin (astronomical/mythological name)
Pronunciation: kuh-NOH-pus · kəˈnoʊpəs
Meaning: named for a legendary ship’s pilot in Greek myth; also the name of a bright southern star
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The second-brightest star; nautical-mythological and rare.

Perseus

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: PUR-see-us · ˈpɜːrsiəs
Meaning: uncertain; popularly linked to a Greek root meaning ‘to destroy’ (disputed)
Popularity: #1,290 and rising (#1,469 → #1,290, 2024)

The hero constellation; strong mythological weight, nickname Percy or Perse.

Cygnus

Origin: Latin (from Greek kyknos)
Pronunciation: SIG-nus · ˈsɪɡnəs
Meaning: swan
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Andromeda

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: an-DROM-uh-duh · ænˈdrɒmɪdə
Meaning: ruler of men (Greek mythological name)
Popularity: #2,300 and rising (#2,397 → #2,300, 2024)

The princess constellation and the nearest major galaxy; bold and elaborate, nickname Andy.

Cassiopeia

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: kass-ee-oh-PEE-uh · ˌkæsioʊˈpiːə
Meaning: “she whose words excel” or possibly “cassia tree”
Popularity: #8,523 and falling (#6,464 → #8,523, 2024)

The queen constellation; elaborate but unforgettable, Cassie or Sia for short.

Phoenix

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-niks · ˈfiːnɪks
Meaning: the mythical firebird symbolizing rebirth and renewal
Popularity: #275 and falling (#269 → #275, 2024)

The mythical bird and southern constellation; resilient and powerful, widely usable.

Corvus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KOR-vus · ˈkɔːrvəs
Meaning: crow or raven (also the name of a southern-sky constellation)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Aquila

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: uh-KWIL-uh · əˈkwɪlə
Meaning: eagle
Popularity: #12,246 and falling (#11,274 → #12,246, 2024)

Ara

Origin: Armenian
Pronunciation: AH-rah · ˈɑːrɑː
Meaning: “altar”
Popularity: #3,116 and rising (#3,140 → #3,116, 2024)

A small southern constellation; three letters, cross-cultural, soft and direct.

Mimosa

Origin: scientific Latin (word transfer, not a traditional given name)
Pronunciation: mih-MOH-suh · mɪˈmoʊsə
Meaning: named directly after the mimosa plant/cocktail; the plant’s own name comes from Latin mimus (‘mime, imitator’), describing its leaves’ mimicking movement
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A star in Crux; also a flower name — botanical and astronomical at once, with a playful brightness.

Hadar

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: hah-DAHR · hɑːˈdɑːr
Meaning: splendor, glory
Popularity: #14,180 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A bright star in Centaurus; short, global, and genuinely meaningful.

Electra

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: ih-LEK-trah · ɪˈlɛktrə
Meaning: amber, shining
Popularity: #9,068 and falling (#7,748 → #9,068, 2024)

A star in the Taurus cluster and one of the Pleiades; dramatic and strong.

Regulus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: REG-yoo-lus · ˈrɛɡjʊləs
Meaning: little king
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The brightest star in Leo; regal, short, a lion-hearted choice.

Acrux

Origin: Modern astronomical coinage (Alpha + Latin Crux, “cross”)
Pronunciation: AY-kruhks · ˈeɪkrʌks
Meaning: star name combining ‘Alpha’ (brightest-star designation) with Crux, Latin for ‘cross’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The brightest star in the Southern Cross; unusual and striking.

Achernar

Origin: Arabic (astronomical name)
Pronunciation: AY-ker-nar · ˈeɪkərnɑːr
Meaning: end of the river
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Brightest star in Eridanus; rare, exotic-sounding, and genuinely ancient.

Zubenelgenubi

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: zoo-BEN-el-jeh-NOO-bee · zuːˌbɛnɛldʒəˈnuːbi
Meaning: the southern claw
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A star in Libra; impractical as a full name but “Zuben” as a nickname is genuinely cool and rare.

Algol

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: AL-gol · ˈælɡɒl
Meaning: the ghoul (demon star)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Alioth

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: AL-ee-oth · ˈæliɒθ
Meaning: the fat tail of a sheep
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The brightest star in the Big Dipper’s handle; soft-sounding despite its earthy meaning.

Planets, Moons, and Dwarf Worlds

The solar system has been generating names for thousands of years. The classical planets gave us the days of the week and a gallery of Roman deities. The outer planets, discovered in the telescope age, were named by scientists who reached for mythology and got it right. The moons — hundreds of them — draw from Shakespeare, Homer, and every tradition in between.

Venus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VEE-nus · ˈviːnəs
Meaning: love, charm, desire
Popularity: #1,736 and falling (#1,470 → #1,736, 2024)

Mars

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: MARZ · ˈmɑːrz
Meaning: Roman god of war
Popularity: #1,457 and falling (#1,255 → #1,457, 2024)

The red planet; short and strong, worn by boxers, musicians, and a growing number of babies.

Juno

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: JOO-noh · ˈdʒuːnoʊ
Meaning: queen of the Roman gods (the name’s own root is linguistically uncertain)
Popularity: #1,382 and falling (#1,333 → #1,382, 2024)

A major asteroid and Jupiter’s consort; strong, film-famous, and definitively on the rise.

Ceres

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SEER-eez · ˈsɪəriːz
Meaning: Roman goddess of agriculture and the harvest; the name’s root sense is “to grow, to nourish,” not literally “grain”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The largest asteroid and dwarf planet; serene, ancient, and quietly chic.

Vesta

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VES-tuh · ˈvɛstə
Meaning: goddess of the hearth and home (Roman goddess of domestic life)
Popularity: #17,475 and falling (#12,099 → #17,475, 2024)

A major asteroid and Roman goddess; warm, brief, and mid-century cool without feeling dated.

Pallas

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: PAL-us · ˈpæləs
Meaning: to brandish (a weapon)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

An asteroid and epithet of Athena; warrior-smart and rare.

Rhea

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: REE-uh · ˈriːə
Meaning: name of a Titan mother-goddess in Greek myth; the linguistic root is disputed, possibly linked to words for ‘earth’ or ‘to flow’
Popularity: #616 and falling (#526 → #616, 2024)

A moon of Saturn and a Titan goddess; soft, mythological, and rising fast in the US.

Titan

Origin: Greek (mythological word name)
Pronunciation: TY-tən · ˈtaɪ.tən
Meaning: one of the primordial giant gods of Greek mythology, preceding the Olympians
Popularity: #1,016 and falling (#975 → #1,016, 2024)

Saturn’s largest moon; powerful and elemental, surprisingly usable.

Triton

Origin: Greek (mythological, word origin uncertain, possibly Pre-Greek)
Pronunciation: TRY-tuhn · ˈtraɪtən
Meaning: “of the sea/third”
Popularity: #3,874 and falling (#2,767 → #3,874, 2024)

Neptune’s largest moon and a sea-god; strong maritime mythology attached.

Europa

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: yoo-ROH-puh · jʊˈroʊpə
Meaning: broad-faced, wide-eyed
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Jupiter’s ice-covered ocean moon; mythological and elegant.

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

Jupiter’s volcanic moon and a mythological priestess; tiny, punchy, and beautifully ancient.

Ariel

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: AIR-ee-el · ˈɛriəl
Meaning: lion of God
Popularity: #299 and falling (#287 → #299, 2024)

Oberon

Origin: Old French (from Middle High German)
Pronunciation: OH-ber-on · ˈoʊbərɑːn
Meaning: elf king / fairy king
Popularity: #3,744 and rising (#4,302 → #3,744, 2024)

Uranus’s outermost large moon and the fairy king; Shakespearean and magical.

Titania

Origin: Latin (feminine coinage from Greek ‘Titan’)
Pronunciation: ty-TAY-nee-uh · taɪˈteɪniə
Meaning: feminine form of ‘Titan’ (literally ‘Titaness’); an epithet Ovid used for the goddess Diana, later Shakespeare’s fairy queen
Popularity: #8,361 as of 2020 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Uranus’s largest moon and the fairy queen; theatrical and grand.

Miranda

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: mi-RAN-duh · mɪˈrændə
Meaning: one worthy of being admired
Popularity: #622 and falling (#575 → #622, 2024)

A moon of Uranus from Shakespeare’s The Tempest; steady, classic, and more celestial than most people realize.

Callisto

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-LIS-toh · kəˈlɪs.toʊ
Meaning: most beautiful (superlative of Greek ‘kalos, ‘ beautiful)
Popularity: #12,592 and falling (#9,112 → #12,592, 2024)

A moon of Jupiter and a nymph turned into a bear by Zeus; graceful and mythologically rich.

Ganymede

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: GAN-i-meed · ˈɡænɪmiːd
Meaning: rejoicing in thought / gladdening the mind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Jupiter’s largest moon; beautiful, mythological, the divine cupbearer of the gods.

Charon

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: KAIR-on · ˈkɛərɒn
Meaning: possibly “keen-gazed” or “fierce-eyed” (uncertain)
Popularity: #12,470 as of 2013 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pluto’s largest moon; dark and poetic, the ferryman of souls.

Nix

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: NIKS · nɪks
Meaning: Night
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Eris

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ERR-is · ˈɛrɪs
Meaning: strife, discord
Popularity: #1,650 and falling (#1,585 → #1,650, 2024)

The dwarf planet that sparked the planet debate; mythologically rich and delightfully contrarian as a name.

Haumea

Origin: Hawaiian
Pronunciation: how-MAY-uh · haʊˈmeɪə
Meaning: red ruler
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A dwarf planet; warm, cultural, deeply meaningful for a new parent.

Makemake

Origin: Rapa Nui
Pronunciation: MAH-kay-MAH-kay · ˌmɑːkeɪˈmɑːkeɪ
Meaning: creator god of humanity
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A dwarf planet; unique and cross-cultural, a rare global name with genuine indigenous roots.

Elara

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

A moon of Jupiter named after a mythological nymph; elegant and quietly rising.

Puck

Origin: Old English (via Middle English pouke)
Pronunciation: PUK · ˈpʌk
Meaning: a mischievous goblin or nature spirit
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A small moon of Uranus and Shakespeare’s trickster in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; playful and literary.

Deimos

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: DAY-moss · ˈdeɪmɒs
Meaning: dread, terror
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A moon of Mars; intense and mythological, twin of Phobos — bold choice.

Phobos

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: FOH-bos · ˈfoʊbɒs
Meaning: fear, panic (personified as a minor war god)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Naiad

Origin: Greek (mythology)
Pronunciation: NYE-ad · ˈnaɪæd
Meaning: a water nymph presiding over springs, rivers, and fountains in Greek myth
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A small moon of Neptune; soft, aquatic, and almost unknown as a given name.

Thalassa

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: thuh-LASS-uh · θəˈlæsə
Meaning: sea
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A moon of Neptune; flowing and oceanic, feels both ancient and fresh.

Proteus

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: PROH-tee-əs · ˈproʊtiəs
Meaning: first
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A moon of Neptune; the shape-shifting sea-god, adaptable and ancient.

Larissa

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: luh-RISS-ah · ləˈrɪsə
Meaning: citadel, fortress (from a Greek place name), or possibly named after a mythological nymph of the same name
Popularity: #1,615 and falling (#1,478 → #1,615, 2024)

A moon of Neptune, also a city in Greece; familiar as a given name and quietly celestial.

Moon-Inspired Names from Around the World

The moon has more names and personifications than any other celestial body — every culture on earth looked up at the same light and gave it a different sound. This section collects the most nameable of them, from the Greek Selene to the Finnish Kuu, with stops across Arabic, Sanskrit, Māori, Turkish, Armenian, and Swahili traditions.

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)

Phoebe

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

A Titan associated with the moon; beloved, literary, nickname-proof, and consistently strong.

Artemis

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

The huntress moon goddess; fierce, rising fast, and carrying centuries of fierce-feminine mythology.

Diana

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

That describes what the goddess Diana presided over, not the literal meaning of the name — the name itself comes from Latin divus/dius, meaning ‘divine’ or ‘heavenly.’

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; vintage cool that is genuinely making a comeback.

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)

The ancient Titan whose daughter was Selene; rare and powerful, the primordial source.

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

The goddess of the crossroads associated with the moon and magic; dark, mystical, and decidedly bold.

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.

Chandra

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

Tsuki

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

Aylin

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

An extremely popular Turkish name; lyrical and luminous.

Ayla

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

From the Turkish “ay” (moon) with a suffix; soft, rising in the US and Europe.

Qamar

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

Used across the Arab world as both a given name and surname; short and luminous, gender-flexible.

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)

Mayar

Origin: Arabic (modern given name)
Pronunciation: mah-YAR · məˈjɑːr
Meaning: “brightness of the full moon”
Popularity: #2,489 and rising (#2,635 → #2,489, 2024)

A softer Arabic feminine name with a precise lunar meaning; rare in Western naming.

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)

East African in origin; melodic, radiant, and completely distinctive in Western naming pools.

Marama

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

Lusine

Origin: Armenian
Pronunciation: loo-see-NEH · lusiˈnɛ
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #10,721 and rising (#16,644 → #10,721, 2024)

Kuu

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

Indu

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

Luan

Origin: Albanian
Pronunciation: loo-AHN · luːˈɑːn
Meaning: lion
Popularity: #1,563 and rising (#1,794 → #1,563, 2024)

Luan is an established Albanian name meaning lion; claims that it means moon or moonlight stem from folk etymology linking it to Portuguese lua.

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

Zira

Origin: Tumbuka, Malawi
Pronunciation: ZEE-ruh · ˈziːrə
Meaning: “moonlight”
Popularity: #8,915 and falling (#5,743 → #8,915, 2024)

Tsukiko

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

A compound Japanese name; evocative and rare in the West, meaning exactly what it says.

Aine

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

An Irish goddess associated with the moon and sun; short, flowing, one of the most beautiful Irish names.

Cilla

Origin: Latin (pet form of Priscilla)
Pronunciation: SIL-uh · ˈsɪlə
Meaning: ancient, venerable (inherited from Priscilla, ultimately from Latin priscus)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Hilal

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

Rayyan

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: ray-YAHN · raɪˈjɑːn
Meaning: well-watered, lush, or free of thirst
Popularity: #1,320 and falling (#1,305 → #1,320, 2024)

Sky Gods and Mythological Heavens

Long before telescopes, humans mapped the sky through mythology. Sky deities appear in every culture — Greek Titans who held up the heavens, Vedic gods who governed rain and thunder, Norse personifications of celestial phenomena, Japanese kami of storms. The names in this section come from all of those traditions. Many are unused in modern Western naming, which makes them feel both ancient and newly available.

Atlas

Origin: Greek (possibly pre-Greek substrate)
Pronunciation: AT-luss · ˈætləs
Meaning: possibly ‘the enduring one’ (disputed, may be pre-Greek with no recoverable meaning)
Popularity: #101 and rising (#111 → #101, 2024)

The Titan condemned to hold up the sky; strong and widely recognized, with genuine mythological depth.

Helios

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: HEE-lee-os · ˈhiːlioʊs
Meaning: the sun
Popularity: #2,881 and rising (#3,138 → #2,881, 2024)

The god who drove the solar chariot; bold, bright, and rising in Greek-influenced naming.

Apollo

Origin: Ancient Greek (theonym, etymology disputed)
Pronunciation: uh-PAH-loh · əˈpɑːloʊ
Meaning: origin disputed, possibly “destroyer” or “assembly”
Popularity: #414 and rising (#434 → #414, 2024)

God of the sun, music, and prophecy; classic cool that transcends any one era.

Sol

Origin: Spanish/Latin (‘sun’), or a short form of Solomon (Hebrew)
Pronunciation: SOHL · ˈsoʊl
Meaning: sun; also used as a short form of Solomon
Popularity: #819 and rising (#892 → #819, 2024)

Eos

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EE-os · ˈiːɒs
Meaning: dawn
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Aurora

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: uh-ROR-uh · əˈrɔːrə
Meaning: dawn (name of the Roman goddess of the dawn)
Popularity: #16 and rising (#22 → #16, 2024)

Nyx

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: NIKS · nɪks
Meaning: night (personified as the primordial goddess of night)
Popularity: #2,704 and falling (#2,693 → #2,704, 2024)

Aether

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EE-ther · ˈiːθər
Meaning: the bright upper sky/air, personified as a primordial Greek god of light
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Hemera

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: HEM-er-uh · ˈhɛmərə
Meaning: day
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Hyperion

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: hy-PEER-ee-uhn · haɪˈpɪəriən
Meaning: the one who goes above; the high one
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Coeus

Origin: Greek (mythological)
Pronunciation: SEE-us · ˈsiːəs
Meaning: linked to inquiry or intellect (exact root uncertain)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Titan god of intellect and the north sky; unusual and intellectual, a name for curious kids.

Erebus

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EHR-eh-bus · ˈɛrɪbəs
Meaning: deep darkness or shadow
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The primordial deity of darkness; poetic and dramatic, for parents comfortable with the night.

Indra

Origin: Sanskrit; also Latvian (independent usage)
Pronunciation: IN-drah · ˈɪndrə
Meaning: name of the Vedic/Hindu god of rain, thunder, and war; used independently as a feminine given name in Latvia
Popularity: #5,736 and rising (#7,059 → #5,736, 2024)

Vedic king of the gods, ruler of the sky and thunder; strong, Pan-Asian, widely used across South and Southeast Asia.

Varuna

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: vuh-ROO-nuh · ʋɐˈrʊ.ɳɐ
Meaning: the Vedic god of the sky, water, and cosmic order
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Thor

Origin: Scandinavian
Pronunciation: THOR · ˈθɔːr
Meaning: thunder
Popularity: #2,820 and falling (#2,094 → #2,820, 2024)

Taranis

Origin: Gaulish (Celtic)
Pronunciation: TAR-uh-niss · ˈtærənɪs
Meaning: thunder god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Celtic thunder god; rare, ancient, and carrying genuine Iron Age mythology.

Raijin

Origin: Japanese (Sino-Japanese)
Pronunciation: RYE-jeen · ɾaɪdʑiɴ
Meaning: thunder god (rai ‘thunder’ + jin ‘god/spirit’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Japanese kami of thunder, lightning, and storms; striking and rare outside Japan.

Perun

Origin: Proto-Slavic
Pronunciation: peh-ROON · pɛˈrun
Meaning: name of the Slavic thunder god, likely rooted in a word for ‘to strike’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Slavic god of thunder and sky; unusual and ancient, with a strong Slavic-diaspora tradition.

Ukko

Origin: Finnish
Pronunciation: OOK-koh · ˈukːo
Meaning: old man
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Finnish sky god; quirky, distinctive, and deeply Finnish.

Anubis

Origin: Ancient Egyptian (via Greek Ἄνουβις)
Pronunciation: uh-NOO-bis · əˈnuːbɪs
Meaning: “royal child/to decay”
Popularity: #4,881 and falling (#3,006 → #4,881, 2024)

Nut

Origin: Ancient Egyptian
Pronunciation: NOOT · nuːt
Meaning: sky
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Shu

Origin: Chinese (romanization of several unrelated characters/surnames); unrelated Egyptian god name
Pronunciation: SHOO · ˈʃuː
Meaning: “air/dryness”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Egyptian god of air between earth and sky; minimal and cross-cultural.

Caelus

Origin: Latin (Roman mythology)
Pronunciation: SEE-lus · ˈsiːləs
Meaning: sky, heaven
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Roman primordial sky deity; rare and stately.

Ouranos

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: oo-RAH-nohs · uːˈrɑːnɒs
Meaning: sky, heaven
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Enlil

Origin: Sumerian
Pronunciation: EN-lil · ˈɛnlɪl
Meaning: lord of the wind/air
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Anu

Origin: Akkadian/Sumerian (mythological)
Pronunciation: AH-noo · ˈɑːnuː
Meaning: the Mesopotamian sky-god
Popularity: #8,336 and falling (#5,259 → #8,336, 2024)

Anahita

Origin: Old Persian/Zoroastrian
Pronunciation: ah-nah-HEE-tah · ˌɑːnɑːˈhiːtɑː
Meaning: goddess of the waters, also linked to fertility, healing, and wisdom
Popularity: #7,973 and falling (#7,264 → #7,973, 2024)

Tian

Origin: Chinese (Mandarin)
Pronunciation: TYEN
Meaning: heaven, sky
Popularity: #4,398 and falling (#4,202 → #4,398, 2024)

Fujin

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: FOO-jin · ˈfuːdʒɪn
Meaning: wind god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Zorya

Origin: Slavic (mythological)
Pronunciation: ZOR-yuh · ˈzɔːrjə
Meaning: dawn
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

She’s often pictured as a single dawn goddess, but Slavic folklore usually describes Zorya as sister guardian figures of the morning and evening star, not one lone deity.

The Seven Sisters: Pleiades and Star Cluster Names

The Pleiades are one of the most famous star clusters in the sky — visible to the naked eye, navigated by for millennia, and woven into mythology across cultures that had no contact with each other. The Greeks named them after Atlas’s seven daughters: Alcyone, Maia, Electra, Taygete, Merope, Celaeno, and Asterope. Their mother was Pleione. These are among the most poetic name sources in all of astronomy.

Alcyone

Origin: Ancient Greek (the underlying word is itself of pre-Greek/uncertain origin)
Pronunciation: al-SY-uh-nee · ælˈsaɪəni
Meaning: kingfisher; name of a Pleiad and of a mythological queen turned into a kingfisher
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Maia

Origin: Greek/Roman (mythological); also Māori
Pronunciation: MY-ah · ˈmaɪə
Meaning: refers to the mythological Maia — mother of Hermes in Greek myth, and a Roman goddess of springtime growth (source of the month name ‘May’); also used independently as a Māori name meaning ‘brave, confident’
Popularity: #459, holding steady (2024)

Eldest of the Pleiades and mother of Hermes; soft, popular, and completely beautiful.

Merope

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: meh-ROH-pee · məˈroʊpi
Meaning: uncertain; possibly ‘bee-eater’ or a compound roughly meaning ‘eloquent/mortal-voiced’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the Pleiades who hid her face in shame for marrying a mortal; unusual and literary.

Taygete

Origin: Ancient Greek (possibly linked to Mount Taygetus)
Pronunciation: tay-IJ-ih-tee · teɪˈɪdʒɪti
Meaning: “long-necked”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Pleiad and a nymph of Sparta; rare and mythological, Tay as a nickname.

Celaeno

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: seh-LEE-noh · sɪˈliːnoʊ
Meaning: dark, black
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the Pleiades; dark and distinctive, the contrast between its meaning and the star’s beauty is quietly interesting.

Asterope

Origin: Greek (mythological)
Pronunciation: uh-STEHR-uh-pee · əˈstɛrəpi
Meaning: star-faced, sometimes linked instead to ‘lightning flash’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Pleiad — the faintest of the seven; unusual and beautiful, Aster for short.

Sterope

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: STEHR-uh-pee · ˈstɛrəpi
Meaning: uncertain; possibly ‘lightning flash’ or ‘star-faced’ (variant of Asterope)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The alternate spelling used in some traditions; slightly softer than Asterope.

Pleione

Origin: Greek (mythological)
Pronunciation: plee-OH-nee
Meaning: disputed; traditionally linked to a Greek word for ‘to sail’ as patroness of sailors, though some classicists think the name is a back-formation from ‘Pleiades’ rather than its source
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mother of the Pleiades; rare and mythological, one of those names that parents who know their mythology will recognize immediately.

Hyades

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: HY-uh-deez · ˈhaɪədiːz
Meaning: the rainy ones (possibly)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The ‘rain bringers’ translation is a leading but not fully settled hypothesis — ancient sources also debated a competing derivation from Greek hys (‘pig’), and etymologists aren’t unanimous.

Ambrosia

Origin: Greek (via Latin/Spanish)
Pronunciation: am-BROH-zhuh · æmˈbroʊʒə
Meaning: food of the gods; the immortal one
Popularity: #11,131 and falling (#6,946 → #11,131, 2024)

One of the Hyades; lush, elaborate, and completely unexpected as a given name.

Eudora

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: yoo-DOR-ah · juːˈdɔːrə
Meaning: good gift
Popularity: #8,073 and falling (#5,607 → #8,073, 2024)

The literal roots are eu (‘good’) + dōron (‘gift’), so ‘beautiful gift’ overstates it; ‘good gift’ is the more accurate rendering.

Coronis

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-ROH-nis · kəˈroʊnɪs
Meaning: linked to the Greek word for ‘crow’ (korōnē); the same Greek root can also denote a curved mark or garland/finishing-flourish in manuscripts
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the Hyades and also a companion of Athena; dark and literary.

Polyxo

Origin: Greek (mythological name, exact derivation unattested)
Pronunciation: poh-LIK-soh · pəˈlɪk.soʊ
Meaning: “many voices”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the Hyades; unusual and powerful-sounding.

Calypso

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-LIP-soh · kəˈlɪpsoʊ
Meaning: she who conceals
Popularity: #3,966 and rising (#4,063 → #3,966, 2024)

A nymph in the Odyssey and a small moon of Saturn; musical and mythological.

Oenone

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: ee-NOH-nee · iːˈnoʊni
Meaning: generally connected to the Greek word for wine (oinos); the fuller translation isn’t firmly established
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Daphne

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: DAF-nee · ˈdæfni
Meaning: laurel tree
Popularity: #192 and rising (#241 → #192, 2024)

Nausicaa

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: naw-SIK-ee-uh · nɔːˈsɪkiə
Meaning: possibly ‘burner of ships’ (uncertain)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Phaeacian princess in the Odyssey; elaborate, literary, and completely distinctive.

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

Mother of Dionysus and a sky-touched figure; short and mythologically rich.

Niobe

Origin: Ancient Greek (mythological name, root obscure)
Pronunciation: NY-oh-bee · ˈnaɪ.əbi
Meaning: “fern/snowy”
Popularity: #13,083 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Galatea

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: gal-uh-TEE-uh · ˌɡæləˈtiːə
Meaning: milk-white
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Arethusa

Origin: Greek (mythological name, precise root uncertain)
Pronunciation: air-uh-THOO-zuh · ˌærəˈθjuːzə
Meaning: popularly glossed as ‘swift water,’ fitting her myth as a spring nymph, though the exact root isn’t confirmed
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A naiad who became a freshwater spring; elaborate, rare, and beautifully liquid-sounding.

Acantha

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ah-KAN-thuh · əˈkænθə
Meaning: thorn, spine
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A nymph associated with Apollo; unusual and sharp, for a child with edge.

Amalthea

Origin: Greek (mythological)
Pronunciation: am-al-THEE-uh · æməlˈθiːə
Meaning: tender goddess (traditional gloss)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The goat-nymph who nursed Zeus and a moon of Jupiter; warm, mythological, and very rare.

Castalia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-STAY-lee-uh · kəˈsteɪliə
Meaning: “pure/clean”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A nymph of the prophetic spring at Delphi; flowing and oracular.

Cosmic Phenomena: Novas, Nebulae, and Deep Space

Beyond named stars and planets lies the vocabulary of phenomena — the events and structures that astronomers have been cataloguing for centuries. Nova, nebula, zenith, solstice: these are words that already live in common English, which makes them approachable as names while retaining their astronomical specificity.

Nova

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: NOH-vah · ˈnoʊvə
Meaning: new
Popularity: #39 and falling (#35 → #39, 2024)

The name itself just means ‘new’ (Latin novus/nova); the ‘star’ sense is borrowed from the unrelated astronomical term ‘nova,’ not the given name’s etymology.

Nebula

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: NEB-yuh-luh · ˈnɛbjʊlə
Meaning: mist, cloud, or vapor (also: an interstellar cloud of gas and dust)
Popularity: #6,308 and rising (#7,158 → #6,308, 2024)

Zenith

Origin: English word name (ultimately Arabic, via Old Spanish/Medieval Latin)
Pronunciation: ZEE-nith · ˈziː.nɪθ
Meaning: the highest point; peak
Popularity: #2,906 and rising (#3,289 → #2,906, 2024)

Solstice

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SOL-stiss · ˈsɒlstɪs
Meaning: the sun standing still (astronomical solstice)
Popularity: #6,870 and rising (#7,199 → #6,870, 2024)

The longest or shortest day of the year; seasonal and poetic, a standout word name.

Eclipse

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: eh-KLIPS · ɪˈklɪps
Meaning: a failing to appear, abandonment
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The celestial alignment that hides one body behind another; dramatic and striking as a name.

Comet

Origin: Greek (via Latin cometa)
Pronunciation: KOM-it · ˈkɒmɪt
Meaning: ‘long-haired star’ — a celestial body with a glowing tail
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Named for the tail that streams behind it; whimsical and evocative, surprisingly gentle-sounding.

Halo

Origin: Greek (via the English word ‘halo’)
Pronunciation: HAY-loh · ˈheɪloʊ
Meaning: a ring or circle of light, as around the sun, moon, or a sacred figure
Popularity: #512 and rising (#564 → #512, 2024)

The ring of light that appears around the sun or moon; radiant and rare.

Aura

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: OR-ah · ˈɔːrə
Meaning: breeze
Popularity: #872 and rising (#954 → #872, 2024)

Also used in astronomy for a luminous field; soft, luminous, and perfectly wearable.

Zephyr

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ZEF-er · ˈzɛfər
Meaning: the west wind
Popularity: #1,133 and falling (#1,121 → #1,133, 2024)

Nimbus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: NIM-bus · ˈnɪmbəs
Meaning: a rain cloud; also a luminous halo of light
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The luminous cloud around a celestial body; ethereal and rare, known mostly from meteorology and sacred art.

Solaris

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: so-LAHR-iss · səˈlɑːrɪs
Meaning: of the sun, solar
Popularity: #7,880 and falling (#7,587 → #7,880, 2024)

The solar adjective; used in Tarkovsky’s film and now cosmically cool.

Cosmos

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: KOZ-mohs · ˈkɒzmɒs
Meaning: order, universe
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The entire organized universe; bold as a given name, worn by Carl Sagan’s book and a generation of science-curious parents.

Quasar

Origin: English (modern coinage, contraction)
Pronunciation: KWAY-zar · ˈkweɪzɑːr
Meaning: quasi-stellar (radio) source, coined for a star-like, extremely luminous distant object
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

An extremely luminous galactic nucleus; bold and sci-fi cool, genuinely distinctive.

Umbra

Origin: Latin (word used as a modern name)
Pronunciation: UM-bruh · ˈʌmbrə
Meaning: shadow
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Penumbra

Origin: Latin (modern scientific coinage)
Pronunciation: pih-NUM-bruh · pɪˈnʌmbrə
Meaning: almost a shadow
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Meridian

Origin: Latin (English word name)
Pronunciation: muh-RID-ee-un · məˈrɪdiən
Meaning: “of midday/south”
Popularity: #9,982 and falling (#7,913 → #9,982, 2024)

The celestial line passing through the poles; classic and rare, with a navigational weight.

Nadir

Origin: Arabic (disputed root)
Pronunciation: nah-DEER · nɑːˈdɪr
Meaning: rare, exceptional
Popularity: #4,814 and rising (#5,002 → #4,814, 2024)

The point directly below the observer; unusual, meaningful, and phonetically strong.

Apogee

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: AP-uh-jee · ˈæpədʒi
Meaning: away from the earth
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The farthest point of an orbit; unique and poetic, the name for a child who always reaches the outer edge.

Vortex

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VOR-teks · ˈvɔːrtɛks
Meaning: whirlpool, a turning/swirling motion
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A spinning mass of fluid or air; dynamic and vivid, a name with kinetic energy.

Pulsar

Origin: English (modern coinage)
Pronunciation: PUL-sar · ˈpʌlsɑːr
Meaning: pulsating star (a blend of ‘pulsating’ and ‘star’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A rapidly spinning neutron star emitting regular pulses; energetic and unusual.

Radiant

Origin: Latin (via Old French/Middle English)
Pronunciation: RAY-dee-unt · ˈɹeɪdiənt
Meaning: shining, giving off rays of light
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

In astronomy, the point from which a meteor shower appears to originate; luminous and aspirational.

Lyrid

Origin: Greek/English (from the constellation Lyra)
Pronunciation: LY-rid
Meaning: of or belonging to the constellation Lyra
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Perseid

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: PUR-see-id · ˈpɜːrsiɪd
Meaning: descendant of Perseus (root of the term later applied to the August meteor shower)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The summer meteor shower; the most famous shower, for children born in August.

Flare

Origin: English (modern word-name)
Pronunciation: FLAIR · flɛər
Meaning: a sudden burst of light or flame (word-name)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A sudden burst of radiation from the sun; dynamic, short, and vivid as a name.

Names That Mean Star, Light, or Heaven

Not everyone wants to hand their child a technical astronomical term. These names come from across the world’s languages and traditions, and they carry the same celestial meaning in a more wearable form — names that mean star, light, heaven, or radiance in Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, and Celtic traditions.

Stella

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: STEL-ah · ˈstɛlə
Meaning: star
Popularity: #49 and falling (#46 → #49, 2024)

Estelle

Origin: Occitan (ultimately from Latin stella)
Pronunciation: es-TEL · ɛˈstɛl
Meaning: star
Popularity: #636 and rising (#710 → #636, 2024)

The French form of Stella; vintage and elegant, Estie as a nickname.

Esther

Origin: Hebrew (Biblical), root disputed
Pronunciation: ES-ter · ˈɛstər
Meaning: star
Popularity: #131 and rising (#138 → #131, 2024)

Aster

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: AS-ter · ˈæstər
Meaning: star (namesake of the star-shaped flower)
Popularity: #2,745 and rising (#3,281 → #2,745, 2024)

Astra

Origin: Latin/Greek
Pronunciation: AS-truh · ˈæstrə
Meaning: star
Popularity: #3,167 and falling (#2,936 → #3,167, 2024)

The Latin-Greek plural becoming a name; sleek, global, and less common than Stella.

Astrid

Origin: Old Norse / Scandinavian
Pronunciation: AS-trid · ˈæstrɪd
Meaning: divinely beautiful (popularly also glossed ‘divine strength’)
Popularity: #383 and rising (#399 → #383, 2024)

From Old Norse “áss” (god) + “fríðr” (beautiful); Scandinavian, strong, and carries a quiet celestial authority.

Sidra

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: SIHD-ruh · ˈsɪdrə
Meaning: From the Arabic word for the lote tree, referencing ‘Sidrat al-Muntaha,’ the tree marking the boundary of paradise in Islamic tradition
Popularity: #1,641 and rising (#1,721 → #1,641, 2024)

From Latin “sidus” (star) or Arabic sacred tree; multi-cultural and evocative.

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.

Sitara

Origin: Persian/Urdu
Pronunciation: sih-TAR-ah · sɪˈtɑːrə
Meaning: star
Popularity: #2,733 and falling (#2,410 → #2,733, 2024)

Najma

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: NAHJ-mah · ˈnɑːdʒmə
Meaning: star
Popularity: #6,305 and falling (#4,955 → #6,305, 2024)

Zuhra

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: ZOO-hrah
Meaning: brightness, radiance; the Arabic name for the planet Venus
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Arabic name for the planet Venus and a word for brightness; luminous and rare.

Hesper

Origin: Greek (from Hesperus, the evening star)
Pronunciation: HESS-per · ˈhɛspər
Meaning: evening star
Popularity: #16,133 and falling (#6,524 → #16,133, 2024)

Vesper

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VES-per · ˈvɛspər
Meaning: evening; the evening star (the planet Venus at dusk)
Popularity: #2,789 and falling (#2,265 → #2,789, 2024)

Astraea

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: uh-STREE-uh · əˈstriːə
Meaning: starry one, linked to the Greek goddess of stars and justice
Popularity: #2,096 and rising (#2,157 → #2,096, 2024)

The goddess of justice who became the Virgo constellation; beautiful and mythological.

Celeste

Origin: Latin (via French)
Pronunciation: suh-LEST · səˈlɛst
Meaning: heavenly
Popularity: #198 and rising (#275 → #198, 2024)

One of the most beautiful sky names; soft, classic, and floating.

Celestine

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SEL-es-teen · ˈsɛləstiːn
Meaning: heavenly, of the sky
Popularity: #3,968 and rising (#4,896 → #3,968, 2024)

The French form; elegant, vintage, Celly as a nickname.

Caelum

Origin: Latin (constellation name)
Pronunciation: SEE-lum · ˈsiːləm
Meaning: named for a southern constellation representing an engraver’s chisel, from a Latin word ‘caelum’ meaning ‘chisel’ — a different word from the more common caelum meaning ‘sky/heaven’
Popularity: #2,026 and rising (#2,275 → #2,026, 2024)

As the constellation name, Caelum actually derives from a different Latin word meaning ‘chisel’ (an engraving tool), not the common word for ‘sky/heaven’ — a coincidental look-alike.

Nour

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

Lior

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: LEE-or · ˈliːɔːr
Meaning: my light
Popularity: #2,427 and falling (#2,333 → #2,427, 2024)

Zohar

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: ZOH-hahr · ˈzoʊhɑːr
Meaning: splendor, radiance
Popularity: #10,880 and rising (#14,192 → #10,880, 2024)

The mystical text and a Hebrew name for radiance; beautiful and rare outside Jewish traditions.

Luciana

Origin: Italian (feminine of Lucius)
Pronunciation: loo-see-AH-nuh · luːsiˈɑːnə
Meaning: light
Popularity: #291 and rising (#329 → #291, 2024)

Lux

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LUKS · ˈlʌks
Meaning: light
Popularity: #1,223 and falling (#1,153 → #1,223, 2024)

Lumina

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: loo-MEE-nah · luːˈmiːnə
Meaning: light, or ‘lights’ — the plural of Latin lumen
Popularity: #4,719 and falling (#4,517 → #4,719, 2024)

Zarya

Origin: Russian/Slavic
Pronunciation: ZAHR-yə · ˈzɑːrjə
Meaning: dawn, sunrise glow
Popularity: #4,647 and falling (#3,831 → #4,647, 2024)

The Russian word for dawn used as a name; soft and Slavic.

Seraphina

Origin: Late Latin (name of early Christian martyrs), from biblical Hebrew seraphim
Pronunciation: sair-ah-FEE-nah · ˌsɛrəˈfiːnə
Meaning: of the seraphim, a class of biblical angels
Popularity: #778 and rising (#971 → #778, 2024)