100 magical, moon-inspired baby names (Boys & Girls)

Check out these 50 lunar-inspired names for boys that mean moon.

1. Aadhira

Aadhira means moon in Hindi.

Although listed as a Hindi boy’s name, Aadhira is also used in some parts of the world as a girl’s name and is found in Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.

2. Abylay

Abylay is a Kazakh name meaning father of the moon.

Kazakh names come from the region that is now known as Kazakhstan. With one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, the name may be suitable for those who want their child’s name to reflect a diverse family heritage.

3. Aegaeon

Aegaeon means stormy one or goatish in Greek.

Aegaeon is one of Saturn’s moons. In Greek mythology, Briareus is one of three Hecatoncheires, extraordinarily strong giants with 50 heads and 1000 arms. Briareus is the name the gods use for him, and mortals call him Aegaeon.

4. Agharna

In Sanskrit, Agharna means the moon.

Agharna does not make the lists of names published by the U.S. Social Security Administration, which means it is used for less than five boys every year.

5. Aibek

Aibek is a Kyrgyz name that means moon master or moon chieftain.

The name Aibek can trace its roots to two Turkic words ay, meaning moon, and beg, which is an honorific title given to chiefs of esteemed linages.

6. Anningan

In Greenlandic, the name is spelled Aningâĸ and means big brother of a girl.

Annigan is the moon in Inuit mythology, and his sister, Malina, is the sun. Annigan chases his sister across the sky, where she carries a bright torch, and he holds a less bright one. When he catches her, an eclipse occurs.

7. Apollo

The NASA Apollo Program was responsible for the first moon landings.

Apollo was the god of art, beauty, law, medicine, music, prophecy, and wisdom in Greek mythology. This makes it a good choice for parents looking for a “moon” name and those from a variety of professions.

8. Arche

Arche is the name of Jupiter moon number 71.

In Ancient Greek philosophy, Arche was something from which all things originate and to which they will all return. The Ancient Greek philosophers also credited Arche with divine qualities.

9. Aytaç

Aytaç is a Turkish name meaning moon and crown.

Aytaç is not only a masculine first name in Turkey; it is also a feminine forename and a family name.

10. Ayberk

Another Turkish name for the list, Ayberk, means high moon.

Many sites say that Ayberk means lightning-like brightness of the moon. However, this meaning comes from the literal translation of “berk” as being lightning, strong, or leaf and imposing some of these translations literally.

 

11. Bahloo

In the mythology of some Australian Aboriginal people, Bahloo is moon man.

In one myth, Yhi, the sun, made advances to Bahloo, but he refused her, and that’s why the sun is always chasing the moon across the sky. In other myths, Bahloo sometimes walks the earth with his three “pet” snakes.

12. Badru

Of disputed origin, Badru means either full moon or born during the full moon.

Badru is said by some to be an Egyptian name meaning born during the full moon. However, it’s more likely to be related to the name Badri, which is the Georgian version of the Arabic بدر, pronounced Badr, meaning full moon.

13. Caliban

Caliban is a name created by Shakespeare from the Spanish word canibal, meaning cannibal.

Caliban is the son of the witch Sycorax in William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest.” It is also the name of a moon orbiting Uranus and a Marvel character.

14. Chan

Chan is a Khmer name taken to mean moon.

Written as ចន្ទ, the name has a literal translation of Monday, making it an excellent choice for children born on the first day of the week. ចន្ទ also means four in welish boy name, so it’s a good moon name for a fourth child.

15. Chandra

Chandra is a transcription of चण्ड, a Hindu name meaning moon.

The NASA X-Ray Observatory is named in honor of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who was commonly known as Chandra. He won the 1983 Nobel Prize for Physics and is regarded as one of the 20th century’s foremost astrophysicists.

16. Chandrakant

Chandrakant is derived from Sanskrit and means beloved by the moon.

In many languages, chandrakant mani is the name for moonstone, which also happens to be the birthstone for June. Therefore, we think it’s an excellent moon name for babies born in that month.

17. Dal

Dal is a Korean name meaning moon.

Dal is also the term used on the Indian Subcontinent for dried split pulses and for a variety of soups prepared from those same pulses.

18. Dawa

Dawa is a Tibetan name that means moon or month.

A gender-neutral name in both Tibetan culture, Dawa is most often given to children born on a Monday. It is also used by other Himalayan people, such as the Sikkimese of Northeast India, the Ladakhis, and the Bhutanese.

19. Deimos

An Ancient Greek name, Deimos, means terror.

In Roman mythology, Mars was the god of war, and the Ancient Greek equivalent was Ares, who had twin sons, Deimos and Phobos. When two moons were discovered orbiting the planet Mars, they were given the names of Ares’ sons.

20. Ehann

Ehann is an Arabic name meaning full bright moon.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration data for names, eight boys were given the name Ehann in the U.S. in 2018.

 

21. Elatha

Elatha may have been a moon god in Irish Mythology.

In ancient Irish mythology, Elatha was a king of the Fomorians, a supernatural race, often depicted as hostile. The imagery used for Elatha suggests he may have once been viewed as a moon god. In any case, it has a lyrical, beautiful sound to it.

22. Getsumei

A Japanese name, Getsumei, means moonlight.

As with many other Japanese names, the meaning of this name depends on the kanji or kanji combinations used. In this case, it is 月明 which combines getsu, or 月, meaning moon and mei, or 明, meaning bright, clear.

23. Günay

Günay comes from the Turkish elements ay, meaning moon and gün, meaning sun.

A gender-neutral forename and a surname, Günay refers to the moon, specifically when you see it during the daytime.

24. Halo

A modern English name that comes from the word halo.

The English word halo refers to a glowing circle of light, either in a disc or ring form. This comes from the Ancient Greek hálōs, which means disc of the sun or moon.

25. Hilal

Hilal means crescent moon in Arabic.

Hilal is most often used as a masculine name in Arabic and a feminine name in Turkish. It also refers to the new moon on the Islamic calendar.

26. Iah

In Ancient Egyptian and Coptic Egyptian, Iah means moon.

The Ancient Egyptian god Iah evolved into Iah-Djehuty or god of the new moon. In this form, he was considered the lunar aspect of the deity Thorth, who was the god of magic, writing, wisdom, and the moon.

27. Ihan

Ihan is an Arabic name meaning full moon.

It is the name of a settlement in Slovenia, where it is known as the location of the largest pig farm in the country.

28. Isildur

Isildur is a name created by J.R.R. Tolkien, meaning devoted to the moon.

In the novel, The Lord of the Rings, Isildur became the King of Gondor, cut The Ring from the hand of Sauron, and claimed it for himself.

29. Jericho

Jericho may come from the Hebrew yareah, which means moon.

The theory that Jericho comes from yareah is supported by the fact that Jericho was the center of worship for the Canaanite moon god, Yarikh.

30. Kuu

Kuu is a Finnish name meaning moon.

A gender-neutral name, Kuu is not often used as a forename and is found most frequently as a middle name.

 

31. Linus

Linus comes from the Greek word linos which means flax.

An asteroid called 22 Kaliope can be found in the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. This asteroid is orbited by a moon named Linus. Linus is a name familiar to U.S. audiences because of Linus van Pelt, Charlie Brown’s friend.

32. Loge

Loge was a fire or sunny name giant in Norse mythology.

One of Saturn’s moons is called Loge, and it is also the name given to an enclosed box in the theatre. This makes it a possible contender for theatrical families looking for a moon name.

33. Mani

Mani comes from the Old Norse word máni, meaning moon.

As well as being a Norse god, Mani also means jewel in Sanskrit and is the name of a serpent in the Hindu epic Mahābhārata.

34. Marama

Marama is the Māori word for moon.

In Māori mythology, Marama is said to be the husband of all women. When used as an experience verb, mārama means to be clear, easy to understand, light, bright, transparent, and lucid.

35. Meztli

Meztli is a Nahuatl name that means moon.

In Aztec mythology, Meztli, the moon, was equally bright as the sun. The sun threw a rabbit in Meztli’s face, making him darker. Subsequently, it’s possible to see the outline of a rabbit on the face of the full moon.

36. Moon

Moon is rarely used as a name in English, although it could be a cool middle name.

The moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite and has been a feature in mythology for cultures worldwide and throughout time. As a name, there is an actress named Moon Unit Zappa.

37. Mwezi

Mwezi is a Swahili name meaning moon or month.

Mwami Mwezi IV Gisabo Bikata-Bijoga was the King of Burundi for 58 years from 1850 to 1908. In 1890, Burundi was colonized by Germany. Mwezi agreed that he would recognize German rule if he were allowed to remain ruler.

38. Narvi

Narvi is a Faroese name meaning narrow.

This name is suitable for those who want an Old Norse name with a lunar connection as this is also the name of a moon that orbits Saturn.

39. Nidi

Nidi is an anglicized form of the Old Norse name Niði, which means dark one.

In the Codex Regius, a medieval Icelandic manuscript, there is a reference to a dwarf called Niði, a name derived from the Old Norse word nið, meaning new moon.

40. Oberon

Oberon evolved from the Germanic name Alberich, meaning elf ruler.

One of the moons orbiting Uranus is named Oberon after the character created by Shakespeare in A Midsummer’s Night Dream.

41. Rakesh

Rakesh is derived from the Sanskrit words for full moon and lord, ruler.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is the 48th richest person in India and, in September 2020, had a personal net worth of $2.5 billion. He is referred to by Forbes as “the Indian Warren Buffett.”

42. Ramachandra

From the Sanskrit words chandra, meaning moon, and rama, meaning stand still.

Ramachandra is one of the names that is sometimes used for Rama, the seventh incarnation on Earth of the god Vishnu.

43. Selenite

Selenite comes from the Ancient Greek selēnitēs, meaning moonstone.

Those who believe in the spiritual powers of crystals say that selenite represents spiritual rejuvenation, spiritual purity, and light. The crystal is also said to be closely associated with the crown chakra.

44. Sharad

Sharad is a phase in the Hindu calendar that roughly corresponds to the western mid-September to mid-November.

The name Sharad is usually given to children who are born during Sharad Poornima, which is the full moon in autumn.

45. Tarkik

Tarkik is an Inuktitut and Iñupiaq word that means moon.

The Inuit have an intricate naming tradition based on sauniq. Names are like holders of a soul, and when a child receives a name, they will form a special relationship with those who were related to the previous holder of that name.

46. Thomas

Thomas is the Greek form of the Aramaic name Ta’oma’, which means twin.

Thomas Harriot is the first person that we know of to draw a map of the moon’s surface with the aid of a telescope. He produced a relatively detailed illustration in 1611.

47. Titan

In Greek mythology, the Titans were a family of giants.

Titan is Saturn’s largest moon and is the sixth moon out from Saturn’s surface. Because Titan has surface liquid and a nitrogen-rich atmosphere, it is sometimes referred to as a planet-like moon.

48. Tuncay

Tuncay is a Turkish name that means bronze moon.

Tuncay Şanlı was a Turkish footballer who first came to international attention when, while playing for Fenerbahçe, he scored a hat-trick against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League match in December 2004.

49. Wadd

Wadd is a pre-Islamic god of the moon.

Wadd was the national god of the Minaeans, who lived in the kingdom of Ma’in, located in what we now call Yemen.

50. Yereah

Yereah is a rare, archaic Hebrew name meaning moon.

The name pronunciation of Yereah is the same as the words yerah, meaning month, and yareah, meaning moon. This developed at a time when the lunar month was the primary measure of time.

 

50 Girl Names That Mean Moon

Here are 50 beautiful names for girls that mean moon.

51. Abuk

The meaning of the name Abuk is unclear.

Abuk is a goddess of the Dinka of South Sudan and the Nuer of South Sudan and Ethiopia. She was the goddess of women and gardens, the mother of the god of fertility and rain, and her symbols were a snake, a sheep, and the moon.

52. Aiday

Aiday is a Kazakh name that means moon child.

Aiday Isaeva, a student of the Kazakh National Medical University, was Miss Kazakhstan in 2013 and represented the country in the 2014 Miss Universe pageant.

53. Alcmene

Alcmene is derived from the Greek words for strength and moon.

In Greek mythology, Alcmene was the mother of Hercules, and she was described as the wisest person ever born to mortal parents.

54. Artemis

Artemis is an Ancient Greek name of unknown meaning. It may be linked to the words for safe or a butcher.

Artemis was the Greek goddess of the wilderness, wild animals, the hunt, chastity, and the moon. She was also the twin sister of Apollo. As another lunar link, NASA has named its latest moon program Artemis in her honor.

55. Aydan

Aydan is a Turkish name meaning from the moon.

Aydan is an unusual but not unknown name in the U.S. It had a brief surge of popularity at the turn of the century but fell off the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Top 1,000 Names list in 2015.

56. Belinay

A Turkish name, Belinay means reflection of the moon on a lake.

As well as being a popular girl’s name in Turkey, Belinay is also used relatively frequently in France, where there is a town named Belinay.

57. Bendis

The meaning of the name Bendis is unclear.

In Thracian mythology, Bendis was the goddess of the moon. The Thracian were an ancient people who lived in Southeastern Europe, and notable Thracians include Spartacus and the mythical Orpheus.

58. Bulan

Bulan is an Indonesian name that means moon in many Austronesian languages.

Bulan is an alternate name for Mayari, a moon goddess in Tagalog mythology who is also the goddess of war, combat, weaponry, hunting, revolution, beauty, and strength.

59. Channary

A Khmer name, Channary is from the words for moon and woman or girl.

Pronounced like canary, but with a “ch” sound at the beginning, this was the name of a character in The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.

60. Creola

The meaning of Creola is unknown. It may be from the word creole.

Its link as a star-inspired name comes from real life, not fantasy. Creola Katherine Johnson was a mathematician who calculated the rendezvous paths for the command module and Apollo Lunar Module. While with NASA, she also worked on plans for a mission to Mars.

 

61. Cynthia

Cynthia comes from the Greek Kynthia, meaning woman from Kynthos.

According to mythology, Cynthia was used as an adjective to describe the Greek moon goddess Artemis who was said to have been born on Mount Cynthus.

62. Dia

Dia is Ancient Greek and means divine or she who belongs to Zeus.

There are many Dias in Greek mythology, some of whom were mortal, while others were immortals. Dia makes this list because it is also the name of a moon orbiting Jupiter, making it a good choice for a little moon child.

63. Diana

Possibly derived from an Indo-European root, Diana means heavenly or divine.

As well as being the Roman goddess of the moon, Diana was also the goddess of fertility, labor, and childbirth. This was because the moon was believed to parallel the menstrual cycle and was used to track the months of pregnancy.

64. Elara

The meaning of the name Elara is unknown.

A moon of Jupiter is named Elara after a princess in Greek mythology. Elara became pregnant by Zeus. Her baby, Tityos, was so big he split open her womb, and he was subsequently carried to term by the Earth.

65. Feray

Feray is a Turkish name meaning radiance of the moon.

This sweet yet strong sounding name is pronounced “fehr-eye.” But if you choose this name, you may condemn your child to a lifetime of being called Furry by those unfamiliar with the pronunciation. If you want a moonlight-inspired name, you may want to use it as a middle name instead.

66. Hala

An Arabic name, Hala, means halo around the moon.

Born in Beirut, Hala Jaber is an award-winning journalist for the British newspaper, The Sunday Times. She reports on conflicts across the Middle-East.

67. Hanwi

Hanwi is a Siouan name meaning night sun.

In Sioux mythology, Hanwi’s husband Wi, the sun, behaves dishonorably. The judge of the gods separates the two, leaving Wi to rule the day and Hanwi to rule the night.

68. Helene

While some claim Helene means moon, that statement is unsupported. The real meaning is unknown.

Helene is a version of Helen, a Spartan woman in Greek mythology, said to be the most beautiful in the world. The name makes this list because it is the name of a moon orbiting Jupiter. That makes it a good choice for anyone looking for a lunar or space name for their daughter.

69. Ilargi

Ilargi means moon and moonlight in Basque.

The name Ilargi is pronounced ee-LAHR-gee. In Basque mythology, she was the goddess of the moon. Her brother, Ekhi, was the god of the sun, and their mother was Amalur, the goddess of the Earth.

70. Indumathi

Indumathi is a Tamil name meaning full moon.

Indumathi Kathiresan is an Indian soccer player who plays for the India women’s national football team. She was the top goal scorer of the 2019 SAFF Women’s Championship.

71. Isone

Isone is a variation of Hesione from the Greek heso, meaning knowing.

Isone is a moon orbiting Jupiter that was named after one of the Danaïdes, a group of 50 mythological women, all but one of whom killed their husbands on their wedding night.

72. Jaci

In Tupian languages, Jaci means moon.

Jaci is pronounced in the same way as the more familiar Jackie, the shortened form of Jacqueline. So be aware you and your child may constantly have to correct the spelling or pronunciation of this one.

73. Judith

Judith evolved from the Hebrew word Yehudit, meaning Jewish woman.

Judith Love Cohen was an electrical engineer who worked on the abort guidance system for the Apollo program. The system guided Apollo 13 back to Earth.

74. Larissa

Larissa’s meaning is unknown, but it could have evolved from a town in Ancient Greece. The name of the city meant citadel.

Larissa, one of the moons orbiting Neptune, was discovered in 1981. It was named after a nymph in Greek mythology who was the lover of Poseidon. The Roman mythological equivalent to Poseidon is Neptune.

75. Lona

The meaning of the name Lona is unknown.

In Hawaiian mythology, Lona was the goddess of the moon who was happily married to a mortal, ‘Ai Kanaka. Her children had distasteful habits, so she regularly wandered off in depression until she could cope again and return.

76. Losna

Losna was the Etruscan word for moon.

Losna is an extremely rocky island off the coast of Norway. It is less than six square miles, and the permanent population has dropped from around 100 in 1900 to only four today.

77. Luna

Luna is Latin for the moon.

In the manga series Sailor Moon, Luna is a black cat who plays a significant role as an advisor, confidant, and a source of information for Queen Serenity, the mother of the protagonist. Luna Lovegood is also a character in the Harry Potter series.

78. Lusine

Lusine is an Armenian name meaning moon.

Jeff McIlwain is an ambient and “intelligent dance music” musician from Texas whose stage name is Lusine. His album, Sensorimotor, explored the conflicts between the body and the brain.

79. Mahina

Mahina is the Hawaiian word for moon.

It’s also the name of a suburban area on the island of Tahiti, in French Polynesia. Mahina is the home to the University of French Polynesia.

80. Mahsa

Mahsa means like the moon in Persian.

Iranian singer Mahsa Vahdat sang the traditional Iranian lullaby “Sad Sol (You, My Destiny)” on the album “Lullabies from the Axis of Evil.” She has since released several albums and teaches Persian vocal music in her home in Tehran.

 

81. Marama

In Maori, Marama means moon.

In the mythology of the Maori and many other Polynesian cultures, Marama was the goddess of both the moon and death.

82. Margaret

Margaret comes from the Greek word margarites, meaning pearl.

When NASA was developing the Apollo moon program, Margaret Heafeild Hamilton was Director of MIT Instrumentation Laboratory’s Software Engineering Division, which developed the on-board flight software.

83. Mawu

Mawu means god in Ewe, a language spoken by roughly 4.5 million people in Togo and southeastern Ghana.

Mawu is the divine creator of West African Vodun theology. She is the moon, and she brings the cool of the night, rain, peace, and fertility.

84. Menodore

Menodore is from the Ancient Greek words for gift and moon.

In the Catholic church, Saint Menodora is one of three sisters who moved to a remote area and spent their days in prayer. They were executed when they refused to forsake their religion.

85. Monday

Monday comes from the Old English mōndæg meaning moon’s day.

For many cultures, the names of the days of the week are based on the Ancient Greek and Roman traditions, which named the days in honor of the gods.

86. Namaka

Namaka is Hawaiian for the eyes.

Beyond the planet Neptune, there is a dwarf planet named Humea. In 2005, telescopes at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii discovered two moons orbiting Humea. The inner moon was named after the goddess of the sea, Namaka.

87. Natsuki

Natsuki comes from 菜, meaning vegetables and greens, and 月, meaning moon.

Other kanji combinations can create Natsuki, but only three of those combinations include the word moon. In addition to the combination above, you could also have 菜月, which means rapeseed flower, moon, or 那月, which means rich/beautiful moon.

88. Nguyệt

The Vietnamese name Nguyệt means moon.

A traditional Vietnamese instrument is the đàn nguyệt, or moon lute. The instrument has raised frets and two strings, which were traditionally made of twisted silk.

89. Neoma

Neoma evolved from the Hebrew name נָעֳמִי, Na’omi, meaning pleasantness.

Neoma is frequently listed as meaning new moon in Greek, possibly because neo means young or new and mene means moon. Although this is untrue, it is still a fabulous name, so we snuck it onto the list.

90. Nuray

Nuray means bright moon in Turkish.

Pronounced Noo-rie, this pretty girl’s name is popular across Turkey, Azerbaijan, and neighboring countries. However, it is only the 34,758th most used name in the U.S., so it’s an excellent choice for an unusual name in North America.

 

91. Ophelia

Ophelia comes from the Greek word ophelos, meaning help, advantage.

The International Astronomical Association is the body that names objects in the solar system. They named each moon of Uranus after a Shakespeare character. One of the moons in orbit around Uranus is called Ophelia, who appears in Hamlet.

92. Phoebe

An Ancient Greek name, Phoebe, means bright.

Phoebe was the grandmother of Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon, and in later mythology, Phoebe herself was identified as being a moon goddess. Both Artemis and her brother Apollo are often described using phoebe as an adjective.

93. Purnama

In Malay, Purnama means full moon.

Pronounced poor-NO-mah, Purnama is unusual enough to be distinctive, yet not so off the wall as to raise too many eyebrows. The only downside is you may spend a lot of time correcting pronunciation.

94. Purnima

Purnima means full moon in Sanskrit.

In the Hindu lunar calendar, Purnima, or the day of the full moon, acts as the dividing point between the two lunar fortnights. It is considered an auspicious day of new beginnings.

95. Raith

The meaning of Raith is unknown.

Raith is a lunar goddess worshipped in Bali and Java. Her mythology involves being swallowed by the disembodied head of a giant she rejected. However, he cannot hold her for long, and this story explains the lunar eclipse.

96. Sanda

Derived from the Sanskrit word chandra, Sanda means moon.

Sanda is a Burmese name that evolved from Sankrit. It’s not to be confused with the Croatian, Romanian, and Latvian Sanda, which is a shortened form of Alexandra, which means “defender of man.”

97. Selene

Selene is the Greek word for moon.

In Ancient Greek mythology, Selene was along with Artemis, and Hecate, a moon goddess. However, only Selene was considered to be the personification of the moon, and she is depicted riding across the sky in her moon chariot.

98. Sponde

The meaning of Sponde is unknown.

In Greek mythology, Sponde was one of the Horai, goddesses who watched over specific periods of time. Sponde watched over libations poured after lunch. Sponde’s also the name of Jupiter’s 36th moon.

99. Tsukiko

In Japanese, Tsukiko means moon child.

Other combinations of kanji will produce the same name, which will change the meaning of the name. Another option for the same name with different kanji is 月瑚, which means moonlight.

100. Tülay

Tülay means tulle moon in Turkish.

Tülay German is a Turkish singer who rose to prominence for her modern interpretations of traditional Turkish folk songs. Threatened with a prison sentence for translating German philosophy into Turkish, she moved to France.

 

Researching moon names has been educational, and discovering the vast array of myths and legends surrounding the moon has been interesting. People from around the world have shared the stories of their peoples so we could bring you this, the ultimate list of baby names inspired by the moon.

A first or middle name paying homage to the beauty and mystery of moons is a great beginning for any child.