Constellation Names
The International Astronomical Union recognizes exactly 88 constellations, which together cover the whole sky. About half come from the ancient Greek astronomer Ptolemy and are full of mythology: Orion the hunter, Andromeda the chained princess, Draco the dragon. The rest were added between the 16th and 18th centuries by European navigators and astronomers mapping the southern sky, which is why you’ll find a toucan, a microscope and an air pump up there.
Below you’ll find all 88 constellation names with their meanings and a standout star or object, plus more than a dozen famous asterisms. Many make beautiful names for babies, pets, ships and characters: Lyra, Orion, Vela and Carina are all in use. For more celestial ideas, see our star names, galaxy names and names that mean star.
The 12 zodiac constellations
The Sun appears to pass through these constellations over the year. (It also crosses a 13th, Ophiuchus, listed below.) For names tied to each sign’s mythology, see our Greek god names.
| Constellation | Meaning | Notable star or feature |
|---|---|---|
| Aries | The ram | Hamal, its brightest star |
| Taurus | The bull | Red giant Aldebaran and the Pleiades |
| Gemini | The twins | Castor and Pollux |
| Cancer | The crab | The Beehive Cluster (M44) |
| Leo | The lion | Regulus |
| Virgo | The maiden | Spica, a bright blue-white star |
| Libra | The scales | Zubenelgenubi, “the southern claw” |
| Scorpius | The scorpion | Red supergiant Antares |
| Sagittarius | The archer | Points toward the center of the Milky Way |
| Capricornus | The sea-goat | Deneb Algedi |
| Aquarius | The water-bearer | Sadalsuud, “luck of lucks” |
| Pisces | The fishes | Faint, but home to the March equinox point |
Constellations named for heroes, gods and myths
Most of these come from Greek legend and were listed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. Several (Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Lyra) are lovely mythology girl names, while Orion and Perseus work well as mythology boy names.
| Constellation | Meaning | Notable star or feature |
|---|---|---|
| Andromeda | The chained princess | The Andromeda Galaxy, our nearest large neighbor |
| Cassiopeia | The vain queen | A bright “W” shape |
| Cepheus | The king, Cassiopeia’s husband | The Garnet Star, Mu Cephei |
| Perseus | The hero who slew Medusa | Algol, the “demon star” |
| Orion | The hunter | Betelgeuse and Rigel |
| Hercules | The hero Heracles | The Great Globular Cluster (M13) |
| Centaurus | The centaur | Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system |
| Ophiuchus | The serpent-bearer | The Sun crosses it, making it the “13th sign” |
| Auriga | The charioteer | Capella |
| Boötes | The herdsman | Arcturus, the brightest northern star |
| Lyra | The lyre of Orpheus | Vega |
| Corona Borealis | The northern crown (Ariadne’s) | A neat semicircle of stars |
| Sagitta | The arrow | Third-smallest constellation |
| Ara | The altar | Faint southern constellation |
| Corona Australis | The southern crown | Lies below Sagittarius |
| Triangulum | The triangle | The Triangulum Galaxy (M33) |
| Crater | The cup | Rides on the back of Hydra |
| Eridanus | The river | Achernar, at the river’s end |
| Carina | The keel (of the ship Argo) | Canopus, the sky’s second-brightest star |
| Puppis | The stern (of the Argo) | Naos, a rare hot blue star |
| Vela | The sails (of the Argo) | The Vela Pulsar |
Animal and creature constellations
From bears to a winged horse, these are the sky’s bestiary. Draco and Lupus also appear in our names that mean dragon and names that mean wolf.
| Constellation | Meaning | Notable star or feature |
|---|---|---|
| Ursa Major | The great bear | The Big Dipper |
| Ursa Minor | The little bear | Polaris, the North Star |
| Draco | The dragon | Thuban, the pole star around 3000 BC |
| Pegasus | The winged horse | The Great Square |
| Cygnus | The swan | Deneb |
| Aquila | The eagle | Altair |
| Delphinus | The dolphin | A small, distinctive kite shape |
| Hydra | The water snake | The largest constellation |
| Serpens | The serpent | The only constellation split in two parts |
| Canis Major | The great dog | Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky |
| Canis Minor | The little dog | Procyon |
| Lepus | The hare | Crouches at Orion’s feet |
| Cetus | The sea monster | Mira, a famous variable star |
| Corvus | The crow | A small four-star trapezoid |
| Lupus | The wolf | Lies beside Centaurus |
| Piscis Austrinus | The southern fish | Fomalhaut |
| Equuleus | The little horse | Second-smallest constellation |
Constellations added by explorers and astronomers
Dutch navigators charted the far southern sky in the 1590s, and later astronomers such as Johannes Hevelius filled gaps in the north. The result is a zoo of exotic animals, many of which make great pet names.
| Constellation | Meaning | Notable star or feature |
|---|---|---|
| Crux | The cross | The Southern Cross, smallest constellation |
| Phoenix | The phoenix | Ankaa |
| Tucana | The toucan | The Small Magellanic Cloud |
| Dorado | The dolphinfish | The Large Magellanic Cloud |
| Pavo | The peacock | Peacock, its brightest star |
| Grus | The crane | Alnair |
| Apus | The bird of paradise | Near the south celestial pole |
| Chamaeleon | The chameleon | Faint, near the pole |
| Hydrus | The male water snake | Lies between the Magellanic Clouds |
| Indus | The Indian | Named for an Indigenous person of the Americas or East Indies |
| Musca | The fly | Just south of Crux |
| Triangulum Australe | The southern triangle | Three bright stars |
| Volans | The flying fish | Tucked beside Carina |
| Columba | The dove | Dove of Noah’s ark |
| Monoceros | The unicorn | The Rosette Nebula |
| Camelopardalis | The giraffe | Large but faint northern constellation |
| Canes Venatici | The hunting dogs | The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) |
| Lacerta | The lizard | A zigzag in the Milky Way |
| Leo Minor | The lesser lion | Sits above Leo |
| Lynx | The lynx | So faint you need a lynx’s eyes |
| Scutum | The shield | The Wild Duck Cluster |
| Vulpecula | The little fox | The Dumbbell Nebula |
| Coma Berenices | Berenice’s hair | Named for Queen Berenice II of Egypt |
Scientific instrument constellations
In the 1750s the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille mapped the southern sky from Cape Town. He named most of his new constellations after tools of science and art.
| Constellation | Meaning | Notable star or feature |
|---|---|---|
| Antlia | The air pump | Faint southern constellation |
| Caelum | The chisel | One of the faintest constellations |
| Circinus | The drawing compass | Next to Alpha Centauri |
| Fornax | The furnace | The Fornax Galaxy Cluster |
| Horologium | The pendulum clock | Long and faint |
| Mensa | Table Mountain | The only one named for a place on Earth |
| Microscopium | The microscope | Below Capricornus |
| Norma | The carpenter’s square | In the southern Milky Way |
| Octans | The octant | Contains the south celestial pole |
| Pictor | The painter’s easel | Beta Pictoris, with a dusty planet-forming disk |
| Pyxis | The mariner’s compass | Once part of the Argo |
| Reticulum | The reticle (eyepiece grid) | Small, diamond-shaped |
| Sculptor | The sculptor’s studio | The south galactic pole |
| Telescopium | The telescope | Faint, below Sagittarius |
| Sextans | The sextant | Added by Hevelius, not Lacaille, in 1690 |
Famous asterisms (star patterns that aren’t constellations)
Asterisms are well-known shapes made from stars within or across constellations. They’re often easier to spot than the constellations themselves.
| Asterism | Where it is | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Big Dipper | Ursa Major | Seven stars forming a ladle |
| Little Dipper | Ursa Minor | Ends at Polaris |
| Orion’s Belt | Orion | Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka in a row |
| Summer Triangle | Lyra, Cygnus, Aquila | Vega, Deneb and Altair |
| Winter Triangle | Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor | Betelgeuse, Sirius and Procyon |
| Spring Triangle | Boötes, Virgo, Leo | Arcturus, Spica and Regulus |
| Winter Hexagon | Six constellations | Six bright stars around Orion |
| Great Square | Pegasus | Four stars in a big square |
| Teapot | Sagittarius | A teapot shape with “steam” from the Milky Way |
| Northern Cross | Cygnus | A cross laid on the Milky Way |
| Sickle | Leo | A backward question mark |
| Pleiades | Taurus | The Seven Sisters star cluster |
| Keystone | Hercules | A four-star trapezoid |
| Kite | Boötes | A kite trailing from Arcturus |
| Coathanger | Vulpecula | A coat hanger shape in binoculars |
| False Cross | Carina and Vela | Often mistaken for the Southern Cross |
| Circlet | Pisces | A small ring of stars |
How to use constellation names as names
- Check how it sounds in everyday life. Lyra, Vega, Carina and Orion work as first names; Microscopium does not.
- Look up the myth behind the name. Cassiopeia was punished for vanity, and Andromeda was chained to a rock, so decide if the story matters to you.
- Use a nickname: Cassie from Cassiopeia, Andie from Andromeda, Leo from Leo Minor.
- Constellation names make excellent spaceship names, boat names and names for star-themed projects.
- Pick the constellation of a birth month or a sign that means something to your family.
Frequently asked questions
How many constellations are there?
There are 88 official constellations, set by the International Astronomical Union in 1922, with exact borders fixed in 1930.
What is the largest constellation?
Hydra, the water snake, is the largest. It stretches more than a quarter of the way around the sky.
What is the smallest constellation?
Crux, the Southern Cross, is the smallest of the 88.
Is the Big Dipper a constellation?
No. The Big Dipper is an asterism, a star pattern inside the larger constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear).
What are good constellation names for a baby?
Popular choices include Orion, Lyra, Leo, Carina, Vela, Andromeda, Cassiopeia (nickname Cassie) and Aquila. All are real constellations with rich mythology.