Space Names
Space names have a lovely double life: many are genuine mythological names with centuries of history (Juno, Orion, Phoebe), yet they feel modern, bright and full of possibility. That’s why names like Luna, Nova and Atlas have become so popular for babies, and why cosmic words work so well for pets, characters and spaceships.
Here are 90 space names, grouped into girls’ and boys’ names with meanings, cosmic words, planets and moons, astronomers and astronauts, and famous missions. For more, explore galaxy names and spaceship names, or look up real star names and constellation names.
Space Names: browse all lists
Space names for girls
Celestial names with real meanings, many borrowed from goddesses whose names now belong to moons and constellations. See also names that mean moon.
| Name | Meaning | Space connection |
|---|---|---|
| Luna | Latin, “moon” | Roman moon goddess |
| Stella | Latin, “star” | Classic and bright |
| Aurora | Latin, “dawn” | The northern and southern lights |
| Celeste | Latin, “heavenly” | Elegant and airy |
| Nova | Latin, “new” | A star that suddenly flares bright |
| Andromeda | Greek, “ruler of men” | A princess, a constellation and our nearest big galaxy |
| Cassiopeia | Greek queen of myth | W-shaped constellation |
| Lyra | Greek, “lyre” | Constellation holding the star Vega |
| Carina | Latin, “keel” | Constellation, once part of the ship Argo |
| Phoebe | Greek, “bright, radiant” | A Titaness and a moon of Saturn |
| Io | Priestess loved by Zeus | Volcanic moon of Jupiter |
| Callisto | Greek, “most beautiful” | Moon of Jupiter |
| Selene | Greek, “moon” | Greek moon goddess |
| Astra | Latin, “stars” | As in <em>ad astra</em>, “to the stars” |
| Estelle | Old French, “star” | Vintage charm |
| Ariel | Hebrew, “lion of God” | Moon of Uranus, named after Shakespeare’s spirit |
| Miranda | Latin, “worthy of admiration” | Moon of Uranus |
| Juno | Queen of the Roman gods | NASA’s Jupiter probe |
Space names for boys
Strong, mythic names from the night sky. Many are Greek and Roman, like those in our Greek god names list.
| Name | Meaning | Space connection |
|---|---|---|
| Orion | Greek hunter of myth | The most recognizable winter constellation |
| Atlas | Titan who holds up the sky | A moon of Saturn |
| Leo | Latin, “lion” | Zodiac constellation |
| Mars | Roman god of war | The red planet |
| Cosmo | Greek <em>kosmos</em>, “order, universe” | Retro and playful |
| Titan | The elder Greek gods | Saturn’s largest moon |
| Jupiter | King of the Roman gods | Largest planet |
| Hyperion | Greek, “watcher from above” | Titan of light; moon of Saturn |
| Triton | Greek sea god | Neptune’s largest moon |
| Sol | Latin, “sun” | Short and strong |
| Aster | Greek, “star” | Also a star-shaped flower |
| Janus | Two-faced Roman god of beginnings | A moon of Saturn |
| Helios | Greek, “sun” | Greek sun god |
| Draco | Latin/Greek, “dragon” | Northern constellation |
| Perseus | Hero who slew Medusa | Constellation and the Perseid meteor shower |
| Soren | Danish form of Severus, “stern” | Sounds like “soar”; popular with space fans |
Cosmic word names
Astronomy terms that make striking names for pets, characters or bands. For creatures from beyond, see alien names.
| Name | What it is |
|---|---|
| Nebula | A glowing cloud of gas and dust where stars are born |
| Comet | An icy body that grows a tail near the sun |
| Quasar | The blazing core of a distant galaxy |
| Eclipse | When one body blocks another’s light |
| Zenith | The point in the sky directly overhead |
| Orbit | The path around a star or planet |
| Solstice | Longest or shortest day of the year |
| Equinox | When day and night are equal |
| Halo | A ring of light around the sun or moon |
| Meteor | A shooting star |
| Pulsar | A spinning, beaming neutron star |
| Cosmos | The whole universe |
| Sky | The simple, timeless choice |
| Rocket | Fun for a pet or a nickname |
Planet, dwarf planet and moon names
The International Astronomical Union names moons and dwarf planets after figures from myth and literature, which is why so many are ready-made names.
| Name | Body | Named after |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Planet | Roman messenger god |
| Venus | Planet | Roman goddess of love |
| Saturn | Planet | Roman god of agriculture and time |
| Neptune | Planet | Roman god of the sea |
| Pluto | Dwarf planet | Roman god of the underworld |
| Ceres | Dwarf planet | Roman goddess of grain |
| Eris | Dwarf planet | Greek goddess of discord |
| Haumea | Dwarf planet | Hawaiian goddess of childbirth |
| Makemake | Dwarf planet | Creator god of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) |
| Ganymede | Moon of Jupiter | Trojan prince, cupbearer to the gods |
| Europa | Moon of Jupiter | Phoenician princess of Greek myth |
| Enceladus | Moon of Saturn | A giant of Greek myth |
| Titania | Moon of Uranus | Shakespeare’s fairy queen |
| Oberon | Moon of Uranus | Shakespeare’s fairy king |
| Charon | Moon of Pluto | Ferryman of the dead |
| Phobos | Moon of Mars | Greek, “fear” |
| Deimos | Moon of Mars | Greek, “dread” |
Names inspired by astronomers and astronauts
Honor a space pioneer. First names like Sally and Neil are easy wear; surnames like Kepler and Sagan make bold, geeky choices.
| Name | Inspired by |
|---|---|
| Galileo | Galileo Galilei, who turned a telescope on Jupiter’s moons |
| Kepler | Johannes Kepler, who worked out the laws of planetary motion |
| Hubble | Edwin Hubble, who proved other galaxies exist |
| Sagan | Carl Sagan, astronomer and science communicator |
| Hypatia | Ancient Alexandrian mathematician and astronomer |
| Caroline | Caroline Herschel, first woman paid as a scientist in Britain |
| Henrietta | Henrietta Swan Leavitt, who found a way to measure cosmic distances |
| Tycho | Tycho Brahe, the great naked-eye astronomer |
| Neil | Neil Armstrong, first person on the moon |
| Sally | Sally Ride, first American woman in space |
| Mae | Mae Jemison, first African American woman in space |
| Yuri | Yuri Gagarin, first human in space |
| Valentina | Valentina Tereshkova, first woman in space |
| Katherine | Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician of <em>Hidden Figures</em> |
Names from famous space missions
Mission names are chosen to inspire, which makes them great names for a pet, a team or a spaceship.
| Name | Mission |
|---|---|
| Apollo | The program that landed humans on the moon |
| Artemis | NASA’s program to return to the moon; Apollo’s twin sister in myth |
| Gemini | Two-person missions that paved the way for Apollo |
| Voyager | Probes now in interstellar space |
| Cassini | Orbited Saturn for 13 years |
| Rosetta | First mission to land a probe on a comet |
| Pioneer | First probes to Jupiter and Saturn |
| Curiosity | Car-sized Mars rover |
| Perseverance | Mars rover that brought along a helicopter |
| Sputnik | First artificial satellite, 1957 |
| Endeavour | Space shuttle named after Captain Cook’s ship |
How to choose a space name
- Look for the myth behind it. Most planet and moon names come from Greek and Roman legends, so check the story (Phobos means “fear”).
- Balance bold and wearable. Luna, Stella and Leo are everyday names; Nebula and Quasar are better for pets or characters.
- Mind the jokes. Uranus is a planet name best left in the sky.
- Use a middle name for bigger swings. “Lily Andromeda” or “James Orion” gives a cosmic touch without committing fully.
- Go by the sky on the day. A baby born during the Perseids or a lunar eclipse has a built-in naming story.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular space names for babies?
Luna, Nova, Stella, Aurora, Leo, Orion and Atlas are among the most widely used space-inspired names in the US today.
What is a good space name for a girl?
Lyra, Celeste, Callisto, Phoebe and Andromeda are beautiful choices with genuine mythological and astronomical roots.
What is a cool space name for a boy?
Orion, Atlas, Cosmo, Hyperion and Perseus all sound strong and have real links to constellations or moons.
Who names the planets and moons?
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) approves official names. Moons of Uranus are named after characters from Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, which is why they include Titania, Oberon, Ariel and Miranda.
What is a good space name for a pet?
Comet, Rocket, Cosmo, Nova, Pluto and Luna are all easy to call and full of personality.