Planet & Nature Names
Almost every planet in our solar system is named after a Roman god, and their moons carry names from Greek myth and even Shakespeare. Below you’ll find the story behind each planet, dwarf planet and major moon, plus space- and nature-inspired names that work for babies, pets, boats and stories.
This section also gathers our nature lists: names of flowers, gemstone names, water names and the full table of elements with names. Looking for stars rather than planets? Try our star names.
Planet & Nature Names: browse all lists
Gemstone Names90+ names
Names of Flowers100+ names
Nature Names100+ names
Plant Names100+ names
Table of Elements with Names110+ names
Water Names90+ names
Tree Names120+ names
Herb Names100+ names
Fruit Names100+ names
River Names100+ names
Mountain Names100+ names
Forest Names100+ names
Weather Names100+ names
Ocean Names100+ namesThe eight planets and how they got their names
Five planets were visible to ancient astronomers, who named them after gods; Uranus and Neptune were added after telescopes found them in 1781 and 1846.
| Planet | Named after | Quick fact |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Roman messenger god, famed for speed | Fastest planet, circling the Sun every 88 days |
| Venus | Roman goddess of love and beauty | Brightest planet in the night sky |
| Earth | Old English eorþe, “ground, soil” | The only planet not named after a god |
| Mars | Roman god of war | Its red color suggested blood and battle |
| Jupiter | King of the Roman gods | Largest planet in the solar system |
| Saturn | Roman god of agriculture and time | Father of Jupiter in myth; famous for its rings |
| Uranus | Ouranos, Greek god of the sky | The only planet named after a Greek god |
| Neptune | Roman god of the sea | Named for its deep blue color |
Dwarf planets and their names
Since 2006 the IAU has recognized five dwarf planets; several other distant worlds are strong candidates.
| Name | Named after | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ceres | Roman goddess of grain | Largest object in the asteroid belt |
| Pluto | Roman god of the underworld | Name suggested in 1930 by 11-year-old Venetia Burney |
| Haumea | Hawaiian goddess of childbirth | Egg-shaped and spins every four hours |
| Makemake | Creator god of the Rapa Nui (Easter Island) | Found shortly after Easter 2005 |
| Eris | Greek goddess of discord | Its discovery sparked Pluto’s reclassification |
| Sedna | Inuit goddess of the sea | One of the most distant known objects |
| Gonggong | Chinese water god | Named by public vote in 2019 |
| Quaoar | Creator force of the Tongva people | Has its own ring system |
| Orcus | Etruscan and Roman god of the dead | Sometimes called the “anti-Pluto” |
Famous moon names
Moons of Jupiter are named after figures linked to Zeus, Saturn’s after Titans and giants, and Uranus’s after characters from Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
| Moon | Planet | Named after |
|---|---|---|
| Luna | Earth | Latin name of the Moon and its Roman goddess |
| Phobos | Mars | Greek personification of fear |
| Deimos | Mars | Greek personification of dread |
| Io | Jupiter | Priestess of Hera loved by Zeus |
| Europa | Jupiter | Phoenician princess carried off by Zeus |
| Ganymede | Jupiter | Trojan cupbearer to the gods; largest moon in the solar system |
| Callisto | Jupiter | Nymph turned into a bear, then the Great Bear constellation |
| Titan | Saturn | The Titans of Greek myth |
| Enceladus | Saturn | A giant of Greek myth |
| Rhea | Saturn | Titaness, mother of Zeus |
| Iapetus | Saturn | Titan, father of Prometheus and Atlas |
| Mimas | Saturn | A giant slain in the war against the gods |
| Miranda | Uranus | Heroine of Shakespeare’s The Tempest |
| Titania | Uranus | Fairy queen in A Midsummer Night’s Dream |
| Oberon | Uranus | Fairy king in A Midsummer Night’s Dream |
| Ariel | Uranus | Spirit in The Tempest and sylph in Pope’s The Rape of the Lock |
| Umbriel | Uranus | Gloomy sprite in Pope’s The Rape of the Lock |
| Triton | Neptune | Sea god, son of Poseidon |
| Charon | Pluto | Ferryman of the dead |
Space-inspired names for babies and pets
If the sky above inspires you, these names borrow from stars and constellations. For more, see constellation names and names that mean star.
| Name | Meaning | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Nova | A star that suddenly brightens; Latin “new” | Modern, bright |
| Orion | The hunter constellation | Bold, classic |
| Stella | Latin, “star” | Elegant |
| Celeste | Heavenly | Soft, dreamy |
| Astra | Latin, “stars” | Sleek |
| Vega | Brightest star in Lyra; Arabic “swooping (eagle)” | Cool, unusual |
| Sirius | Brightest star in the night sky; “scorching” | Strong |
| Lyra | The lyre constellation | Musical |
| Cosmo | Greek kosmos, “order, universe” | Playful |
| Soleil | French, “sun” | Warm |
| Rigel | Blue supergiant in Orion; Arabic “foot” | Sharp |
| Altair | Bright star in Aquila; “the flyer” | Adventurous |
| Aurora | Latin, “dawn”; the northern lights | Magical |
| Atlas | Titan who holds up the sky; also a moon of Saturn | Strong, grounded |
A taste of our nature name lists
Nature names cover everything that grows, flows or glitters. Each of these comes from one of our dedicated lists: tree names, river names, mountain names and weather names.
| Name | Nature source | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby | Gemstone | July birthstone; Latin ruber, “red” |
| Violet | Flower | Classic flower name, back in fashion |
| Willow | Tree | Graceful, weeping branches |
| Basil | Herb | Greek basileus, “king” |
| Clementine | Fruit | Small, sweet citrus |
| Sierra | Mountain range | Spanish, “saw”, for jagged peaks |
| Denali | Mountain | Koyukon Athabaskan, “the high one” |
| Shannon | River | Longest river in Ireland |
| Marina | Sea | Latin, “of the sea” |
| Fern | Plant | Soft green fronds |
| Sequoia | Tree | Giant redwood, often linked to Cherokee scholar Sequoyah |
| Rain | Weather | Short and gentle |
| Neon | Element | Greek neos, “new” |
| Hazel | Tree / nut | Warm brown color |
| Jade | Gemstone | Green stone prized in China |
| Forest | Woodland | Latin foris, “outside” |
How to use planet and nature names
- Match the name to the story. Mythological planet and moon names (Callisto, Rhea, Oberon) come with backstories — read them before you commit.
- Go soft or bold. Luna, Stella and Celeste are gentle; Titan, Mars and Orion are strong. Pick the energy you want.
- Use the lists for pets and projects too. Planet names are favorites for cats, boats and spaceships in games and stories.
- Check the nickname. Ganymede becomes “Gany”, Persephone becomes “Percy” — make sure you like the short form too.
Frequently asked questions
Why are planets named after Roman gods?
Ancient Greek astronomers named the visible planets after their gods; the Romans swapped in their own equivalents, and those Latin names stuck in Western astronomy.
Which planet is not named after a god?
Earth. Its name comes from Old English and Germanic words meaning “ground” or “soil”.
Who names new moons and dwarf planets?
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) approves official names, usually following a theme set for each planet, such as Shakespeare characters for the moons of Uranus.
Is Pluto still a planet?
Since 2006 Pluto has been classified as a dwarf planet, along with Ceres, Eris, Haumea and Makemake.
What are some good planet names for a baby?
Luna, Nova, Orion, Stella, Atlas, Miranda, Callisto and Titania are all used as baby names and have attractive meanings.