Lunar Names: 100+ Beautiful Moon-Inspired Names

Lunar names are inspired by the Moon, moonlight, night, lunar mythology, and celestial objects. Some literally mean “moon,” while others refer to moonlight, a lunar deity, or a moon in our solar system.

If you want a name with a quiet celestial feel, you have many directions to explore. Luna and Selene have strong classical connections. Chandra means “moon” in Sanskrit, while Qamar is the Arabic word for moon. Yue means “moon” in Chinese, and Mahina means “moon” or “moonlight” in Hawaiian.

The list below separates literal moon meanings from broader lunar connections, making it easier to find a name that fits your purpose.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer: What Are Lunar Names?

Lunar names are names associated with the Moon or lunar imagery. They can mean moon, moonlight, moon-like, or refer to a lunar deity or celestial moon.

Some well-known examples include Luna, Selene, Chandra, Qamar, Yue, Mahina, Aylin, Jaci, and Metztli.

Lunar Names That Mean “Moon”

These names have a direct connection to the word “moon” in their recorded language or naming tradition.

Name	Meaning	Origin or Association
Luna	Moon	Latin
Selene	Moon	Greek
Chandra	Moon	Sanskrit
Qamar	Moon	Arabic
Yue	Moon	Chinese
Jaci	Moon	Tupi-Guarani
Metztli	Moon	Nahuatl
Mahina	Moon, moonlight	Hawaiian
Masina	Moon	Samoan
Lucine	Moon, moonlight	Armenian
Aadhira	Moon	Sanskrit
Levana	Moon; white	Hebrew
Amar	Moon in one Arabic interpretation	Arabic
Aysel	Pure moon	Turkish/Azerbaijani
Aynur	Moonlight	Turkish/Azerbaijani/Uyghur

Name references identify Luna, Selene, Chandra, Qamar, Yue, Jaci, Metztli, and several other names with direct lunar meanings or associations.

Beautiful Girl Lunar Names

If you want a feminine name with a soft celestial feeling, these are strong options to explore.

Luna

Luna is Latin for “moon.” In Roman tradition, Luna also became the personification of the Moon.

Selene

Selene is the name of the Greek goddess who personifies the Moon. It gives a name a distinctly classical feel.

Aylin

Aylin is a Turkish name associated with a moon halo. Its lunar connection comes from ay, meaning “moon.”

Mahina

Mahina is a Hawaiian word and name associated with the moon and moonlight.

Hala

Hala refers to the luminous halo seen around the Moon in Arabic naming traditions.

Miray

Miray is a Turkish name associated with moonlight or the Moon’s reflection on water.

Aysel

Aysel is formed from Turkish/Azerbaijani elements associated with the moon and purity.

Ayla

Ayla is commonly associated with a halo of light around the Moon in Turkish naming references. It can have other etymological interpretations, so the language matters.

Neoma

Neoma is connected with the Greek term for the new moon.

Metztli

Metztli comes from Nahuatl and means “moon.” It also has a strong connection with Aztec lunar tradition.

Lunar Names for Boys

Lunar naming does not have to be limited to feminine names.

Chandra

Chandra means “moon” in Sanskrit and is also the name of the Hindu moon deity. The name is used across several South Asian languages and traditions.

Qamar

Qamar is the Arabic word for “moon” and can be used as a personal name.

Aibek

Aibek combines the Kazakh/Kyrgyz element ai, meaning “moon,” with beg, a historical title meaning a chieftain or master.

Aidos

Aidos combines the Kazakh element for “moon” with an element meaning “friend.”

Amar

Amar has several possible linguistic backgrounds. In some Arabic naming interpretations, it is associated with the Moon, while Sanskrit amara has a different meaning. Context matters.

Aylan

Aylan is a Turkish and Arabic-associated name sometimes connected with meanings such as moon or shield. Its interpretation varies by source.

Unisex Lunar Names

If you prefer a name that does not strongly suggest one gender, consider these:

Qamar : moon
Chandra : moon
Jaci : moon
Yue : moon
Aynur : moonlight
Mahina : moon or moonlight
Aysu : moon and water
Aydin : associated with brightness or illumination
Kamari : commonly associated with moon or moonlight in modern naming references
Luna : traditionally feminine, but increasingly used in broader naming contexts

Behind the Name records several Turkic names built from ay, meaning “moon,” including Aynur, Aysu, Aysel, Aysima, and Aysun.

Rare and Unusual Lunar Names

If Luna feels too familiar, look beyond the most obvious choices.

Meztli

A variant spelling of Metztli, connected with the Nahuatl word for Moon.

Lucine

An Armenian name associated with the Moon or moonlight.

Tuleen

A modern name often connected with the Turkish name Tülin, associated with moonlight reflected on water.

Aikörkem

A Kazakh name meaning elegant moon, built from ai and an element associated with beauty or elegance.

Aidai

A Kazakh name meaning moon-like.

Aiaru

A Kazakh name meaning beautiful moon.

Aysima

A Turkish name formed from elements meaning moon and face, giving it a lunar-image association.

These examples show how the same lunar idea can produce very different naming styles across languages.

Lunar Names From Different Cultures

The Moon has a place in the vocabulary and mythology of cultures around the world. The International Astronomical Union notes that essentially every known culture has language for the Moon and has developed ways of describing or naming celestial objects.

Latin

Luna : moon
Lunaria : of the moon; also a botanical name

Greek

Selene : Moon
Neoma : associated with the new moon
Phoebe : bright or radiant; also associated with Greek lunar mythology

Sanskrit

Chandra : moon
Aadhira : traditionally associated with the Moon among other interpretations
Nakshatra : constellation or lunar mansion

Arabic

Qamar : moon
Hala : halo around the Moon
Mahnoor : commonly interpreted as moonlight, combining mah and nur

Turkish

Aylin : moon halo
Aysel : pure moon
Aysu : moon and water
Miray : moonlight or lunar reflection

Chinese

Yue : moon

Hawaiian

Mahina : moon or moonlight

Nahuatl

Metztli : moon

Tupi-Guarani

Jaci : moon

These linguistic connections are not interchangeable. A name may have a lunar meaning in one language while having a completely different history in another.

Lunar Mythology Names

Some lunar names come from deities rather than directly from the ordinary word for “moon.”

Selene represents the Moon in Greek mythology. Luna represents the Moon in Roman tradition. Chandra is the Hindu moon deity. Metztli is associated with the Moon in Aztec tradition. Ixchel is a Maya deity whose traditions include associations with the Moon, although descriptions of Maya deities can vary by source and historical context.

Other names often placed in lunar-name lists include Artemis, Diana, Cynthia, Phoebe, and Mayari. Their relationship with the Moon comes from mythology or titles rather than necessarily meaning “moon” as an ordinary dictionary word.

That distinction matters when researching a name. A mythological association is not the same thing as a literal translation.

Names Inspired by Moonlight

You do not have to choose a name that literally means “moon.”

Names connected with moonlight, brightness, halos, or lunar reflections can create the same overall feeling.

Some possibilities include:

Aynur : moonlight
Aylin : moon halo
Mahina : moon or moonlight
Miray : moonlight or lunar reflection
Lucine : moon or moonlight
Mahnoor : moonlight
Hala : lunar halo
Tülin : associated with moonlight reflected on water
Aysel : pure moon
Aysu : moon and water

These names can work particularly well if you want a subtle lunar reference rather than a name that directly translates as “Moon.”

Lunar Names Inspired by Space

Another approach is to choose the name of an actual moon of another planet.

NASA notes that Earth has one natural satellite, while many other planets have moons of their own.

Possible name inspiration includes:

Io : moon of Jupiter
Europa : moon of Jupiter
Callisto : moon of Jupiter
Titan : largest moon of Saturn
Rhea : moon of Saturn
Dione : moon of Saturn
Enceladus : moon of Saturn
Tethys : moon of Saturn
Ariel : moon of Uranus
Miranda : moon of Uranus
Oberon : moon of Uranus
Titania : moon of Uranus
Triton : moon of Neptune
Charon : largest moon of Pluto

These are moon names in an astronomical sense, rather than necessarily names whose linguistic meaning is “moon.” The International Astronomical Union is responsible for official naming conventions for Solar System bodies and their features.

Lunar Names for Fantasy Characters

For a fictional character, you can take more creative freedom.

Names such as Selene, Luna, Chandra, Titania, Rhea, Nyx, Aylin, and Metztli can suggest different lunar moods.

When creating a gentle character:

Luna
Mahina
Aylin
Yue

A mysterious character:

Selene
Metztli
Rhea
Lucine

A powerful character:

Chandra
Titan
Artemis
Diana

For a magical character:

Luna
Selene
Titania
Miray

For fantasy writing, you can also create an original name from genuine linguistic elements. However, a newly invented name should not be presented as an ancient or traditional name.

How to Choose the Right Lunar Name

Start by deciding what kind of lunar connection you want.

Choose a literal meaning

If you want the clearest connection, choose a name that actually means “moon,” such as Luna, Chandra, Qamar, Yue, Jaci, or Metztli.

Choose moonlight instead

For a softer image, consider names connected with moonlight, a halo, or reflected light, such as Aylin, Aynur, Mahina, or Miray.

Consider the culture

Check the original language before assigning a meaning to a name. Similar-looking names can have unrelated origins.

Check pronunciation

A beautiful meaning is less useful if everyone around you will struggle to say the name. Say the full name aloud several times before choosing it.

Think about long-term use

For a baby name, consider how the name sounds at different ages. For a character, think about if the name matches the character’s world, culture, and role.

Lunar vs. Moon-Inspired: What Is the Difference?

These terms are often mixed together.

A literal lunar name has a direct linguistic meaning connected with the Moon.

A mythological lunar name belongs to a deity or figure associated with the Moon.

A celestial name may come from astronomy but not mean Moon.

A moon-inspired name can simply evoke night, silver light, stars, darkness, or lunar beauty.

For example, Luna is directly lunar, while Titan is moon-inspired through astronomy because Titan is the name of a natural satellite of Saturn.

This distinction helps you choose a name based on the meaning you actually want.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Celestial Names?

Celestial names are names inspired by the Moon, stars, planets, constellations, and other objects or ideas connected with the sky.

What Is a Good Name for Luna?

Good alternatives to Luna include Selene, Mahina, Chandra, Aylin, Qamar, and Artemis. Each has a different cultural or mythological connection to the Moon.

What Are the 12 Full Moon Names?

The traditional full Moon names commonly used in North American folklore are Wolf, Snow, Worm, Pink, Flower, Strawberry, Buck, Sturgeon, Harvest, Hunter’s, Beaver, and Cold Moon.

What Is a Female Name for the Moon?

Selene is a well-known feminine name associated with the Moon in Greek mythology. Luna and Mahina are also popular lunar-inspired choices.

What Is a Cosmic Name?

A cosmic name is inspired by space, astronomy, celestial bodies, or the wider universe. Examples include Nova, Orion, Celeste, Lyra, Sol, and Luna.

What Are the 10 Rarest Names?

There is no universal list of the ten rarest names because name rarity varies by country, language, and time period. Uncommon lunar-inspired choices include Metztli, Aiaru, Aikörkem, Tuleen, Neoma, Jaci, and Lucine.

Conclusion

Lunar names offer much more than a single meaning. You can choose a name that literally means Moon, one connected with moonlight, a traditional lunar deity, or the name of an actual moon in the Solar System.

For a direct meaning, consider Luna, Chandra, Qamar, Yue, Jaci, or Metztli. For moonlight and softer imagery, explore Aylin, Aynur, Mahina, Miray, or Lucine.

The most important step is to check the name’s original language and cultural context rather than relying on a simplified “moon name” label.