Celestial and Star Names

Kiara can be considered a variation of both the Italian name Chiara and the Irish name Ciara. Chiara is the Italian form of Clara, meaning "bright" or "clear," while Ciara is the feminine form of male given name Ciar, derived from the old Irish cíar, meaning "dark."

In Nepal, India and Pakistan, Kiran is used for both boys and girls - as can be seen from internationally acclaimed (female) author Kiran Desai and (male) Nepali soccer player Kiran Chemjong. Nepali-American Fox news anchor Kiran Chetry is another famous, female bearer of this name. With its light-filled meaning, and similarity to names such as Kieran and Karen, this name works well outside Asia.

Greek form of Cyrus

Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for thirteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US thanks in part to Leonardo "Leo" DiCaprio.

Appropriate for a girl born between late September and late October, Libra suggests both balance and freedom.

Either an Armenian name meaning "moon" (also spelled Lusine) or an elaboration of sweet classic Lucy.

The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10 status in the US and its widespread international popularity.

A genus of flowering plants in the fern family. The plant’s seed pods resemble little silver moons, hence the "Luna" related name. Lunaria is also another word for the mineral moonstone.

Lyra is a name with ancient and celestial roots that's finding new popularity thanks to its starring role in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series, seen in the movie The Golden Compass. Simple yet unique, Lyra hits the sweet spot between too popular and too unusual.

A handsome and gentle sounding moon name which would work well across cultures.

One name that encompasses several big baby name trends: Hawaiian names, word names and space-related names. Mahina ranks among Hawaii's top baby names for girls.

In Old Norse mythology Máni is the god of the Moon, brother to Sól, the goddess of the Sun.

One of the many names for the Virgin Mary, this name is popular in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities.

Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work as an alternative to popular Brooks, Max, Atlas, or Miles - and given to around 150 boys - and 35 girls - in a recent year, it is unusual but recognisable.

A lovely celestial choice which shortens to sweet vintage May.

Star in Orion that might make a fine name, except people will always assume it's Melissa, with a typo.

Adventurous parents are starting to look back to names of ancient gods like Mercury, Zeus, and Apollo. This one is also a planet and a metallic element, and has a friendly nickname, Merc. The Roman god Mercury, which derives from the Latin words for trade or wages, is the patron of tradesmen and travelers and the fastest-moving planet in the solar system. Mercury is the planet associated with the sign of Virgo, so this is one of the prime names for Virgo babies.

This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon, which has only ever appeared on the US list for girls but would make for a cool boy name too, especially for those who would like to honor Nahua or Aztec heritage.

Very popular in its native Turkey (Top 20 since 2014), this beautiful, celestial name has international appeal. The meaning of Miray is occasionally debated, with "shining like the moon" as one interpretation and "commander of the moonlight" being another.