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by Alex Morgan August 06, 2026 8 min read
Names that mean moon carry a quiet kind of romance. You might spot one on a birth certificate, a new puppy's tag, or the pet name you and your partner use for each other. These names cross continents and cultures, spanning Latin goddesses, Turkish moonlight, and Egyptian gods of the night sky.
The moon has meant something different to nearly every culture on earth, which is why this list stretches so wide. Luna alone now sits at rank 11 among US girl names for the 2020s, so if you want something familiar or something no one else at the party has heard, there is a moon name for both.
Luna comes straight from Latin, where it means simply moon. You may already know a few Lunas from school pickup lines or nursery playgroups, since it has climbed steadily into the US top 15.
If you want a name that feels warm and familiar without sounding overused everywhere, Luna hits that balance. It also pairs easily with almost any middle name.
→ Read more: Celestial Gift Ideas for Star Sign Fans
Selena traces back to the Greek moon goddess Selene, later softened into this Latinized spelling. It carries both mythology and modern warmth in one name.
The name feels equally at home on a baby, a stage name, or a couple's shared nickname. Its gentle sound makes it easy to say and easy to love.
Diana was the Roman goddess who ruled the moon, the hunt, and the wild outdoors. The name has stayed in steady use for centuries without ever feeling dated.
You get quiet strength packed into a name that still sounds soft. Diana works as well on a grandmother as it does on a newborn.
→ Read more: Names That Mean Star for Girls and Boys
Cynthia started as an epithet for the Greek moon goddess Artemis, tied to her birthplace on Mount Cynthus. Over time it became its own standalone name.
It reads as classic and a little formal, the kind of name that ages well from crib to boardroom. Cynthia also shortens naturally to Cindy or Cyn if you want a casual nickname.
Aylin is Turkish for of the moon, and it has a soft, musical rhythm that stands out without being hard to pronounce. It fits neatly among more common Western names while still feeling distinct.
If you want your baby or your matching couple nickname to have real meaning behind it, Aylin delivers that without forcing anyone to look up a pronunciation guide.
→ Read more: Love Quotes About The Moon
Amaris comes from Irish roots and translates to moonchild, a phrase that feels almost too perfect for a baby born under a full moon. It sounds contemporary while carrying old meaning.
The name also works well shortened to Mari or Ris for everyday use. It gives you both a formal name and a built-in nickname.
Mona is Old English for moon, plain and simple. It has a short, clean sound that has quietly fallen out of heavy rotation, which makes it feel fresh again.
You get an easy name to spell, say, and monogram, with meaning that most people will not already know. That combination is hard to find these days.
If a moon name has you thinking about your own love story, that same sun and moon pull works just as well on matching apparel. Our Sun and Moon Hoodie plays on the same idea these names carry, two different lights that only make sense together. Pair it with a custom photo hoodie or Hubby and Wifey Hoodies if you want to carry the moon theme from a name straight onto your closet.
Ayden is a Turkish variant meaning from the moon, and it happens to share sound and spelling with one of the most popular boy names in the US over the past two decades. That overlap works in your favor if you want meaning without standing out too much.
It also gives you flexible spelling options, from Ayden to Aiden to Aydin, depending on how you want it to look on paper.
Chandra is Hindi for of the moon or radiant, and it works as a name for boys throughout India even though Western lists sometimes file it under girl names. The dual use makes it a flexible pick for a couple who wants a name without a strict gender lane.
It carries real weight, since Chandra is also the name of a major deity in Hindu tradition tied directly to the moon.
Qamar is Arabic for moon, short and strong with a clear, confident sound. It works well as a first name or a striking middle name.
The name shows up across the Arabic-speaking world and carries no extra baggage or hidden meaning to explain. Moon is the whole story.
Mani comes from Old Norse mythology, where he personifies the moon itself, pulling it across the sky each night. The name is short, easy to say, and rooted in genuine legend rather than a modern invention.
It fits a family drawn to Norse or mythological names without going as heavy as Thor or Odin.
Rakesh is Hindi for lord of the full moon, a name with real presence behind it. It has been in steady use across India for generations, which gives it history without feeling overused elsewhere.
The name also carries a natural nickname in Rakes or Rak for families who want a shorter everyday option.
Hilal is Arabic for crescent moon, tied to the specific sliver shape that marks the start of the Islamic calendar month. That precision gives the name a layer of meaning beyond just moon in general.
It sounds crisp and modern while staying rooted in centuries of tradition.
Jaci comes from Tupi origin and means moon, used historically for a moon deity in Brazilian mythology. The name has a light, breezy sound that works well for a boy or as a unisex pick.
If you want something rare that almost no one else will have heard, Jaci fits without being difficult to pronounce.
Selene is the original Greek goddess of the moon, the source name behind Selena and several other variations on this list. She drove her chariot across the night sky, which gives the name a cinematic, larger than life feel.
Selene works beautifully for a couple who wants a name loaded with old myth and quiet drama.
Artemis ruled the moon, the hunt, and the wild forests in Greek mythology, and the name has recently crossed over into gender neutral territory. It carries a fierce, independent energy that feels far from soft or sleepy.
The name suits parents who want moon meaning without any of the delicate, dreamy tone that some moon names lean into.
Nokomis is a Native American name meaning daughter of the moon, most familiar from Longfellow's poem The Song of Hiawatha, where Nokomis raises her grandson under moonlight. The story behind it adds real emotional weight.
It sounds unlike anything else on this list, which makes it a strong pick if uniqueness matters more than easy pronunciation.
Hala is Arabic for halo around the moon, describing the soft ring of light that sometimes circles a full moon on a clear night. Few names capture such a specific, beautiful image in just two syllables.
The name feels gentle and a little mysterious, perfect for parents drawn to poetic meaning.
Khonsu was the ancient Egyptian god of the moon, worshipped as a protector who traveled the night sky and marked the passing of time. The name carries genuine weight from one of the oldest civilizations to track lunar cycles.
It suits a family drawn to mythology with real depth, not just a passing reference.
Ilargi is Basque for moonlight, coming from one of the oldest language isolates still spoken in Europe. The rarity alone makes it stand out, since almost no one outside the Basque Country uses it.
If you want a name that feels genuinely undiscovered, Ilargi is about as rare as moon names get.
Mahvash is Persian for moon-like, traditionally used as a poetic compliment for someone with a luminous, beautiful face. The name carries romance built directly into its meaning.
It works well for parents drawn to Persian poetry and literature, where comparing a loved one to the moon is a classic and cherished image.
Picking a name that means moon gives you more than a pretty word. Each one carries a piece of the culture it came from, a Greek goddess, a Norse legend, or a simple Old English word for the light in the night sky.
You land on something as familiar as Luna or as rare as Ilargi, and either way you are choosing a name with real history behind it. Let the meaning guide you, and the right one will feel obvious once you say it out loud.
Luna holds that spot by a wide margin, currently ranked 11 among US girl names for the 2020s according to Social Security Administration data. Selena and Diana follow as more classic, slightly less common alternatives that still carry the same lunar meaning.
Yes. Chandra, Jaci, and Artemis all work well outside strict gender lines, since each has a history of use for boys, girls, or both depending on the culture. Qamar and Mani also read as flexible choices for parents who want a name without a firm gender lane.
Sanskrit, Arabic, and Turkish languages each produced a large number of true moon names, since lunar calendars played a central role in daily life and religious practice in those regions. Greek and Roman mythology contributed most of the moon goddess names still popular today, like Selene, Diana, and Cynthia.
Many parents drawn to moon names also follow astrology, since the moon governs emotion, intuition, and instinct in a birth chart. The name itself does not carry astrological weight on its own, but the symbolism lines up neatly for anyone who wants both.
Sun and moon pairings work well for couples who want complementary rather than matching names, such as Selene and Apollo or Luna and a name meaning light or star. You can also skip the pairing entirely and let one partner's name carry the moon meaning while the other picks a name that simply feels right together.
Alex Morgan
Alex Morgan is the writer behind Couple Hoodies’ blog, where she spends her days coming up with matching outfit ideas and her nights burning dinner in her Austin apartment. A UCLA Creative Writing grad with four years in digital content, she has a talent for making couples laugh at their own relationship habits. Her Instagram captions are consistently better than her cooking.
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