Do you love the name Luna but can't use it because your best friend just gave it to her baby girl, or because you already have a little Luna at home? Fortunately, there are a lot of girl names that are just as beautiful and meaningful as Luna.
One of the fastest-rising girl names of the twenty-first-century, Luna means "moon" in a number of languages, including Spanish and Latin, but it also has mythological connotations thanks to a Roman goddess bearing the name. If it's the meaning of Luna you're drawn to, names with a similar meaning include Stella, Nova, Selene, Eliana, Celeste and Skye.
If it's the short, feminine sound of Luna that you fell in love with, then names like Lucy, Isla, Lily, Mila, Lana, Chloe or Lola might make good Luna alternatives for your baby girl.
For even more ideas, read on for our full list of names that are similar to Luna in sound, meaning or style:
Meaning "star" in Latin, Stella shares the cosmic theme and Latin roots with Luna. It also falls into the category of short, a-ending girl names that have skyrocketed in popularity this century. Estella and Estelle, both cognates of Stella, are also possibilities.
If you're drawn to names like Luna and Stella, you might also like Nova, another short a-ender with ties to the outer space. Like Luna, Nova experienced an, ahem, astronomical rise in the 2010s, cementing its status as one of the hottest star-inspired baby names.
While the moon itself emits no light, it reflects the radiant glow of the sun, giving the name Luna a luminous quality. The name Lucy also comes with a sparkle: it derives from the Latin word lux, meaning "light". And of course, Luna and Lucy also share that cute Lu-beginning.
The pretty Isla has seen a huge surge in popularity this century, first in the UK and later in the US. Meaning "island" in Spanish and having links to Scotland via the Scottish island of Islay, from which the name is thought to have evolved, Isla doesn't have much in common with Luna in terms of meaning, but like Luna, it gives you a short, lilting contemporary name with the feminine a-ending. And, if you want to throw in a connection to the moon, you can spell it Ayla, in which case it becomes a Turkish girls' name meaning "the halo around the moon" (though in Turkey the name Ayla is actually pronounced EYE-luh).
Reminiscent of the more familiar Eileen, the exotic Aylin has Turkish roots, and like Ayla, it's related to the Turkish word Ay, which means "moon".
An old floral girl name with modern appeal, Lily is a short and straightforward L-name like Luna, and fun to say, too! If you want a name with a little more substance, you might also consider Lilith–provided that you're not religious and can gloss over the somewhat dark connotations that come with Lilith. Then again, Luna also has a touch of goth, so maybe Lilith does indeed make the perfect pairing for Luna!
Luna and Willow are two wonderfully vowely names that both boast the lovely lilting "L". They both also play off the lunar theme, each with their own angle: Luna literally means "moon", while the lunar meaning of Willow is hidden in its symbolism. If you like the sound of Willow but would prefer a name that ends in -a like Luna, Willa could be an option, too.
Similar to the name Willow, Selene has a more subtle connection to the moon—unless you majored in Greek Studies in which case the lunar link becomes quite obvious: In Greek mythology, Selene was the goddess and personification of the moon. As a baby name, the spin-off Selena has traditionally been more popular in the US.
Or, you could drop the L and go with just Mia – that works, too! Mia may be short, even shorter than Luna, but it still packs a punch. A favorite of millennial parents, Mia cracked the US Top 100 in 2000, and a decade later, it was already in the Top 10.
This lovely blast-from-the-past is gracing the list of Top U.S. Girl Names once again. Though it's much frillier than Luna, there's something about this elegant E-name that makes it feel at home on this list.
Just one letter away from our leading lady, Lana might sound too similar to Luna to make it a viable candidate for a sister name, but it would definitely make a great substitute for Luna. In fact, this may be one of the strongest contenders on this list if it's the sound of Luna that you're drawn to.
One of the moons of Jupiter, Elara is a relatively new addition to the American baby name lexicon. It offers a little more rhythm than Luna but still has that lovely lilting sound.
If Elara feels too exotic, try the twenty-first-century favorite Eliana, which offers a soft, smooth sound just like Luna. While Eliana claims multiple possible origins and meanings, we think the meaning "sun" (from the Greek word hēlios) is the best and most appropriate if you're looking for a name to go with Luna (the sun and the moon, how adorable is that?).
If you're looking for a name that means moon, literally, Lua fits the bill. In addition to serving as a modern girl's name, it's the Portuguese word for "moon", and of course, it also shares all of its letters with Luna. If you're concerned about the lack of a consonant buffer in the middle, consider this: names like Zoe/Zoey, Maya and Leah are doing just fine, and two of the currently most popular boy names, Liam and Noah, scrimp on consonants, too. Celebrity parents that have used the name Lua for their babies include actor and author Cameron Douglas and Australian musician Michael Clifford.
At first sight, Luna and Helen don't have much in common: the former strikes a modern note, the latter sounds a little outdated to the contemporary ear. But if you dig a little deeper, you'll find that there is a connection: Helen, like Eliana, is related to the Greek word hēlios, meaning "sun", making Helen a perfectly legit companion to the moon-inspired Luna. And, if you add an "e", you'll arrive at Helene, which is not only a girls' name but also the name of one of Saturn's moons!
Like Helene, Phoebe belongs to one of Saturn's moons. Phoebe also has a number of other features that make it a good alternative to (or pairing for) Luna, including a luminous meaning ("shining" or "bright", derived from Ancient Greek), mythological associations, and a sweet, modern sound.
If you love all things celestial, there's a name that drives the point home even better than Luna. We're talking about the beautiful Celeste, which is a well-established name in the US but not a mainstream favorite like Luna.
A little less ethereal than Celeste but still heavenly, Skye came of age as a baby name in the 1990s. In addition to its celestial connotations, Skye offers Scottish place name appeal, being the name of one of Scotland's largest islands. But before you pick Skye for your baby girl, be aware that for many kids, the first association will be the perky puppy from Paw Patrol.
If you like the name Skye but the puppy association bothers you, Skylar could be the perfect alternative. It still evokes a bright blue sky and feels like it could make a nice pairing for Luna. You could also drop the final "r" and go with just Skyla, which shares the lovely a-ending with Luna.
Yet another word-adjacent name, Starr doesn't have much in common with Luna in terms of sound, but these two names both carry cosmic connotations. Particularly, if Luna and Stella are high on your list, Starr might appeal, too.
Sage may not seem like an obvious alternative to Luna, but it works! It is short, stylish, and boasts multiple meanings (botanical; wise), just like Luna.
Any name that means "moon" is automatically a potential alternative for Luna, but names that mean "sun" might also appeal to parents who like Luna, especially those who are looking for sibling names. The most obvious representative of this group is Sol, which means "sun" in Spanish and Latin, but there's also Soleil (French) and Sole (Italian; pronounced SO-leh). And let's not forget the homegrown Sunny, which would make an adorable name for a spring or summer baby.
Aurora means "dawn" in Latin, and it's also the name of the goddess of dawn in Roman mythology. The goddess association aside, Aurora also squares with Luna thanks to the connection to the night sky: those who live in the arctic regions of the world are very familiar with aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, which illuminate the northern skies with breath-taking colors and shapes.
Though Maya (or Maia) claims multiple origins and meanings, the one that matters most here is its meaning to ancient Romans, to whom Maia was the goddess of fertility and spring.
Luna and Cleo sound like they could be sisters, don't you think? Both boast mellifluous vowel sounds, and both are short but substantive names rooted in antiquity (Luna as the name of the Roman goddess, Cleo as a short form of Cleopatra).
If you think Cleo would make a great Luna alternative, you'll probably also like Chloe, which has a similar sound. Chloe also has a mythological connection as one of the epithets of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture and the harvest.
Keeping with the theme of ancient Greek religion, next up on our list is Cora, an epithet of the Greek goddess Persephone. The goddess connection aside, Cora is short, feminine and ends in -a, just like Luna.
Mirroring Luna at its front and back ends, Lola feels like a sister for Luna. Aside from sharing sounds, Lola also comes with a Spanish connection, being a short form of the Catholic girl name Dolores. That being said, Lola is also at home as a girl's name and nickname in many other cultures, including German and Russian. If you like Lola, another Luna alternative you might want to consider is Nola, an old girls' name that's being revived by the new generation of moms and dads.
At first sight, the only thing Luna and Freya have in common is their a-ending. But when you dig a little deeper, you'll find that they're both goddess names – though from different cultures. While Luna's goddess connection dates back to ancient Rome, Freya originates from Norse mythology, where Freya (technically Freyja) was the goddess of love, beauty and fertility, among other things.
Carrying up with mythological names, next up is Juno, the name of a Roman goddess who has been referenced in numerous classic works of literature, including Virgil's Aeneid and Shakespeare's The Tempest. However, for many, the first association is the indie-film Juno, which also brought the name to the attention of American baby namers. As a Luna alternative, Juno's biggest selling points are its two-syllable construction, the "un" in the middle, and the vowel ending.
Whether you spell it Aria or Arya, this name shares a similar trajectory with Luna. It was virtually unheard of pre-Y2K, but has since evolved into a familiar choice. Of course, the reasons for Arya's rise on the charts were quite unusual, with the feisty Game of Thrones character playing a major role in bringing this exotic-sounding name into America's consciousness.
Soundwise, Ariel doesn't have too much in common with Luna, but like the name Arya, it has this cool, kind of ethereal quality to it, similar to Luna. In addition, Ariel counts as a moon-themed name thanks to the fourth-largest moon of Uranus which bears the name Ariel.
Luna is short and frills-free; Estrella is long and lacey. Yet, a sister set called Luna and Estrella might just work. Or even better, you could use Estrella as a middle name for Luna. If you name your daughter Luna Estrella, you're essentially naming your child "Moon Star", as Estrella means "star" in Spanish. Now that's a name for a future astronomer!
If you actually like the -ella ending of Estrella more than its astronomical meaning, you might also like Bella. Meaning "beatiful" in Spanish, Bella comes in at two syllables, like Luna, plus it shares that sweet a-ending. A word of caution, however: both Luna and Bella are popular dog names, so don't be surprised if your colleagues think of two furry friends when you first mention Luna and Bella.
If it's the luminous meaning or the Lu-beginning that drew you to Luna, you might also like Lumi. In the US, this bright Luna alternative remains a rare choice, but in Finland, it's a popular girl's name as well as the Finnish word for "snow".
Next up is Iona, the name of a tiny but historically-important Scottish island that doubles as an old-fashioned I-beginning girls' name. Being a place name, Iona doesn't have much in common with Luna in terms of meaning, but soundwise, Luna and Iona are very similar. And, if you are brave enough to drop the -na, you'll get the tiny but legit name Io (pronounced "EYE-oh"), which does have lunar assocations as one of Jupiter's moons.
This unususual name takes after Luna's sounds, plus it shares the slighty mystical feel of Luna. A female version of the better-known Scandinavian name Rune, Runa has its roots in the Old Norse word rún, meaning "secret", and it's etymologically related to runestones. In addition to its Nordic heritage, Runa has precedent as a Japanese girl's name.
If you can't decide between the cute Lu-names and the beautiful El-names, both of which are super popular right now, you can get the best of both worlds with Luella! Despite its pretty beginning and ending sounds, this uncommon girl name from the 1920s has stayed out of the spotlight, which is great if you're looking for an unusual but perfectly wearable name with a touch of vintage flair. Lou, Lulu, Elle and Ella would make cute nicknames, and Louella can be used as an alternate spelling.