The ancient Romans adapted the their moon Goddess from that of the ancient Greeks, Selena. Her attributes are a crescent moon and a biga, the chariot she drives. It was said that each night at dusk, she shot an arrow full of stars across the night sky.

The name Luna has been steadily growing in popularity since it appeared on the charts in 2003. In 2016 it reached the top 100 names and it broke the top 20 in 2019 when it peaked at position 16. With celestial names, nature-inspired names, and mythological references on the rise, it’s likely to stay common over the coming years. Interestingly, Luna was a top 1,000 name since 1900 before nearly dropping off the charts in the following decade. In 1922, it fell off the charts and did not appear again until its resurgence in 2003.

Name Variations

Luna has several variations, none of which compare with its popularity. Lunette means “little moon” in French, as does Lunetta in Italian. Variations of Luna include:

LounaLunaraLunethLunettaLunetteLunneta

Similar Names

Luna is not the only name that means moon. If you want to name your child after our planet’s faithful satellite, you have many other choices. Take a look at these names that mean moon:

AmarisArtemisChandraCynthiaDevaDianaEsmerayInduLivianaLuaLucineLutanaMonaNeomaSelena

Maybe you just love how the name Luna sounds. The two syllables of Luna drop off the tongue in a simple but oh-so-pretty moniker. Mixing up the vowel sounds between the initial consonant sounds yields a similar impression. Some options for names similar to Luna include:

LanaLenaLinaLonaLuana

Common Nicknames

Luna is already a short and sweet name, but there a few adorable nicknames to choose from. Common nicknames for Luna include:

LouLuluUna

Suggested Sibling Names

Luna pairs well with other celestial and nature-inspired names. Consider sibling names such as:

Archer Asher Aurora Celeste Cyrus Daisy Dawn Fawn Finch Fletcher Ivy Leo Lupin Nova Oberon Orion Poppy Samson Sky Stella Titan

Famous People Named Luna

Luna is most commonly used as a girl’s name, but interestingly, one of the most famous people named Luna was a man, Luna Leopold, known for his call for a new philosophy of water management. Famous people named Luna include:

Luna Leopold, American geomorphologist, hydrologist, author, and professor known for his holistic approach to water management.Luna Haruna, Japanese singer and fashion model from Tokyo known for her gothic-Lolita fashion aestheticLuna Maya, Indonesian model, actress, and singer, and 2020 host of Indonesia’s “Next Top Model"Luna Mágica, Mexican female professional wrestlerLuna Al-Masri, Jordanian footballerLuna Alcalay, Austrian pianist, music educator, and composerLuna Gevitz, Danish footballerLuna H. Mitani, Japanese-American artist known for his painting and pen-and-ink drawingLuna Schweiger, German child actressLuna Voce, Dutch-Italian model and beauty pageant titleholder and crowned Miss Universo Italia 2013Luna Mijović, Bosnian actress

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