Names that mean moon: 70+ moon names with meanings
82 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest
Names that mean moon include Luna (Latin), Selene (Greek) and Chandra (Sanskrit), and many other languages have their own: Qamar in Arabic, Killa in Quechua, Mahina in Hawaiian and Ay in Turkish names like Aylin.
Below are more than 70 real names with a documented moon meaning or a moon deity behind them. They are grouped into girl names, boy names and unisex names, then moon goddesses and gods, names that mean moonlight or full moon, and the large family of Turkish names built on ay, the moon. Each note gives the meaning and the language it comes from, plus a pronunciation where English speakers may stumble.
Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks
Ziri
Moonlight; Tamazight, a Berber name from North Africa
Luna
The moon; Latin, also the Roman moon goddess
Mahina
The moon; Hawaiian, also the word for a lunar month
Mahin
Related to the moon; Persian, from mah, moon
Koray
Ember moon; Turkish, from kor, glowing ember
Yue
Moon, written 月; Chinese. Say YWEH
Find a moon name on this page
Narrow 82 names by how common they were for US babies in 2025, by section, length or first letter, or search the meanings.
Moon names for girls
Girl names that mean moon, from Latin and Hebrew to Persian, Japanese and Tupi.
- Levana 14 in 2025: The moon, from a word for white; Hebrew. Say leh-VAH-na
- Indu Under 5 in 2025: Bright drop, a name for the moon; Sanskrit
- Mahsa 28 in 2025: Like the moon; Persian, a classic poetic compliment. Since 2022 it is also linked to Mahsa Amini
- Mahin Under 5 in 2025: Related to the moon; Persian, from mah, moon
- Mahnaz Under 5 in 2025: Moon and delight; Persian, from mah and naz
- Mahvash Under 5 in 2025: Moon-like; Persian, a poetic name for a radiant beauty
- Tsukiko Under 5 in 2025: Moon child, written 月子; Japanese. Say tsoo-KEE-ko
- Kamaria 47 in 2025: From Arabic qamar, moon; used in the Comoros, whose name has the same root
- Jaciara Under 5 in 2025: Moon lady; Tupi, a Brazilian name
- Jacira Under 5 in 2025: Moon and honey; Tupi, used in Brazil
- Aysel 93 in 2025: Pure moon; Turkish and Azerbaijani. Say eye-SELL
- Aysu Under 5 in 2025: Moon water; Turkish, from ay, moon, and su, water
- Ayça Under 5 in 2025: Like the moon; Turkish. Say eye-CHA
- Aydan 85 in 2025: From the moon; Turkish and Azerbaijani. In the US it is mostly a boys' spelling of Aidan
- Nila 116 in 2025: The moon; Tamil. Say NEE-lah
- Lusine Under 5 in 2025: From lusin, moon; Armenian. Say loo-see-NEH
Boy names that mean moon
Boy names that mean moon come mostly from Sanskrit, Persian and Turkish, where the moon is a classic symbol of calm and beauty.
- Shashank Under 5 in 2025: The moon, literally hare-marked; Sanskrit, after the hare seen on its face
- Himanshu Under 5 in 2025: The moon, literally cold-rayed; Sanskrit
- Sudhanshu Under 5 in 2025: The moon, literally nectar-rayed; Sanskrit
- Chandran Under 5 in 2025: The moon; Sanskrit, a Tamil and Malayalam form
- Chandrakant Under 5 in 2025: Beloved of the moon; Sanskrit, also the word for moonstone
- Chandrashekhar Under 5 in 2025: Crowned with the moon; Sanskrit, a title of Shiva
- Mahyar Under 5 in 2025: Friend of the moon; Persian. Say mah-YAR
- Ziri Under 5 in 2025: Moonlight; Tamazight, a Berber name from North Africa
- Aykut Under 5 in 2025: Moon and good fortune; Turkish. Say eye-KOOT
- Aybars 5 in 2025: Possibly moon leopard; Turkish, the name of a relative of Attila the Hun
- Ayberk Under 5 in 2025: Mighty moon; Turkish, from ay, moon, and berk, strong
- Kutay Under 5 in 2025: Lucky moon; Turkish, from kut, good fortune
- Tuncay Under 5 in 2025: Bronze moon; Turkish. Say toon-JAI
- Koray Under 5 in 2025: Ember moon; Turkish, from kor, glowing ember
Unisex names that mean moon
Gender-neutral moon names used for girls and boys.
- Shashi Under 5 in 2025: The moon, literally having a hare; Sanskrit
- Qamar 69 in 2025: The moon; Arabic and Urdu, for girls and boys
- Hilal 11 in 2025: Crescent moon; Arabic, a boys' name in Arab countries and a girls' name in Turkey
- Badr 5 in 2025: Full moon; Arabic, mostly for boys. Say BAH-dr
- Ayhan 28 in 2025: Moon and khan, ruler; Turkish, for girls and boys
- Aytaç Under 5 in 2025: Moon crown; Turkish. Say eye-TACH
- Günay Under 5 in 2025: Sun and moon; Turkish and Azerbaijani
- İlkay Under 5 in 2025: New moon; Turkish, literally first moon
- Yue 11 in 2025: Moon, written 月; Chinese. Say YWEH
- Dawa Under 5 in 2025: Moon, also month; Tibetan, for girls and boys. Say DAH-wah
Moon goddesses and moon gods
Names of moon deities from Greek, Roman, Norse, Basque, Hindu, Aztec, Inca, Polynesian and Tupi tradition. Some mean moon outright; others belong to a goddess linked to it.
- Cynthia 247 in 2025: From Mount Kynthos; Greek, a poetic name for the moon goddess
- Chandra Under 5 in 2025: The moon; Sanskrit, the Hindu moon god, used for all genders
- Máni 13 in 2025: The moon; Old Norse, the moon personified and brother of the sun, Sól
- Metztli 42 in 2025: The moon; Nahuatl, the Aztec moon deity. Say METS-tlee
- Killa Under 5 in 2025: The moon; Quechua. The Inca moon goddess was Mama Killa. In English slang, killa can read as killer
- Jaci 58 in 2025: The moon; Tupi, the moon goddess of Brazilian legend
- Ilargi Under 5 in 2025: The moon; Basque, from hil, month, and argi, light, and the Basque moon goddess
Names that mean moonlight and full moon
Names for moonlight, the moon's halo and the full moon.
- Aynur 14 in 2025: Moonlight; Turkish ay, moon, plus Arabic nur, light
- Mahtab Under 5 in 2025: Moonlight; Persian, from mah, moon, and tab, glow
- Chandni Under 5 in 2025: Moonlight; Hindi and Urdu, a soft romantic classic
- Chandrika Under 5 in 2025: Moonlight; Sanskrit, from chandra, the moon
- Jyotsna Under 5 in 2025: Moonlight; Sanskrit. Say JYOAT-snah
- Kaumudi Under 5 in 2025: Moonlight; Sanskrit, a poetic classic in India
- Nuray Under 5 in 2025: Bright moon; Turkish, from nur, light, and ay, moon
- Purnima Under 5 in 2025: Full moon; Sanskrit, also the full moon day
- Punam Under 5 in 2025: Full moon; Hindi, from Sanskrit
- Indumathi Under 5 in 2025: Day of the full moon; Sanskrit, also a princess in Kalidasa's Raghuvamsha
- Rakesh Under 5 in 2025: Lord of the full moon; Sanskrit, a classic Indian boy's name
Turkish names built on ay, the moon
Ay is the Turkish word for moon, and it joins other words to make dozens of names. These are some of the best known.
- Ayten Under 5 in 2025: Moon skin; Turkish, from ay, moon, and ten, skin
- Aybüke Under 5 in 2025: Moon queen; Turkish. Say eye-bew-KEH
- Ayfer Under 5 in 2025: Moon brilliance; Turkish, from ay and Persian fer, splendor
- Feray Under 5 in 2025: Brilliant moon; Turkish, from Persian fer, splendor
- Dilay Under 5 in 2025: Heart moon; Turkish, from Persian dil, heart
- Şenay 7 in 2025: Happy moon; Turkish. Say sheh-NAI
- Nilay 11 in 2025: Nile moon; Turkish, from Nil, the Nile, and ay, moon
- Simay Under 5 in 2025: Silver moon; Turkish, from Persian sim, silver
- Gülay Under 5 in 2025: Rose moon; Turkish, from gül, rose
- Aysima Under 5 in 2025: Moon face; Turkish, from ay and Persian sima, face
- Aygün Under 5 in 2025: Moon and sun; Turkish and Azerbaijani
- Berkay Under 5 in 2025: Strong moon; Turkish, from berk, firm, and ay, moon
How to pick the right name
Check the language, not just the sound
Some names look like moon words but mean something else. Mona, for example, is an Irish name from Muadhnait, not the Old English word mona, moon. Every name here has a documented moon meaning or belongs to a moon deity, and the notes say which.
Choose the characters for Japanese and Chinese names
Mitsuki means beautiful moon when written 美月, but written 光希 it means light and hope, with no moon, and 美月 can also be read Mizuki. Pick the name and its characters together.
Match the mood you want
Luna and Selene feel mythic, Aylin and Mahsa feel soft and lyrical, and Badr and Shashank feel classic. Say the full name out loud with your surname to hear which mood fits.
Pair it with a sun or star name
Moon names make lovely sibling or twin pairs with sun and star names, such as Luna and Sol, or Aylin and Güneş. See our names that mean sun and names that mean star for matches.
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Names that mean moon: Luna's peak, the moon names now rising, and the 'moon' names that don't mean moon
By The Nomezo Editors · Updated October 25, 2026 · How we research names
Luna has passed its peak: it was No. 10 for US girls in 2022 and 2023 and No. 27 in 2025. Other moon names are climbing instead, and Phoebe, Aylin and Selene all reached their best ranks ever in 2025.
Many names sold as moon names have no documented moon meaning, and in many languages the word for moon also means month. The finder above narrows the names on this page by section, length and US popularity.
Moon names Americans use
| Name | US rank, 2025 | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| Luna | #27 | #10 in 2022 and 2023 |
| Ayla | #77 | #69 in 2024 |
| Phoebe | #157 | #157 in 2025, a record |
| Diana | #244 | #42 in 1946 |
| Selena | #268 | #91 in 1995 |
| Aylin | #345 | #345 in 2025, a record |
| Selene | #623 | #623 in 2025, a record |
| Cynthia | #1,014 | #7 in 1957 |
Source: US Social Security Administration, births 1880 to 2025. Diana, Phoebe and Cynthia belong to moon goddesses rather than meaning moon.
Names often called moon names that are not
- Moon and month. English moon and month share an ancient root meaning moon or month (Wiktionary), and the overlap runs through many names: Basque Ilargi is built on hil, month, and Tibetan Dawa means moon and month.
- The crescent starts the month. In the Islamic calendar each month begins when the hilal, the new crescent, is sighted, so Hilal is a name for new beginnings (Wikipedia)).
- A hare in the moon. Sanskrit Shashi means having a hare, after the rabbit many cultures see on the moon's face (Behind the Name, Wikipedia).
| Name | Often said to mean | What the record shows |
|---|---|---|
| Mona | Moon | An Irish name from Muadhnait |
| Luan | Moon | Albanian for lion |
| Kamari | Moon | A modern blend of Jamari, Amari and Kamaria |
| Neoma | New moon | No documented meaning |
| Amaris | Child of the moon | No documented meaning |
Sources: Behind the Name, for example Mona, Luan and Kamari. Elara and Atlas are moons of Jupiter and Saturn, not names that mean moon.
Moon and sun pairs for siblings
| Moon | Sun | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Selene | Helios, her brother | Greek |
| Máni | Sól, his sister | Norse |
| Ilargi | Eki, her sister | Basque |
| Mama Killa | Inti, her brother and husband | Inca |
Sources: Wikipedia, Selene, Máni, Ilargi and Mama Killa.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What name means moon?
Luna (Latin) and Selene (Greek) both mean the moon. Chandra (Sanskrit), Qamar (Arabic), Killa (Quechua), Mahina (Hawaiian) and Metztli (Nahuatl) carry the same meaning in other languages.
What is a boy name that means moon?
Shashank, Himanshu and Sudhanshu are Sanskrit boy names for the moon, and Máni is the moon personified in Old Norse myth. Badr (full moon) and Hilal (crescent moon) are Arabic choices.
What girl names mean moonlight?
Chandni, Chandrika and Jyotsna mean moonlight in Hindi and Sanskrit, Mahtab means moonlight in Persian and Aynur means moonlight in Turkish.
Who is the goddess of the moon?
In Greek myth the moon goddess is Selene, and her Roman counterpart is Luna. Artemis and Diana were hunting goddesses later linked to the moon. The meaning of Artemis is uncertain, so it is not listed here.
Why do so many Turkish names start with Ay?
Ay is the Turkish word for moon. It combines with other words to make names such as Aysel (pure moon), Aylin (from ay, the moon) and Aykut (moon and good fortune).
Is Luna still popular?
Yes, but less than it was. Luna was the 10th most popular name for US girls in 2022 and 2023, then fell to No. 13 in 2024 and No. 27 in 2025, still more than 6,000 girls a year.
Does Neoma mean new moon?
Not as far as the record shows. Neoma is often listed as Greek for new moon, but there is no documented source for that meaning, so it is not on this page.
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