Luminous Names

Old-fashioned nickname for Nora, Honora, Eleanor, Noreen... or any name with that "nor" sound.

Auriel is a Roman name that was revived during the nineteenth-century craze for unique names. Could make an interesting substitution for the popular Aurora or Ariel.

Unusual yet accessible Hawaiian choice. The Noel beginning makes it a possible name for baby girls born at Christmas.

Means "moonlight" in Tamazight.

As a name, Morningstar is the English translation of Morgenstern, a German-Jewish surname. The planet Venus is called Morningstar when it is visible before sunrise.

Gender-neutral choice ideal for a child born during Hanukkah.

This Danielle/Monique hybrid offers a new twist on an old favorite.

You may be familiar with Celeste, but have you considered this beautiful choice for a boy, currently highly fashionable in France, derived from Latin Caelestis ("of the sky; heavenly").

This shimmery lunar name is rising in popularity as a middle name for both sexes.

This Welsh name presents some pronunciation/spelling challenges but has a lovely sound and meaning. The name has been used in the South Korean multiplayer game Mabinogi for one of the human healer characters.

One of the few rainbow names that is masculine, Walken is a Noongar Aboriginal word.

A popular name in its native Turkey, with one of the most poetic meaning around.

The exact meaning of Aybars is unknown, but it appears to be derived from ay, known to mean "moon," and a Proto-Turkic root bār, "there exists."

A unisex Japanese name with a beautiful and radiant meaning, it is notably borne by chess prodigy Hikaru Nakamura, and is a central character in the manga series The Summer Hikaru Died.

This lunar choice may intrigue parents searching for alternatives to Luna.

If you don't want your daughter to be a Diva, try this Hindu moon goddess name that was chosen by actress Monica Bellucci for hers.

Maristella is used as a "smoosh" name in Greek, typically with Maria Stella or Maria Styliane on the official birth certificate. Maristella can also stem from the Latin words Maris and Stella, meaning sea and star. Maristela is the equally evocative Spanish and Portuguese equivalent.

The Titan of the dusk in Greek mythology, husband of Eos (Dawn) and father of the four Anemoi (Winds), as well as the goddess Astraea. The name is derived from Greek "aster", meaning "star".

A strong, handsome Indian name with cross-cultural appeal.