115+ Far-Out Space Names For Your Baby (Or Furbaby)
Stargazers can be a pretty magical group of people. They understand the true expansiveness of space and the universe. They have come to terms with how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Yet, they also understand how big some decisions still feel. Naming your baby, for instance, is rarely a task that parents take lightly — choosing a name for your child helps shape their identity. So, it makes sense to steer clear of names that have negative connotations for you. As luck would have it, stargazers have a giant bag of incredible monikers to pull from if they want to draw on their love of space. From famous astronomers and astronauts to the planets and the stars, there are so many directions you can go when considering space names for your baby.
Take the name “Buzz,” for instance. It’s a nickname, sure, but it also immediately calls to mind two very famous spacemen: Buzz Lightyear and Buzz Aldrin. Buzz Aldrin’s real name was Edwin Eugene Aldrin — which has nothing to do with space. But that doesn’t diminish the obvious space connection as soon as you hear “Buzz.”
In case your American History days are long behind you, it’s because he was one of the first two people to land on the moon, along with his commander Neil Armstrong. (Neil would also be a solid choice, although you’d probably have to draw the connection for most people.) Buzz was also a decorated war vet, a distinguished fighter pilot, and an Air Force Colonel. All of those things combine to make Buzz a solid space name option for a little boy. Plus, it will probably stand out a bit more than Neil or John (Glenn, also an astronaut and upstanding citizen). And, of course, Buzz Lightyear is clearly the best part of Toy Story.
You could also go for names that more directly relate to space. Orion sounds like Ryan but connects to the constellation Orion. Orion, you may remember, was a famous hunter in Greek mythology. There are two different stories about Orion and how he ended up “in the sky.” One story ties him to Zeus, but the other links him to Artemis — an archer who was famous in her own right and whose name has become quite trendy in recent years. Many people link her name’s rising popularity to Hunger Games and its lead character, an archer named Katniss. Whatever myth you prefer, Orion is a solid name for a stargazer’s child since it immediately ties back to space. But it still has that familiar “Ryan” sound, so it’s not too off-the-wall.
Another famous and well-known constellation? Cassiopeia, named for the Greek goddess of the same name known for her stunning beauty. Of course, she was arrogant and vain, which came back to bite her in the butt. (You can leave that part out when you explain to your kiddo where their name came from.) A little girl named Cassiopeia could go by the nickname “Cassie.”
You might even consider a Harry Potter name, as many of those have ties to space too. Want to see some other cool space names? Here are our favorites. PS: While you’re reading, keep in mind that many of these make excellent star names for dogs!
Space Names for Boys
- Adhil
- Aegir
- Algedi
- Alnair
- Apollo
- Aquila
- Aries
- Astro
- Astrophel
- Atlas
- Avior
- Azmidi
- Baade
- Badar
- Burbidge
- Celaeno
- Centaurus
- Chertan
- Cielo
- Coddington
- Comet
- Copeland
- Cosmo
- Cygnus
- Deimos
- Dorado
- Draco
- Elgafar
- Eros
- Fath
- Felis
- Finlay (As in William Henry Finlay, South African astronomer)
- Fornax
- Galileo (Renaissance astronomer)
- Gudja
- Helix
- Hercules
- Hoku
- Holmberg
- Hydrus
- Hyperion
- Izar
- Jovian
- Jupiter
- Keenan
- Keid
- Kepler (Johannes Kepler)
- Kowal
- Kraz
- Leo
- Lintang
- Maffei
- Mars
- Marsic
- Mayall
- Mercurius
- Mercury
- Mizar
- Mond
- Namid
- Neptune
- Oberon
- Orion
- Pegasus
- Perseus
- Phobos
- Phoenix
- Pluto
- Pollux
- Qamar
- Reinmuth
- Saturn
- Serpens
- Shapley
- Tarvos
- Titan
- Triton
- Sirius
- Wolf (“Wolf star”)
- Virgo
- Ymir
- Zwicky
- Zenith
Space Names for Girls
- Adhara
- Alcyone
- Alula
- Andromeda
- Astra
- Aurora
- Bellatrix
- Cassiopeia
- Celeste
- Chandra
- Cordelia
- Cressida
- Danica
- Elara
- Electra
- Eris
- Galatea
- Gemini
- Helene
- Hoshi
- Indu
- Kamaria
- Larissa
- Luna
- Nova
- Rhea
- Selena
- Stella
- Venus
Space Shuttle Names
Do you know what’s more esoteric than space names? The names of space shuttles! Here are a few to add to your NASA knowledge.
- Enterprise: This was the first orbiter, and it took off on Aug. 12, 1977. It’s actually a modified Boeing 747.
- Columbia: This shuttle launched on April 12, 1981, and cost about seven billion dollars to make. In 2003, it disintegrated, reentering the atmosphere, killing seven crew members.
- Challenger: This shuttle is actually named after the 19th-century ship that traveled the world. It was the second space shuttle to enter space and first launched on April 14, 983.
- Atlantis: This space shuttle is an orbiter vehicle and was manufactured by Rockwell International. It first launched on Oct. 3, 1985. Its last flight was in July 2011. It has a maximum speed of 17,580 miles per hour. The space shuttle Atlantis cost 196 billion dollars to make. Its mission was to deliver supplies to a space station.
- Discovery: This is NASA’s third space shuttle orbiter. It first launched on Aug. 30, 1984. The Discovery was used to install three communication satellites. It has had more than 30 missions, which is more than any other NASA shuttle. The Discovery’s last flight was in 2011. Part of what made the shuttle special was that it was the first spacecraft to return after two of its predecessors had faulty flights.
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