There’s something about an eclipse that stops people cold. The sky dims, the temperature drops, and for a few breathtaking minutes, the world feels genuinely different. If you’re drawn to that kind of awe — the celestial, the cosmic, the quietly transcendent — these eclipse baby names might be exactly what you’re looking for. Baby names inspired by the eclipse pull from the sun, the moon, and everything in between.

Whether you love the mythology behind them, the way they sound, or just the idea of a name that feels a little out of this world, there’s something here for every unique baby name seeker.

Baby names inspired by the eclipse

1. Aelia

Latin for ‘sun.’ A radiant, less-common alternative to Elio with ancient Roman roots.

2. Apollo

Greek god of the sun.

3. Asahi

Japanese for ‘morning sun.’

4. Atlas

Greek for ‘bearer of the heavens.’

5. Aurora

Latin for ‘dawn.’

6. Ayla

Turkish for ‘halo’ or ‘moonlight.’

7. Byeol

Korean for ‘star.’

8. Celeste

Latin for ‘heavenly.’

9. Celestia

Variation of Celeste.

10. Cosmo

Greek for ‘beauty’ or ‘universe.’

11. Elio

Italian for ‘sun.’

12. Emma

German for ‘universal.’

13. Estelle/Estella

Latin for ‘star.’

14. Evren

Turkish for ‘universe.’

15. Helios

Greek for ‘sun.’ In Greek mythology, Helios was the personification of the sun — the original solar deity.

16. Hoshi

Japanese for ‘star.’

17. Luna

Latin for ‘moon.’

18. Lunette

Variation of Luna.

19. Nova

Latin for ‘new.’ Also refers to an exploding star.

20. Oriana

Latin for ‘dawn.’

21. Orianne

French for ‘sunrise’ or ‘dawn.’

22. Orion

Name of a prominent constellation.

23. Phoenix

Greek for ‘dark red.’ The mythical bird that rises from its own ashes — a perfect symbol for the sun returning after totality.

24. Roxanna

Persian for ‘little star.’

25. Selene/Selena

Greek for ‘moon goddess.’

26. Sol

Spanish for ‘sun.’

27. Soleil

French for ‘sun.’

28. Soraya

Persian for the ‘Pleiades constellation.’

29. Star

Symbolic name referencing the stars in the sky.

30. Stella

Latin for ‘star.’

31. Sunny

Nickname name referencing the sun.

32. Vesper

Latin for ‘evening star.’ A striking, rare name that captures the sky at dusk — just as the corona emerges during totality.

33. Yuè

Chinese for ‘moon.’

34. Zenith

English for ‘highest point.’ The moment the sun reaches its zenith is right before an eclipse begins — a name that signals arrival and awe.

A version of this article was originally published on April 8th, 2024. It has been updated.