Baby Names That Mean Star: 17 Names With Meanings
Names that mean star feel bright without being flashy. This list collects 17 of them from Latin, Greek, Welsh, Persian, Spanish and Swahili, from familiar favourites like Stella and Estelle to rarer picks like Seren, Sitara and Najma, plus a few star and constellation names for boys.
Reviewed
We keep the list honest: names that translate directly to 'star' sit alongside names for specific stars and constellations, and each is labelled so you know which is which.
Our top picks
Girl names (12)
- StellaLatinstarBright, simple and enduringly popular.
- EstelleOld Frenchstar (from Latin stella)A softer, vintage take on Stella.
- EstrellaSpanishstarLively and warm; a favourite in Spanish-speaking families.
- AstraGreek / Latinof the starsShort and modern; the root of 'astronomy'.
- AsterGreekstar (also a flower named for its star-shaped bloom)Doubles as a flower name; works for any gender.
- SerenWelshstarPronounced SEH-ren; simple and distinctive.
- SitaraPersian / UrdustarUsed across South Asia; pronounced si-TAH-ra.
- NajmaArabicstarA lovely, rarely used name from the Arabic root for 'star'.
- NyotaSwahilistarMade known by the Star Trek character Nyota Uhura.
- CitlaliNahuatlstarA Mexican-American favourite, pronounced seet-LAH-lee.
- EstherPersian / Hebrewstar (probably from Persian; the origin is debated)A biblical queen; vintage names are in fashion again.
- VesperLatinevening, evening starNamed for Venus as it appears at dusk.
Boy names (4)
- LuceroSpanishbright star; the morning starUsed for both boys and girls in Latin America.
- OrionGreekthe hunter (a constellation)Not literally 'star', but unmistakably starry.
- SiriusGreekscorching; the brightest star in the night skyA star name with a Harry Potter association.
- AltairArabicthe flying eagle (the name of a bright star)Rare and distinctive.
Unisex names (1)
- StarEnglishstarA simple, direct word name.
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How to choose
Most 'star' names grow from two roots
Latin stella gives Stella, Estelle, Estrella and Stellan-type names. Greek aster and astron give Aster and Astra. Persian sitareh gives Sitara and, by a longer route, Esther. Welsh seren and Swahili nyota are standalone words.
Star names for boys are mostly constellations
True 'star' names for boys are rare, so Orion, Sirius, Altair and Rigel come from the sky itself. They are bold, but they are rarely an exact translation of 'star'.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular baby name that means star?
Stella is the most popular, followed by Estelle and Estrella. Stella has ranked in the US top 100 in recent years.
What are unique baby names that mean star?
Seren, Sitara, Najma, Citlali and Nyota all mean 'star' and are uncommon in the US.
Does Esther mean star?
Probably. Most scholars connect it to a Persian word for star, but the etymology is debated, so we flag it rather than state it as certain.
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