Origin, Meaning, And History Of Luna
The beautiful name Luna has its roots in ancient Roman mythology. It was the name of the Roman goddess of the Moon, who was depicted wearing a flowing chiton and holding a torch above her head. In both Latin and languages having Latin roots, such as Spanish and Italian, the name Luna denotes the Moon. Ancient alchemists also used ‘Luna’ to refer to silver. The celestial embodiment of the Moon, Luna, has become a popular baby girl name choice among people worldwide. Since the 20th century, parents from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Scotland have chosen this name. In some countries, it is also used as a surname with a prefix such as de Luna or Deluna. During 2019, Luna saw a significant surge in popularity. As the charm of easy-to-pronounce celestial and nature-inspired names gained prominence, Luna reigned as one of the leading baby names for girls. It became one of the top 100 names for babies in Australia, Europe, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, New Zealand, and Switzerland. In the U.S., this space-inspired name started becoming popular when John Legend and Chrissy Teigen gave it to their daughter in 2016. Apart from this power couple, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem named their girl Luna Encinas Cruz in 2013. Joely Fisher and Ellen Pompeo use it as a middle name, while Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson have picked it as a nickname for their child. Other notable name bearers include Adrián Nicolás Luna Retamar, the Uruguayan footballer, and Gertrude “Luna” Vachon, an American pro wrestler. The name has been enjoying a robust fictional presence as well. Luna Lovegood was an eccentric character in ‘Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix.’ Princess Luna in ‘The Adventures of Peter Pan’ and the supporting character in the famous ‘Sailor Moon’ franchise sparked a huge interest in this name. Interestingly, Luna is also the name of a transgender teen in Julie Anne Peter’s novel ‘Luna.’ This novel was one of the National Book Award Finalists. It is also the name of an intelligent young woman in the adventure game ‘Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward.’
How To Pronounce Luna?
Luna On The Popularity Chart
Learn more about Luna’s ranking and popularity over the years, through the graphs detailed below.
Popularity Over Time
After first acquiring popularity in the mid-1990s, Luna as a baby name was admired but had little presence. It rose in popularity from 2015-2019 and peaked in 2020, with around 8000 babies bearing this name.
Rank Over Time
From ranking 12,425th in 1987 to earning 11th place in 2021, Luna’s position has significantly increased. It consistently held a high ranking from the 1990s through 2018. Look at this graph showing the name’s progression in popularity through time.
Names With Similar Sound As Luna
Did you like this moniker but are looking to give your little one a name that isn’t celestial-inspired? These similar-sounding names will make your search easy.
