To this day, many cultures choose to name their young according to their date of birth, as baby names inspired by astrology are said to bring good luck for the bearer. In present-day India, for instance, some more traditional families will hire an astrologer to calculate the yet-unborn baby’s rashi, or moon sign, and then, based on that, work out the most auspicious baby name. In ancient China, prior to the birth of a baby, astrologers would start calculations before birth and produce a horoscope on the third day after the child was born. Given the traits in that horoscope, a name would then be selected so as to amend any flaws in that child’s personality and destiny. Even in cultures that use European horoscopes it is possible to select a name based on zodiac signs, planets and stars, such as the one featured below. Even the well-known psychoanalyst Carl Jung believed that zodiac signs influenced the personality and practiced a personalized form of the I-Ching.
1. Julian
This is one of the baby names inspired by astrology which is ultimately informed by Greek and ancient Roman mythology. It is said that it comes from the name of the Roman god Jupiter, patron of the skies – the Roman equivalent of Greece’s Zeus, master of all gods. Jupiter is also a powerful planet that is said to govern imaginative Sagittarius’s.
2. Ursula
This name, which is very often used in Germany and north European countries, is inspired by the Big Dipper, but can also be interpreted as stemming from the name of the planet Uranus. In Latin, the name of the Big Dipper is the Ursa Majora, or, literally translated, ‘the big female bear’, which is exactly what Ursula means.
3. Stella
Stella is also a name of Latin origin, very often encountered in languages with Latin roots, mostly in Italian and French. It literally means ‘the star’ – any baby who bears this name will always have their lucky star shining down above them. It makes the list of baby names inspired by astrology because, essentially, all astrology is about the movement of the stars and planets.
4. Blair
‘Blair’, both a male and a female name, blends European astrology with Gaelic mythology. The name was first used in Scotland. It comes from the Gaelic word ‘blár’, which means “plain, field, battlefield”. Since it has to do with the earth and such earthly matters of passion as battles and wars, it is a very appropriate name for a baby born under a determined Earth sign such as the Taurus.
5. Keith
Keith, a very common male name, comes from Scottish Gaelic. Its origins are difficult to determine, but it has been surmised that it was derived from a place name, in turn derived from the old Brythonic language, which featured the word ‘cet’, meaning “wood”. If we were to connect this with Chinese horoscopes, the name is great for anyone born under a wood year. Similarly, though, it is equally suitable for a baby born under an industrious earth sign such as the Capricorn.
6. Eartha
If planets inspire you, you might choose to name your baby girl Eartha, after the name of the planet we all inhabit. The name was first used in the 20th century, when it was invented by affixing the end particle ‘a’ to the English word earth. Two famous Earthas have become well known in history: African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White and American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
7. Dido
If it’s true that all ancient Indo-European cultures are based on the culture of the Phoenician people, then Dido is a great name for Virgo girls. It’s hard to determine the origin of the name Dido, but it possibly meant “virgin” in Phoenician. Famously, in Latin mythology, Queen Dido ruled over Carthage in Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’. She is the epitome of the devoted, loving, impassioned wife, who burned herself to death when Aeneas left her.
8. Selena
Selena is, quite literally, the moon in Latin. It’s the ancient Roman name of the goddess of the Moon, and since the Earth’s satellite is said to rule over the sign of the Cancer or Crab, the name is ideal for Cancer baby girls. It’s particularly used in Spanish-speaking countries and has become increasingly popular in recent years.
9. Leonard
If you are about to give birth to a Leo, Leonard, Leonardo or Leona are awesome and appropriate baby names inspired by astrology. They come from several Germanic language elements, ‘levon’ and ‘hard’, which entail that Leonard literally means ‘the brave lion’. Quite a fierce and inspiring name for a baby.
10. Diana
Diana is a great name both for Virgos and for Cancers. On the one hand, Diana was the virgin goddess of the hunt, one of the guises of the sign of the Virgo. Virgos are part Diana, who is fierce and independent, and part Athena, who is wise and calculated. On the other hand, Diana was also the goddess of the Moon in Latin mythology, which is why it’s a good name for babies born under the sign of the Crab.
