Life

9 Names To Give Your Pet If You're Into Space

by Callie Tansill-Suddath
Fotolia

When searching for inspiration, the best place to look is up. Deciding on the name is one of the more difficult decisions one can make in life. It's also one of the most exciting. When you name a pet, you are afforded a level of freedom you don't have when naming a human child. So, you can pretty much name a pet anything and receive little backlash (within reason, of course). Basically, let your imagination run wild and let the stars guide you to find a perfect space-inspired pet name.

The name game is an interesting one, and naming humans is serious business. My real name, for instance, was chosen in part because of how sophisticated it sounds. But I go by Callie, because it's a bit more lighthearted. That said, when it's a furry friend you're naming, you don't need to consider how it will look on a resume, or how common it will be in a classroom. All that matters for your pet's name is how it makes you feel when you say it out loud. Take it from someone with a cat named "Pig" — there's value in an unexpected pet name. Surely one from the list below will inspire wonder.

1

Andromeda

Andromeda is the name of the galaxy closest to the Milky Way, explains Earth Sky. If you think you might have heard it as a name before, there's a good chance you're thinking of the novel My Sister's Keeper, in which Andromeda is the full name of the protagonist, Anna.

2

Aries

Aries is a constellation of the zodiac named for the Greek god of war. Earth Sky explains the sun, from the perspective of the Earth, passes the constellation during the window of time during the spring. It's an ideal name for particularly stubborn pets.

3

Capricorn

Capricorn is another name inspired by the zodiac. The constellation it represents, capricornus, is said to be shaped like a sea goat and visible from earth in the southern hemisphere. It might, as Space.com explains, be the 40th largest constellation, but it can be the name of someone who occupies the largest part of your heart.

4

Luna

Luna is the Spanish word for moon, and has become increasingly popular as a name. Of note, it is the name Chrissy Teigen and John Legend selected for their daughter.

5

Neptune

Neptune is the Roman god of the sea, and an enormous planet in out solar system. NASA puts it into perspective by explaining if earth were the size of an apple, Neptune would be similar in size to a basketball. Chances are astronauts won't get up close and personal with the planet anytime soon, but that doesn't mean it cant be a clever and strong name.

6

Nova

Nova is the word used to describe when a star becomes extremely bright all of the sudden. Cornell University reveals, while the cause of the rapid illumination was once a mystery, astronomers now know novae (plural of nova) occur when a star that has been inactive for a long time "reignites."

7

Orion

Orion the constellation is, as Space.com reports, clear to the naked eye on Earth in the winter time. The constellation was named for an ancient Greek hunter, so it would be a perfect name for another hunter: your cat.

8

Saturn

Saturn is perhaps the most recognizable planet in our solar system. Its seven rings (hey, Ariana Grande) set it apart from the rest of the lineup, and NASA suggests it may be the most widely referenced planet in popular culture.

9

Stella

Stella is the Italian word for star, and popular name. It was also the name of a cat I had for 16 years, so it's obviously a good choice.