Introduction
If you’re the type who constantly looks to the stars — an astronomer, astrologer, a fan of Greek mythology or even just an appreciator of the night sky’s beauty — giving your dog a star inspired name is a great way to link them to your empyrean interests. The pool of names itself provides a massive list of unique options you won’t likely find anywhere else but in science fiction novels, many of which have fantastic stories and meanings behind them. So if you want your dog to shine as brightly in name as they do in personality, few themed names will suit them better than those based on the flames of the glistening heavens.
Star Inspired Dog Names in Pop Culture
In the modern era, the name Sirius has long since departed from its historical origins in mythology. It’s now more well known as the name of satellite radio or the name of a prominent character in the Harry Potter series — likely a purposeful decision since the character transforms into a black dog.
But before the name was popularized to the point of mainstream recognition, it also existed as the title of a science fiction character during a politically turbulent time in world history. In 1944, philosopher and author Olaf Stapleton penned a book that took a unique look at the life of a hyper-intelligent dog amidst the throes of World War II, titled Sirius: A Fantasy of Love and Discord.
In the book, Sirius is a dog with humanlike intelligence thanks to being raised by scientist Thomas Trelone, whose experiments center around using steroids and other chemical substances to expedite the cognitive power of dogs. His efforts are initially aimed at creating super sheepdogs, but as Sirius develops, Trelone realizes he’s more akin to the average person, eventually developing the ability to speak English words, even though it takes a while for others to understand his pronunciation. Strangely enough, Sirius is born at the same time as Trelone’s daughter Plaxy, who is raised as the dog’s sister. Their early bond is strong, but lessens with time as Sirius is more in tune with sound as Plaxy is stimulated by visual aesthetics and eventually attends a series of schools of which Sirius can not. In the meantime, Sirius is submitted to a farmer as a super sheepdog, his intelligence kept quiet. After returning home for the holidays, Sirius finally describes his difficulties to Trelone whom eventually decides to show his academic colleagues his canine experiment, thus turning him into a pampered lab animal.
But the new scenery also takes a toll on Sirius and he begins to decline thanks in part to the environment and the waning care of his human sister Plaxy. Through his struggles, he ponders the hypocrisy of mankind, a path that leads him first to scent, then to a spiritual epiphany that turns him to search for a god. His foster mother eventually takes him to a priest, but Sirius soon discovers that human religion is often lost in doctrine and mythology and becomes disheartened.
Depressed and confused amidst the war, Sirius eventually turns against his human-like upbringing in favor of a more wolf-like existence, a similarly irrational and destructive existence. By the time Plaxy recognizes the deep bond they had, she finds him feral, running from the persecution of religious zealots. In the end, he is shot fleeing for Scotland with his beloved sister, telling her in his dying words that despite the intensity, difficulties, and constant existential questioning, her love made life worth living.
As deep and poignant as the book gets, it is one of few works of fiction to take the perception of a dog and infuse it in a historical context to find a profoundly meaningful look at human existence from both the inside and out. In turn, it also encapsulates the intense bond formed between two unlike species whose existence is cemented in seeking and experiencing the beauty of universal love.
Star Inspired Dog Name Considerations
While picking a star-themed name for your dog may be a bit intimidating since the titles aren’t as overt as those in other categories, the benefit is that most of them have significant historical meaning that goes far beyond just the name itself.
To make it easier on yourself, make a list of what stands out most about your dog, such as their personality or tendencies, as these will be easier to match up with the translations of the star names.
For instance, if your dog has crazy-good eyesight, then Ain, meaning “eye” in Arabic, would be a great choice. If you have a dog with a soft bark, then the name Alcor might be suitable, as it translates to “the faint one”. If your dog loves to be the center of attention or is particularly talented, then the name Meissa would be perfect, as it means “the shining one”. If you have a female dog that can do just about anything or shows no fear, then Bellatrix would be ideal, as it means “female warrior” in Latin.
There are plenty of other ways you can go as well. If you’re into astrology, name them after a star that shares your astrological sign or maybe choose one that represents theirs (if you know their birthday). Just remember, although we’ve provided a hefty list of nice-sounding names, there are no limits to how you choose to make your furry star truly shine.
Male Star Inspired Dog Name Considerations
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Achird
Of the Eta Cassiopeiae star system; the star also known as Eta Cassiopeiae A
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Ain
Originally meaning "eye" in Arabic; also known as "Oculus Boreus"
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Alcor
Translated from original Arabic as "the faint one"
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Alioth
The brightest star of Ursa Major
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Altair
"The flying eagle" in Arabic
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Atlas
The Titan god of astronomy and endurance; part of Taurus
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Avior
Named by the HM Nautical Almanac Office in the late 1930s
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Betelgeuse
Pronounced "beetle juice" like the 90s film; meaning "the hand of Orion"
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Castor
The second brightest star in the Gemini constellation and one of the brightest in the night sky
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Fang
One of a few stars that make up Pi Scorpii
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Fulu
A member of Cassiopeia
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Graffias
Italian for "claws"
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Hamal
Arabic for "head of the ram"
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Jabbah
A member of the Scorpius constellation
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Kang
A member of the Virgo constellation
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Libertas
Latin for "liberty"
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Lich
Named after a fictional undead creature with magical powers
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Marsic
A star that helps make up Hercules
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Matar
A binary star of Pegasus
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Merak
A member of Ursa Major
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Mizar
Meaning "apron, waistband" in Arabic
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Naos
A member of Puppis
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Navi
Known as "the whip" in Chinese astronomy
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Nekkar
A member of Boötis, the head of the herdsman
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Polaris
The "polar" or "north star", the brightest star in Ursa Minor
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Pollux
A member of the Gemini constellation
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Sirius
AKA "the Dog Star", the brightest star in the sky
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Wasat
A triple star system in the Gemini constellation
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Wezen
A star in Canis Major
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Wurren
A traditional name of the Wardaman people of Australia
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Female Star Inspired Dog Name Considerations
Votes | Name | Vote |
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Adhara
Also known as Epsilon Canis Majoris A
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Alula
As in Alula Australis or Borealis, members of Ursa Major
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Alya
A star that makes up Theta Serpentis
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Anser
Also known as Lucida Anseris
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Atria
The brightest star of Triangulum Australe
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Azha
Meaning "nest of the ostrich" in Arabic
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Bellatrix
Latin for "female warrior"
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Bharani
A star part of 41 Arietis
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Capella
Meaning "small female goat"
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Chara
Paired with Cor Caroli, the two form the "southern dog"
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Cursa
Meaning "the chair footstool" in Arabic
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Electra
Of the Pleiades open star cluster; one of the Pleiades sisters in Greek mythology
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Khambalia
A member of the Virgo constellation
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Kuma
Part of the Draco constellation
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Lilii
As in Lilii Borea, a member of the Aries constellation
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Maia
In Greek mythology, one of the Pleiades sisters
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Meissa
Meaning "the shining one" in Arabic
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Meridiana
The brightest star of of Corona Australis
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Mimosa
Also historically known as Becrux
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Mira
Latin for "wonderful, astonishing"
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Musica
Latin for "music"
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Nashira
A giant star in the Capricornus constellation
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Peacock
Named after the constellation
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Rana
Meaning "celestial meadows" in Chinese
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Rigel
Meaning "leg" or "foot" in Arabic
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Shaula
A member of the Scorpius constellation
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Syrma
A member of the Virgo constellation
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Tiaki
The second brightest star in the Grus constellation
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Vega
Meaning "the alighting vulture" in Arabic
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Zaniah
Also known as Eta Virginis Aa; makes up part of Eta Virginis
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