These names of stars that have either been approved by the International Astronomical Union or which have been in somewhat recent use. IAU approval comes mostly from its Working Group on Star Names, which has been publishing a "List of IAU-approved Star Names" since 2016. As of May 2026, the list included a total of 570 proper names of stars.

Since 2024, newly approved names have appeared on the exopla.net website maintainted by the WGSN. , 99 new star names have been approved, bringing the total to 556.

Names marked with a "†" have not been approved by the IAU.

For such names relating to members of multiple-star systems, and where a component letter (from, e.g., the Washington Double Star Catalog) is not explicitly listed, the WGSN says that the name should be understood to be attributed to the visually brightest component.

|-

| Absolutno || XO-5

| Lynx

|Czech|| NameExoWorlds 2019<br />Czech Republic proposal: A fictional substance in the novel Továrna na absolutno by Karel Čapek.

| ,

|-

| Acamar || θ<sup>1</sup> Eridani A

| Eridanus

|Arabic||

|

|-

| Achernar || α Eridani A

| Eridanus

|Arabic|| (River's end)

|

|-

| Achird || η Cassiopeiae A

|Cassiopeia

|Slovak (1950)|| Apparently first applied to η Cassiopeiae in the Skalnate Pleso Atlas of the Heavens published in 1950, but is not known prior to that.

|

|-

| Acrab || β<sup>1</sup> Scorpii Aa

| Scorpius

|Arabic|| The traditional name of the β Scorpii system has been rendered Akrab and Elakrab, derived (like Acrab) from ('the scorpion').

|

|-

| Acrux || α Crucis Aa

| Crux

|American|| "Acrux" is a modern contraction of the Bayer designation, coined in the 19th century, but which entered into common use only by the mid-20th century.

|

|-

| Acubens || α Cancri A

| Cancer

|Arabic|| The name was originally ('the claws').

|

|-

| Adhafera || ζ Leonis

| Leo

|Arabic|| Also called . The name is originally from ('the braid (or curl, or strand)' [of the lion's mane]).

|

|-

| Adhara || ε Canis Majoris A

| Canis Major

|Arabic|| The name is originally from ('virgins'). In the Calendarium of Al Achsasi Al Mouakket, it is designated , translated into Latin as ('first virgin').

|

|-

| Adhil || ξ Andromedae

| Andromeda

|Arabic|| The name was originally (the train, lit. 'the tail').

|

|-

| Ain || ε Tauri

| Taurus

|Arabic|| The name is originally from ('eye') and was reviewed and adopted by the Working Group on Star Names.

|

|-

| Alderamin || α Cephei

| Cepheus

|Arabic|| From ('the right arm' [of Cepheus]).

|

|-

| Aldhanab || γ Gruis

| Grus

|Arabic|| The name was originally ('the tail' [of the constellation of the Southern Fish]).

|

|-

| Aldhibah || ζ Draconis A

| Draco

|Arabic|| From ('the hyenas').

|

|-

| Áldu || ε Persei A

| Perseus

|Uralic|| Sámi word for a female reindeer, in reference to the Sámi reindeer constellation Sarvvis.

|

|-

| Algorab || δ Corvi A

| Corvus

|Arabic|| The traditional name Algorab is derived from ('the crow'). The WGSN re-designated the star as Algorab in July 2016.

|

|-

| Aljanah || ε Cygni Aa

| Cygnus

|Arabic||Traditional name Gienah from the Arabic al janāħ () meaning 'the wing'.

|

|-

| Alkaid || η Ursae Majoris

| Ursa Major

|Arabic|| Member of the Big Dipper or the Plough (UK).

|

|-

| Alkalurops || μ<sup>1</sup> Boötis Aa

| Boötes

|Greek||Traditional name Alkalurops from the Greek (καλαύροψ kalaurops) 'a herdsman's crook or staff'. It has Arabic prefix attached.

|

|-

| Alkaphrah || κ Ursae Majoris A

| Ursa Major

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alkarab || υ Pegasi

| Pegasus

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alkes || α Crateris

| Crater

|Arabic|| From or ('the cup')

|

|-

| Almaaz || ε Aurigae Aa

| Auriga

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Almach || γ Andromedae A

| Andromeda

|Arabic|| Derived from ('the caracal' (desert lynx))

|

|-

| Al Minliar al Asad† || κ Leonis

| Leo

|Arabic|| From ('lion's nose')

|

|-

| Alnair || α Gruis

| Grus

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alnasl || γ<sup>2</sup> Sagittarii

| Sagittarius

|Arabic|| From ('the point' [of the archer's arrow]).

|

|-

| Alnilam || ε Orionis

| Orion

|Arabic|| The middle star in Orion's belt. Derived from .

|

|-

| Alnitak || ζ Orionis Aa

| Orion

|Arabic|| The traditional name, alternately spelled Al Nitak or Alnitah, is from ('the girdle').

|

|-

| Alniyat || σ Scorpii Aa1

| Scorpius

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alphard || α Hydrae

| Hydra

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alphecca || α Coronae Borealis A

| Corona Borealis

|Arabic|| The name ('bright (star) of the broken' [ring of stars]) is found in the Al Achsasi al Mouakket catalogue ().

|

|-

| Alpheratz || α Andromedae Aa

| Andromeda

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alpherg || η Piscium A

| Pisces

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alrakis || μ Draconis A

| Draco

|Arabic|| From ('the dancer'); also spelled Arrakis and Elrakis.

|

|-

| Alrescha || α Piscium A

| Pisces

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alruba || HD 161693

| Draco

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Alrumh || 34 Boötis

| Boötes

| Arabic || From the Arabic asterism Al-Rumḥ (), the Lance. and the father of the Pleiades sisters in Greek mythology.

|

|-

| Atria || α Trianguli Australis

| Triangulum Australe

| Latin ||

|

|-

| Aurwandilsta || ι Coronae Borealis A

| Corona Borealis

| Norse || From the old Norse constellation "Aurvandill's Toe", identified with Corona Borealis.

|

|-

| Axólotl || HD 224693

| Cetus

|Nahuatl|| NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Mexican proposal. An axolotl is a culturally significant amphibian; the name means 'water animal' in the Nahuatl language.

|

|-

| Ayeyarwady || HD 18742

| Eridanus

|Burmese|| NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Myanmar proposal; named after the Irrawaddy River.

|

|-

| Azelfafage || π<sup>1</sup> Cygni

| Cygnus

|Arabic|| Variously reported as from ('turtle'), ('horse track'), or ('tail of the hen').

|

|-

| Azha || η Eridani

|Eridanus

|Arabic|| Originally from ('nest' [of the ostrich]); later miscopied as in medieval manuscripts.

|

|-

| Azmidi || ξ Puppis

| Puppis

|Greek|| Alternatively rendered Asmidiske.

|

|-

| Bade || μ Leporis

| Lepus

|Balinese|| From a Balinese constellation of a Ngaben funeral tower, corresponding to Lepus.

|

|-

| Berehynia || HAT-P-15

| Perseus

|Ukrainian|| NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Ukrainian proposal. A deity of waters and riverbanks in Slavic religion; now a national goddess – "hearth mother, protectress of the earth".

|

|-

| Betelgeuse || α Orionis A

| Orion

|Arabic|| Derived from ('the hand of') (an old asterism).

|

|-

| Bharani || 41 Arietis Aa

| Aries

|Indic|| Bharani (), the 2nd nakshatra in Indian astronomy, consisting of three stars of which this is the brightest.

|

|-

| Cexing || κ Cassiopeiae

| Cassiopeia

|Chinese|| From the Chinese star name Cè (Whip, ), plus xing meaning star.

|

|-

| Cujam || ω Herculis A

| Hercules

|Latin|| Traditional name, variously spelled Kajam. Originally from Latin Caia 'to club'.

|

|-

| Cursa || β Eridani

| Eridanus

|Arabic|| The name is originally from ('the chair, footstool').

|

|-

| Custos || BE Camelopardalis

| Camelopardalis

| Latin|| From the historical constellation Custos Messium.

|

|-

| Gaja || τ Tauri Aa

| Taurus

| Balinese || From a Balinese constellation of an elephant, corresponding to Taurus.

|

|-

| Genghe || σ Boötis

| Boötes

| Chinese || From the Chinese asterism Gěnghé (Celestial Lance, ).

|

|-

| Gloas || WASP-13

| Lynx

| Gaelic || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>British proposal; means 'to shine (like a star)' in the Manx Gaelic language.

|

|-

|Gnomon

|WASP-43

|Sextans

| Romance

|NameExoWorlds 2022<br/>Romanian proposal; named after the gnomon.

|

|-

| Gomeisa || β Canis Minoris A

| Canis Minor

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Graffias† || ξ Scorpii

| Scorpius

| Italian || Italian for 'claws'; also once applied to β Scorpii.

|

|-

| Grumium || ξ Draconis A

| Draco

| Greek-Latin ||

|

|-

|Guahayona

|HAT-P-26

|Virgo

| Taíno

|NameExoWorlds 2022<br/>Puerto Rican proposal; named after a trickster from Taíno mythology.

|

|-

| Guansuo || θ Coronae Borealis A

| Corona Borealis

| Chinese || From the Chinese constellation Guàn Suǒ (Coiled Thong, ). proposal; a Malay language word referring to a magical stone found in snakes or dragons.

|

|-

| Guniibuu || 36 Ophiuchi A

| Ophiuchus

| Wardaman ||

|

|-

| Hadar || β Centauri Aa

| Centaurus

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Haedus || η Aurigae

| Auriga

| Latin||

|

|-

| Hamal || α Arietis

|Aries

| Arabic || Traditional name (also written Hemal, Hamul, or Ras Hammel) derived from ('head of the ram'), in turn from the name for the constellation as a whole, ('the ram').

|

|-

| Hassaleh || ι Aurigae

| Auriga

| unknown || Name originating in Antonín Bečvář's 1948 star atlas, Atlas Coeli Skalnaté Pleso.

|

|-

| Menkent || θ Centauri

| Centaurus

| Arab-Latin||

|

|-

| Menkib || ξ Persei

| Perseus

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Merak || β Ursae Majoris

| Ursa Major

| Arabic|| Member of the Big Dipper or the Plough (UK).

|

|-

| Merga || 38 Boötis

| Boötes

| Latin||

|

|-

| Meridiana || α Coronae Australis

| Corona Australis

| Latin||

|

|-

| Merope || 23 Tauri Aa

| Taurus

| Greek || Member of the Pleiades open star cluster (M45). Merope was one of the Pleiades sisters in Greek mythology.

|

|-

| Mesarthim || γ<sup>1</sup> Arietis A

| Aries

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Miaplacidus || β Carinae

| Carina

| Arab-Latin||

|

|-

| Mimosa || β Crucis

| Crux

| Latin || Also bore the alternative historical name "Becrux", a modern contraction of the Bayer designation.

|

|-

| Minchir || σ Hydrae

| Hydra

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Minelauva || δ Virginis

| Virgo

| Arabic|| Alternately spelled Minelava.

|

|-

| Mintaka || δ Orionis Aa

| Orion

| Arabic || The right-most star in Orion's belt. The name itself is derived from ('belt').

|

|-

| Mira || ο Ceti Aa

| Cetus

| Latin || Latin for 'wonderful' or 'astonishing'; named by Johannes Hevelius in his Historiola Mirae Stellae (1662).

|

|-

| Mirach || β Andromedae

| Andromeda

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Miram || η Persei A

| Perseus

| unknown||

|

|-

| Mirfak || α Persei

| Perseus

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Mirzam || β Canis Majoris

| Canis Major

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Misam || κ Persei Aa

| Perseus

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Mizar || ζ Ursae Majoris Aa

| Ursa Major

| Arabic || Member of the Big Dipper or the Plough (UK). The name is originally from ('apron, waistband, girdle'). Also called ('Status'), one of the "Three Stars" in Chinese mythology. The Lù star is believed to be Zhang Xian, who lived during the Later Shu dynasty. The word specifically refers to the salary of a government official. As such, the Lù star is the star of prosperity, rank, and influence.

|

|-

| Moldoveanu || XO-1

| Corona Borealis

| Romanian || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Romanian proposal; named after Moldoveanu Peak, the highest peak in Romania.

|

|-

| Mönch || HD 130322

| Virgo

| Swiss || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Swiss proposal; named after Mönch, a prominent Alpine peak in Switzerland.

|

|-

| Montuno || WASP-79

| Eridanus

| Panamnian || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Panamanian proposal; a traditional dancing costume.

|

|-

| Morava || WASP-60

| Pegasus

| Serbian || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Serbian proposal; named after the Great Morava river system.

|

|-

| Moriah || HAT-P-23

| Delphinus

| Arabic || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Palestinian proposal; ancient name for Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

|

|-

| Mothallah || α Trianguli A

| Triangulum

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Mouhoun || HD 30856

| Eridanus

| Burkinabè || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Burkina Faso proposal; named after the Black Volta, the largest river.

|

|-

| Mpingo || WASP-71

| Cetus

| Tanzanian || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Tanzanian proposal; named after Dalbergia melanoxylon, a tree whose ebony wood is used for musical instruments.

|

|-

| Muliphein || γ Canis Majoris

| Canis Major

| Arabic||

|

|-

| Muphrid || η Boötis Aa

| Boötes

| Arabic|| Alternative traditional spelling of Mufrid.

|

|-

| Muscida || ο Ursae Majoris A

| Ursa Major

| Latin||

|

|-

| Musica || 18 Delphini

| Delphinus

| Greek || NameExoWorlds 2015<br/>Latin for 'music' (the ancient Greek musician Arion's life was saved at sea by dolphins () after attracting their attention by playing his kithara). Also known as Suhail and Suhail al Muhlif, which also apply to λ Velorum (Suhail).

|

|-

| Regulus || α Leonis A

| Leo

| Latin || Latin for 'prince' or 'little king'. Regulus was known to Persian astrologers as "Venant, Watcher of the North", one of the royal stars.

|

|-

| Revati || ζ Piscium Aa

| Pisces

| Indic || Revatī (), the 27th nakshatra in Indian astronomy, also the name of a Hindu goddess. The alternative historical name Ksora appeared in a 1951 publication, Atlas Coeli (Skalnate Pleso Atlas of the Heavens) by Czech astronomer Antonín Bečvář; professor Paul Kunitzch has been unable to find any clues as to the origin of the name.

|

|-

| Rukbat || α Sagittarii

| Sagittarius

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Sabik || η Ophiuchi A

| Ophiuchus

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Saclateni || ζ Aurigae A

| Auriga

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Sadachbia || γ Aquarii Aa

| Aquarius

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Sadalbari || μ Pegasi

| Pegasus

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Sadalmelik || α Aquarii

| Aquarius

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Sadalsuud || β Aquarii A

| Aquarius

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Sadr || γ Cygni

| Cygnus

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Safina || 88 Aquarii

| Aquarius

| Arabic || From an Arabic constellation, the Ship.

|

|-

| Salm || τ Pegasi

| Pegasus

| Arabic ||

|

|-

| Sāmaya || HD 205739

| Piscis Austrinus

| Sri Lankan || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Sri Lankan proposal; means 'peace' in the Sinhala language.

|

|-

| Sansuna || HAT-P-34

| Sagitta

| Maltese || NameExoWorlds 2019<br/>Maltese proposal; a mythological giant from Maltese folk tales.

|

|-

| Sapaki || WR 67a

| Circinus

| Quechua || Quechua word for 'solitary', so named as this star is thought to have formed in isolation.

|

|-

| Seginus || γ Boötis Aa

| Boötes

| Arabic || A mistranscription of the Arabic form of Boötes.

General references

See also

  • Lists of stars by constellation
  • List of Arabic star names
  • List of Chinese star names
  • SIMBAD (Set of Identifications, Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) online database
  • Star names and meanings from Frosty Drew Observatory
  • Star names, their meanings, and a list of additional resources
  • Official star names, meanings, and pronunciations on SkyEye
  • Names and etymologies for stars and other objects
  • Table of popular and scientific star names
  • Common name cross index on VizieR