You’ve probably looked up at the night sky a thousand times and thought, "Hey, there's the Moon." Simple, right? But if you start poking around in old books or talking to astronomers, you realize that "the Moon" is kinda just a job description. It’s like calling a person "The Human" or a dog "The Canine."
Technically, it's just a label for a natural satellite. So, what is the Moon actually called when you get down to the nitty-gritty of science and history?
Honestly, it’s complicated. Depending on who you ask—NASA, a Roman historian, or your local gardener—you’re going to get a wildly different answer. Let’s break down why we call it what we do and why the "official" name is surprisingly boring.
What is Moon Called in Science?
If you’re looking for a fancy, secret name hidden in a dusty vault at the International Astronomical Union (IAU), I’ve got some bad news for you. The official name for our moon is... the Moon.
That’s it.
Back in 1919, when the IAU was formed to organize all the chaos in the sky, they decided to keep it simple. They use a capital "M" to distinguish our specific rock from the generic "moons" orbiting other planets like Jupiter or Saturn. It’s a bit of a flex, really. By calling it The Moon, they’re basically saying it’s the original and the most important one to us.
Scientists also use the term Luna quite a bit, but mostly in a technical or "poetic science" way. You’ll see it in words like lunar mission or lunar eclipse. Luna is the Latin name, and it’s been the backbone of how we describe the Moon's behavior for centuries.
The Mythology Connection
Before we had telescopes, we had stories. In ancient Greece, the Moon was Selene. She wasn't just a rock; she was a goddess driving a silver chariot across the sky every night. Her brother was Helios (the Sun) and her sister was Eos (the Dawn).
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The Romans took that vibe and ran with it, calling her Luna. This is where we get the word "lunatic," because people used to think the Moon’s phases made people go a little crazy. In Norse mythology, the Moon was personified as Máni, a male figure who was chased across the sky by a wolf named Hati.
Basically, every culture has its own "What is Moon called" answer.
- China: Chang'e (the goddess who lives there with a jade rabbit).
- Egypt: Khonsu or Thoth.
- Japan: Tsukuyomi.
The 12 Names You’ll Hear Every Year
While "The Moon" is the name on the birth certificate, we actually give it a different nickname every single month. These aren't just for fun; they were originally survival tools. Indigenous tribes in North America and early European settlers used the Moon’s appearance to track the seasons.
In 2026, we’re still using these names. If you hear someone talking about a Wolf Moon in January, they aren't talking about a werewolf movie. They’re referring to the time of year when wolves used to howl outside villages because they were hungry in the dead of winter.
Here is how the calendar usually shakes out:
- January: Wolf Moon
- February: Snow Moon (because, well, it’s cold)
- March: Worm Moon (when the ground thaws and earthworms surface)
- April: Pink Moon (named after wild ground phlox flowers)
- May: Flower Moon
- June: Strawberry Moon
- July: Buck Moon (when deer grow their new antlers)
- August: Sturgeon Moon
- September: Harvest Moon (the one closest to the equinox)
- October: Hunter’s Moon
- November: Beaver Moon
- December: Cold Moon
What about a Blue Moon?
You've heard the phrase "once in a blue moon," but the Moon doesn't actually turn blue. Usually. A Blue Moon is just what we call the second full moon in a single calendar month. It happens roughly every two and a half years because the lunar cycle (29.5 days) doesn't perfectly match our 30 or 31-day months. It’s basically a cosmic bookkeeping error.
Why "What is Moon Called" Matters for Modern Space Travel
We aren't just looking at the Moon anymore; we’re going back. With the Artemis missions and various private companies eyeing lunar soil, the names of specific places on the Moon are becoming more important than the name of the Moon itself.
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When people ask "What is Moon called," they might be thinking of its specific regions. The dark spots you see from Earth aren't "seas" in the sense of having water. They are called Maria (Latin for "seas"), which are actually massive plains of solidified basalt from old volcanic eruptions.
The most famous is the Mare Tranquillitatis—the Sea of Tranquility—where Apollo 11 landed.
The Naming Rules
The IAU has very strict rules about naming things on the Moon now. You can't just buy a star or name a crater after your girlfriend. Most craters are named after deceased scientists, explorers, and artists. If you find a new "wrinkle" on the Moon, you have to follow a specific protocol to get it named. It keeps things from getting messy as we start building actual bases up there.
Different Names for Different Shapes
The Moon changes its name based on its "mood"—or more accurately, its position relative to the Sun and Earth. Most of us just say "Half Moon," but an astronomer will correct you and call it a Quarter Moon.
Why? Because it’s one-quarter of the way through its orbit.
Then you’ve got the Gibbous Moon. "Gibbous" is a weird word that basically means "humpbacked." It’s that awkward phase where it’s more than half full but not quite a complete circle.
And let's not forget the Supermoon. This isn't an official scientific term, but it’s what we call the Moon when it’s at "perigee"—the point in its elliptical orbit where it's closest to Earth. It looks about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than usual. It’s a great time for photography, honestly.
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Common Misconceptions About the Moon's Name
One thing that drives space nerds crazy is when people call the "far side" of the moon the "dark side."
It’s not always dark!
The far side gets just as much sunlight as the side we see; we just never see it from Earth because the Moon is "tidally locked." It rotates on its axis at the exact same speed it orbits us. So, calling it the "Dark Side" is technically a misnomer, even if Pink Floyd made it sound cool.
Another big one? Thinking "Luna" is the only scientific name. While it's used in Latin-based languages (Spanish, Italian, etc.), English science papers almost exclusively stick to "The Moon."
What You Should Do Next
If you’re interested in tracking the Moon yourself, stop just calling it "the Moon" and start looking for its specific monthly identity. It’s a great way to feel more connected to the rhythm of the planet.
- Check the Lunar Calendar: Find out when the next "named" moon is. In 2026, we have a Blue Moon happening on May 31st.
- Grab some Binoculars: You don't need a $2,000 telescope. Even cheap binoculars will let you see the Maria and the craters named after historical figures.
- Download a Sky Map App: Most of them are free and will tell you exactly which phase the Moon is in and what its traditional name is for that month.
The Moon has been called a thousand things over the last ten thousand years. Whether you call it Luna, Selene, or just that big white thing in the sky, it remains our most constant companion in the universe.