Stars have many names. Throughout the ages, people have devised numbering or lettering systems to identify stars within a constellation. A given star may have a different designation in every catalogue in which it appears. However, in addition to all of these identifiers, some of the brighter stars have proper names as well; names like Arcturus or Polaris or Rigel or Sirius or Vega. Most of these names have been handed down from antiquity via Arab astronomers but a few have been coined as recently as the twentieth century.
Please note that only the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has the authority to name celestial objects and they do not sell names to the public.
Beware any company that claims to name stars for you. Such names have no official sanction and are not recognised by any scientific body.
Listed below is a selection of common (and not so common) names for certain stars. The spellings may vary slightly from source to source.
| Name | Bayer or Catalogue Designation | Alternate Name(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Acamar | theta1 Eridani | |
| Achernar | alpha Eridani | |
| Acrux | alpha Crucis | |
| Acubens | alpha Cancri | |
| Adhafera | zeta Leonis | |
| Adhara | epsilon Canis Majoris | |
| Agena | beta Centauri | Hadar |
| Albali | epsilon Aquarii | |
| Albireo | beta1 Cygni | |
| Alchiba | alpha Corvi | |
| Alcor | 80 Ursae Majoris | |
| Alcyone | tau Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Aldebaran | alpha Tauri | |
| Alderamin | alpha Cephei | |
| Alfirk | beta Cephei | |
| Algedi | alpha Capricorni | |
| Algenib | gamma Pegasi | |
| Algieba | gamma1 Leonis | |
| Algol | beta Persei | |
| Algorab | delta Corvi | |
| Alhena | gamma Geminorum | |
| Alioth | epsilon Ursae Majoris | |
| Alkaid | eta Ursae Majoris | Benetnasch |
| Alkalurops | mu1 Boötes | |
| Alkes | alpha Crateris | |
| Almach | gamma1 Andromedae | |
| Al Na'ir | alpha Gruis | |
| Alnasl | gamma2 Sagittarii | |
| Alnilam | epsilon Orionis | |
| Alnitak | zeta Orionis | |
| Al Niyat | sigma Scorpii | |
| Alphard | alpha Hydrae | |
| Alphecca | alpha Coronae Borealis | Gemma |
| Alpheratz | alpha Andromedae | |
| Alrescha | alpha Piscium | |
| Alshain | beta Aquilae | |
| Altair | alpha Aquilae | |
| Altais | delta Draconis | |
| Alterf | lambda Leonis | |
| Aludra | eta Canis Majoris | |
| Alula Australis | xi Ursae Majoris | |
| Alula Borealis | nu Ursae Majoris | |
| Alya | theta1 Serpentis | |
| Ancha | theta Aquarii | |
| Ankaa | alpha Phoenicis | |
| Antares | alpha Scorpii | |
| Arcturus | alpha Boötes | |
| Arkab | beta Sagittarii | |
| Arneb | alpha Leporus | |
| Ascella | zeta Sagittarii | |
| Asellus Australis | delta Cancri | |
| Asellus Borealis | gamma Cancri | |
| Aspidiske | iota Carinae | |
| Asterope | 21-22 Tauri | Sterope I and Sterope II (member of the Pleiades) |
| Atik | omicron Persei | (Sometimes applied to zeta Persei) |
| Atlas | 27 Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Atria | alpha Trianguli Australis | |
| Avior | epsilon Carinae | (Named by H.M. Nautical Almanac Office) |
| Azha | eta Eridani | |
| Baten Kaitos | zeta Ceti | |
| Becrux | beta Crucis | Mimosa |
| Beid | omicron1 Eridani | |
| Bellatrix | gamma Orionis | |
| Benetnasch | eta Ursae Majoris | Alkaid |
| Betelgeuse | alpha Orionis | |
| Biham | theta Pegasi | |
| Canopus | alpha Carinae | |
| Capella | alpha Aurigae | |
| Caph | beta Cassiopeiae | |
| Castor | alpha Geminorum | |
| Cebalrai | beta Ophiuchi | Cheleb |
| Celaeno | 16 Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Chara | beta Canum Venaticorum | |
| Cheleb | beta Ophiuchi | Cebalrai |
| Chertan | theta Leonis | Chort |
| Chort | theta Leonis | Chertan |
| Cor Caroli | alpha Canum Venaticorum | |
| Cursa | beta Eridani | |
| Dabih | beta Capricorni | |
| Deneb | alpha Cygni | |
| Deneb Algedi | delta Capricorni | |
| Deneb Kaitos | beta Ceti | Diphda |
| Denebola | beta Leonis | |
| Diphda | beta Ceti | Deneb Kaitos |
| Dnoces | iota Ursae Majoris | (Named for Apollo 1 astronaut Edward Higgins White II) Talitha |
| Dschubba | delta Scorpii | |
| Dubhe | alpha Ursae Majoris | |
| Edasich | iota Draconis | |
| Electra | 17 Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Elnath | beta Tauri | |
| Eltanin | gamma Draconis | |
| Enif | epsilon Pegasi | |
| Errai | gamma Cephei | |
| Fomalhaut | alpha Piscis Austrini | |
| Furud | zeta Canis Majoris | |
| Gacrux | gamma Crucis | |
| Garnet Star | mu Cephei | |
| Gemma | alpha Coronae Borealis | Alphecca |
| Giausar | lambda Draconis | |
| Gienah | gamma Corvi | |
| Gienah | epsilon Cygni | |
| Girtab | theta Scorpii | Sargas |
| Gomeisa | beta Canis Minoris | |
| Graffias | beta1 Scorpii | |
| Grumium | xi Draconis | |
| Hadar | beta Centauri | Agena |
| Hamal | alpha Arietis | |
| Homam | zeta Pegasi | |
| Izar | epsilon Boötes | Pulcherrima |
| Kaus Australis | epsilon Sagittarii | |
| Kaus Borealis | lambda Sagittarii | |
| Kaus Media | delta Sagittarii | Kaus Meridianalis, Media |
| Kaus Meridianalis | delta Sagittarii | Kaus Media, Media |
| Keid | omicron2 Eridani | |
| Kitalpha | alpha Equulei | |
| Kochab | beta Ursae Minoris | |
| Kornephoros | beta Herculis | |
| Lesath | upsilon Scorpii | |
| Maia | 20 Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Marfik | lambda Ophiuchi | |
| Markab | alpha Pegasi | |
| Matar | eta Pegasi | |
| Mebsuta | epsilon Geminorum | |
| Media | delta Sagittarii | Kaus Media, Kaus Meridianalis |
| Megrez | delta Ursae Majoris | |
| Meissa | lambda Orionis | |
| Mekbuda | zeta Geminorum | |
| Menkab | alpha Ceti | Menkar |
| Menkalinan | beta Aurigae | |
| Menkar | alpha Ceti | Menkab |
| Menkent | theta Centauri | |
| Merak | beta Ursae Majoris | |
| Merope | 23 Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Mesarthim | gamma2 Arietis | |
| Miaplacidus | beta Carinae | |
| Mimosa | beta Crucis | Becrux |
| Mintaka | delta Orionis | |
| Mira | omicron Ceti | |
| Mirach | beta Andromedae | |
| Mirfak | alpha Persei | |
| Mirzam | beta Canis Majoris | |
| Mizar | zeta Ursae Majoris | |
| Mothallah | alpha Trianguli | |
| Muhlifain | gamma Centauri | |
| Muliphen | gamma Canis Majoris | |
| Muphrid | eta Boötes | |
| Muscida | omicron Ursae Majoris | |
| Naos | zeta Puppis | |
| Nashira | gamma Capricorni | |
| Navi | epsilon Cassiopeiae | (Named for Apollo 1 astronaut Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom) |
| Nekkar | beta Boötes | |
| Nihal | beta Leporus | |
| Nunki | sigma Sagittarii | |
| Nusakan | beta Coronae Borealis | |
| Peacock | alpha Pavonis | (Named by H.M. Nautical Almanac Office) |
| Phact | alpha Columbae | |
| Phad | gamma Ursae Majoris | Phecda |
| Phecda | gamma Ursae Majoris | Phad |
| Pherkad | gamma Ursae Minoris | |
| Pleione | 28 Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Polaris | alpha Ursae Minoris | |
| Pollux | beta Geminorum | |
| Porrima | gamma Virginis | |
| Procyon | alpha Canis Minoris | |
| Propus | eta Geminorum | |
| Pulcherrima | epsilon Boötes | Izar |
| Rasalgethi | alpha1 Herculis | |
| Rasalhague | alpha Ophiuchi | |
| Ras Elased | epsilon Leonis | |
| Rastaban | beta Draconis | |
| Regor | gamma Velorum | (Named for Apollo 1 astronaut Roger Bruce Chaffee) |
| Regulus | alpha Leonis | |
| Rigel | beta Orionis | |
| Rigil Kent | alpha Centauri | Rigil Kentaurus |
| Rigil Kentaurus | alpha Centauri | Rigil Kent |
| Rotanev | beta Delphini | |
| Ruchba | omega2 Cygni | |
| Ruchbah | delta Cassiopeiae | |
| Rukbat | alpha Sagittarii | |
| Runaway Star | mu Columbae | |
| Sabik | eta Ophiuchi | |
| Sadalachbia | gamma Aquarii | |
| Sadalbari | mu Pegasi | |
| Sadalmelik | alpha Aquarii | |
| Sadalsuud | beta Aquarii | |
| Sadatoni | zeta Aurigae | |
| Sadr | gamma Cygni | |
| Saiph | kappa Orionis | |
| Sargas | theta Scorpii | Girtab |
| Scheat | beta Pegasi | |
| Schedar | alpha Cassiopeiae | |
| Seginus | gamma Boötes | |
| Shaula | lambda Scorpii | |
| Sheliak | beta Lyrae | |
| Sheratan | beta Arietis | |
| Sirius | alpha Canis Majoris | |
| Situla | kappa Aquarii | |
| Skat | delta Aquarii | |
| Spica | alpha Virginis | |
| Sterope I | 21 Tauri | Asterope (member of the Pleiades) |
| Sterope II | 22 Tauri | Asterope (member of the Pleiades) |
| Sualocin | alpha Delphini | |
| Suhail | lambda Velorum | |
| Sulafat | gamma Lyrae | |
| Syrma | iota Virginis | |
| Talitha | iota Ursae Majoris | Dnoces |
| Tania Australis | mu Ursae Majoris | |
| Tania Borealis | lambda Ursae Majoris | |
| Tarazed | gamma Aquilae | |
| Taygeta | 19 Tauri | (Member of the Pleiades) |
| Tegmine | zeta1 Cancri | |
| Thuban | alpha Draconis | |
| Unukalhai | alpha Serpentis | |
| Vega | alpha Lyrae | |
| Vindemiatrix | epsilon Virginis | |
| Wasat | delta Geminorum | |
| Wazn | beta Columbae | |
| Wezen | delta Canis Majoris | |
| Yed Posterior | epsilon Ophiuchi | |
| Yed Prior | delta Ophiuchi | |
| Yildun | delta Ursae Minoris | |
| Zaniah | eta Virginis | |
| Zaurak | gamma Eridani | |
| Zavijava | beta Virginis | |
| Zosma | delta Leonis | |
| Zubenelgenubi | alpha2 Librae | |
| Zubeneschamali | beta Librae |
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