Do Moons Have Names?

Earth's moon does have a name: In English, it's "the moon." The word moon is Proto-Germanic in origin, deriving from a similar-sounding word that came into use a few thousand years ago in Northern Europe. ... In Greek, our moon is named "Selene," as is the moon goddess of ancient Greek mythology.

How are moons named?

Natural Satellites

For those moons have been known for a long time (such as the Galilean moons of Jupiter), the names were assigned from mythological characters. For example, the moons of Jupiter were named for characters who had roles in the life of Zeus (the Greek mythology counterpart of the Roman God Jupiter).

Do all moons have names?

The word "Moon" comes from the Old English word “mona.” Obviously, English isn't the only language, so the Moon actually has many names. “Luna” is the Latin word and the Greeks called it “Selene,” both of which refer to goddesses. ... Our Moon informs the language around which we talk about all moons.