In fact, our moon has a name Yes. Her name is Moon! The word comes from the Latin Luna, which in Roman mythology was the name of the goddess related to the satellite that orbits planet Earth. The goddess linked to the star also existed in Greek mythology. There she was called selene, but that name didn’t stick. What happens is that, over time, the term moon came to be used to designate any satellite of any planet, not just ours. That is, it became a generic way to call satellites. This generalization is even found in the dictionary, where the word moon is used both for the celestial body that surrounds the Earth and for the satellites of other planets.
THE MOONS OF OUR NEIGHBORS
Names of other satellites may be linked to the planet.
PHOBOS AND DEIMOS
are the moons of Mars. In Greek mythology, Phobos and Deimos are the sons of Ares (Mars, in Roman mythology). The first name means «fear» (it is the root of the word “phobia”) and the name of the second means «panic“.
IO, EUROPE AND CALISTOS
Are some of the moons of Jupiter. All are related to Zeus (Jupiter, in Roman mythology). Io was a maiden who fell in love with Zeus, Europa, a abducted Phoenician by the god, and Callistus, a nymphdear to him.
SOURCE: Domingos Bulgarelli, astronomer at the Planetarium Foundation of Rio de Janeiro.