How star naming works — the honest guide

Last updated 31 October 2026

Can you really name a star?

Symbolically, yes. Officially, no — and no company can honestly tell you otherwise. Official star designations are assigned by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the global scientific authority for naming celestial objects. The IAU does not sell star names — not to companies, and not to individuals, at any price.

Every star-naming company, including us, operates a private register: a record of symbolic dedications, maintained by that company. The difference between companies isn't whether the naming is official — it never is. The difference is whether they tell you that plainly. We do — in our FAQs, our guides, our terms and on the certificate itself.

So what's real about it?

Three things, and they matter:

• The star is real. Every star we dedicate is a genuine star from the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 catalogues, the standard references compiled from the European Space Agency's Hipparcos mission. It has a real catalogue number and real coordinates you can point a telescope at.
• The dedication is unique. Each star in our register can only be named once. Your registry number belongs to one star and one dedication, and anyone can verify the entry on our site at any time.
• The documents are yours to keep. Their star is named for eternity on our database, and you can reprint all five documents at home, free, for life.

What happens when you order

1. You choose a constellation — Orion, Cygnus, Ursa Major and nine others — or let us surprise you with a star from anywhere in the sky.
2. You choose the star's name (up to 40 characters) and an optional personal message.
3. The moment your payment is confirmed, our register allocates a star from the curated pool for your constellation and issues your unique registry number — automatically, within minutes.
4. Your confirmation email links to your star page: an interactive sky map showing your star among its neighbours, plus all five printable A4 documents: the certificate, welcome letter, coordinates sheet, constellation story and register extract.

Is a named star a good gift?

Yes — when it's given honestly. A named star is a symbol, like a locket or an engraved ring, except it can't be lost, broken, or worn out. It works because of what it means, not what it legally is. Birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, and — perhaps most of all — remembering someone loved: the night sky has carried human memory for as long as we've been human.

What should star naming cost?

Because the naming is symbolic everywhere, you're really paying for the quality of the documents, the permanence of the register, and the experience. Checked in October 2026, other UK-facing sellers charged from nothing (one seller names stars free) to about £39 for a digital naming, and from £14.99 plus postage to about £150 for a printed pack (the dated comparison). Ours is digital from £9.99, yours within minutes, or printed and posted free for £19.99. Reprint at home, free, for life, whichever you choose. Two neighbouring stars named together on one certificate, printed and posted free, are £29.99 as the Twin Star Gift Pack.

Read next: What do you actually get? · Is the star register real? · How much does it cost? · How to choose a company · Star naming companies compared · Is naming a star legit?