Surname Luna - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Luna: What does the surname Luna mean?
Luna is a surname of Latin origin, derived from the word "luna" which means "moon" in Latin, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian. It was often used in ancient times as a personal name or nickname for someone born under the new moon or someone who had white or silver hair, symbolizing the pale luminescent quality of the moon.
As a surname, it is prevalent in Spain, Italy, and several Latin American countries. It could have been adopted by families living in a town or region associated with the moon or a historic event related to the moon.
It is also possible that the name Luna was assigned to individuals in religious or mythological contexts, given the significance of moon in many ancient religions and mythologies.
Therefore, Luna is a global surname, reflecting a universal human fascination with the moon, stretching back to ancient times. As of today, it might not indicate anything specific about the person carrying it, other than some historic or ancestral link to the name.
Order DNA origin analysisLuna: Where does the name Luna come from?
The surname Luna has multiple origins. It is predominantly Spanish and Italian, derived from the Latin word "luna" meaning "moon." The name was often given to people who were born or baptized during the full moon or who lived in places with names like Luna, like the town of Luna in Spain.
In Spain, the surname was historically common in Aragon, where the Luna family held a feudal family seat from ancient times. Today, it's still quite popular in Spain, particularly in the region of Andalusia.
Luna is also a common surname in Italy, especially in the northern regions of Piedmont and Lombardy.
In addition, it is a popular last name in the Philippines, a country with a significant Spanish influence due to more than 300 years of colonization.
In the U.S., Luna is one of the top surnames for Hispanics, making it frequent in areas with large Hispanic populations, like Texas, California, and New Mexico. This usage is primarily due to Mexican and Latin American immigration where Luna is also a common surname.
The surname is also found, albeit less commonly, in other countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Cuba and Peru.
Variations of the surname Luna
The surname Luna has several variants and spelling differences due to regional pronunciation and translation differences. Some of the main variants include Lunas, de Luna, de la Luna, and Deluna. Lunas is a common variant where the 's' at the end is commonly added in Spanish surnames and toponyms. Meanwhile, "de Luna" and "de la Luna" both essentially mean "of the moon".
In Southern Italy, Lo Luna is another variant. In Catalan, the surname is spelled as Lluna. There is also a similar surname, Lunardi, found across Italy.
The surname LaLuna is another variant, particularly popular in the United States amongst Italian-American communities. Louna and Lounas are other versions, more commonly found in North African countries like Algeria and Tunisia where Arabic and French are spoken.
Since Luna is a common noun in many Romance languages (meaning 'moon'), you could also find other surnames with similar meanings in various languages, such as Moon in English, Mond in German, Mjesec in Croatian, Mesic in Czech, and Kuu in Estonian.
Famous people with the name Luna
- Diego Luna: Mexican actor, director, and producer
- Dafne Keen: English actress
- Bianca Gervais: Canadian singer-songwriter
- Eleonora Abbagnato: Italian prima ballerina
- Christiane Arsenal: Brazilian film actress
- Scott Richard Wolf: American actor
- Fermín Luna: Mexican singer and songwriter
- Kyle O'Quinn: American professional basketball player
- Bianca Rozier Luna: American actress
- Nova Luna Renata: Australian actress
- Ofer Luna: Israeli actor
- Jorge Luna: Chilean poet
- Johnny Luna: American actor
- Yoly Ferreira de Luna: Venezuelan composer
- Anastasia Luna: Venezuelan actress
- Jaleel White: American actor, comedian, voice actor, and producer
- Jessica Luna: Venezuelan dancehall artist
- Cristina Luna: Colombian actress
- Salma Hayek Pinault: Mexican–American actress and producer
- Teresa Ruiz: Mexican actress