How Much Does It Cost to Name a Star?
Naming a star costs from $9.95 to $79.95 at AstraName, depending on whether you want instant digital delivery or a printed, framed keepsake. Across the wider market, star naming services charge anywhere from about $10 to over $150 - and the product underneath is always the same thing: a symbolic dedication of a real star, recorded in a private registry, with a certificate. The price differences come from packaging and printing, not from the star or the naming itself.
AstraName Star Naming Prices
| Package | Price | What's included | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Star Gift | $9.95 | Star registration, digital certificate, star map, personal star page | By email, within minutes |
| Star Gift Postcard | $15.95 | Registration, printed folded postcard, personal star page | Free U.S. shipping |
| Star Gift Pack | $34.95 | Registration, printed certificate, star map, Sky Atlas, gift envelope | Free U.S. shipping |
| Premium Star Gift Box | $79.95 | Registration, framed certificate (4 frame colors), star map, Sky Atlas, confirmation letter, presentation box | Free U.S. shipping |
Every tier includes the same registration: a real star from the public HR/HD astronomical catalogs with its coordinates, your chosen name and date, a personal message, and a permanent star registry entry with a shareable star page. Printed orders are prepared in 1-3 business days and ship free within the U.S. with tracking.
What Affects the Price?
- Digital vs printed. The single biggest factor. A digital certificate costs $9.95; printing, framing, and shipping a physical package is what moves the price up.
- Framing and presentation. The Premium Box costs more because of the frame, the presentation box, and the extra printed pieces - not because the star or the registration is different.
- Shipping. AstraName ships printed packages free within the U.S. Some services add $10-$20 shipping at checkout, which quietly raises the real price.
How Much Is It to Name a Star After Someone?
The same $9.95-$79.95 - naming a star after a person (a partner, a child, a parent, someone who has passed away) is the standard use of the service, not an upgrade. You enter their name, pick a date that matters, and write the message. For dedications in memory of a loved one, the memorial star naming guide covers choosing the constellation and wording the message.
Why Do Some Services Charge $50-$150+ for the Same Thing?
Premium prices in this market usually come bundled with premium-sounding claims: "official" registration, an "international" registry, entries in a "star catalog". Here is the honest version: no service at any price can give a star an officially recognized name. The IAU - the only body that names stars scientifically - does not sell names. A $150 dedication and a $9.95 dedication are the same kind of entry in the same kind of private database. Past a certain point you are paying for the implication of officialness, which does not exist.
What a fair price buys is real: a documented star with verifiable coordinates, a well-made certificate, a permanent registry entry, and honest framing of what the gift is. How to tell honest services from overclaiming ones - and what to check before you pay - is covered in Is Naming a Star Real? and How Stars Actually Get Their Names.
Is Naming a Star Worth the Cost?
As a symbolic gift - comparable to dedicating a park bench or a memorial brick - it delivers a lot for the price: it's personalized down to the name, date, and message; it doesn't expire; and the recipient can look up their star any time. It is not worth it if the recipient expects an official astronomical name, so give it honestly. At $9.95 for the digital version, it's one of the least expensive genuinely personalized gifts that exists; the printed tiers are for when the occasion calls for something to unwrap.