Galaxy OriginsEvery year thousands of people buy a certificate that says a star now carries someone's name. The certificates are real; the names are not used by anyone outside the company that printed them.
Who names stars
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is the body astronomers recognise for naming objects. It does not sell names. Most stars are known by catalogue numbers; a few hundred bright ones have proper names approved by the IAU.
What a star registry sells
A place in its own private list, a certificate and often a chart. Different registries can sell the same star under different names. None of this appears in any astronomical catalogue.
An honest alternative
You do not need to rename the universe to say what someone means to you. Galaxy Origins matches the real galaxy that was overhead at a moment you choose, frames its telescope photograph with your words, and records that it was assigned to that moment. It is not ownership and not a name: the galaxy keeps its catalogue identity, printed on the artwork, which anyone can check. Read more.