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    Big Bear’s latest bald eaglets now have names: Sandy and Luna
    • May 1, 2026

    The names are in.

    As part of an annual naming contest, a group of Big Bear third graders has chosen the names for the newest viral Big Bear eaglet stars, the April hatchlings of bald eagle parents Jackie and Shadow, from among 64,000 submitted name entries.

    Introducing Sandy and Luna. Sandy was named for the former executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that monitors and protects the eagles; while “Luna” is a popular name being the Latin name for “moon” and originating in Roman mythology.

    The eaglet with a slight curve to the gape (the corner of the mouth where the upper and lower beak meet) and a larger head and neck is Sandy, according to the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, which installed and operated a 24 hour livestream cameras on and near the eagles’ nest.

    Luna is smaller, with a straighter gape, and has been the more aggressive eaglet, according to the nonprofit’s Facebook post.

    The hatchlings debuted on April 4 and 5.

    “Please know that although Sandy would not have wanted us to outright name one of the eaglets Sandy, she would have been honored that you and the students went through the process and named one of the 2026 eaglets after her,” a Friends of Big Bear Valley Facebook post said that announced the new names.

    Sandy Steers, the former executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, played a key role in promoting environmental awareness in the region, including live-streaming the daily activities of Jackie and Shadow. The first camera was set up in October 2015, with a second added in 2021. Steers died Feb. 11.

    The name “Sandy” was the most popular, the Facebook post reads, with 3,706 submissions.

    A screen grab from a webcam shows the two newly named eaglets, Sandy and Luna. (Courtesy of Friends of Big Bear Valley)
    A screen grab from a webcam shows the two newly named eaglets, Sandy and Luna. (Courtesy of Friends of Big Bear Valley)

    Jenny Voisard, media manager with Friends of Big Bear Valley, said in a text message on Friday, May 1, that every person who submitted a winning name entry will receive a certificate of recognition.

    “It will be thousands,” Voisard said.

    From the 64,000 names, 30 were randomly selected and given to a third grade classroom at Big Bear Valley Elementary to decide, according to the Friends Facebook post.

    The popularity of the Eagle family has only continued to grow in the years since the installation of the first nest camera, becoming a global sensation. This year’s naming contest featured 10,000 more entries than the 2025 season.

    The Friends group has roughly 2.4 million social media followers, including more than 1 million on its main Facebook page.

    And eagles around the country are getting more attention. Five days ago, the U.S. Postal Service announced on its Instagram page that it would be honoring eagles and their hatchlings as part of a  stamp collection.

     Orange County Register 

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