In many different cultures around the world, names carry profound meanings, embody cultural heritage and make a baby’s individual identity shine.
One recurring theme when it comes to meaningful baby names that spans cultures is the symbolism of “light.” Light has been a symbol of hope, purity, and inspiration for centuries, illuminating darkness, dispelling fears and acting as a guiding beacon through difficult times. So it’s not surprising that many parents choose a name for their new baby linked with this wonderful representation.
Let’s delve into the enchanting world of baby names that mean “light,” exploring their origins, pronunciations, popularity and meanings. From Latin and Arabic names to Italian and Slavic names, you’ll find the perfect choice for your brand new little one.
Names That Mean Light: A Global Perspective
Radiant Girls Names Meaning Light
1. Aurora
Aurora is an incredibly elegant name that means ‘the first light of day’. It has Latin origins and is pronounced AH-ROR-AH’.
The name has spiked in popularity recently. In fact, in 2008, the name was given to just over 600 babies per million in the US. In 2022, it was given to over 3600 babies per million – that’s a 500% increase!
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2. Lucy
Lucy is a popular English name with Latin origins. It’s derived from the Latin word ‘lux’, which means light. Despite increasing in popularity in recent years in the US from a lull in the 80s and 90s, the name was most popular way back in the late 1800s!
3. Elena
Elena is a versatile name with Greek origins. It means both ‘sun ray’ and ‘shining light’ and can be pronounced either ‘EH-LAH-NA’ or ‘AH-LAY-NA’. You might also see a variation in the spelling – Eleanor – pronounced ‘EH-LAH-NOR’.
The name has seen a huge increase in popularity in recent years in America. Just over 850 babies per million were given the name Elena in the US in 2008. In 2022, over 2600 babies per million were given the name.
4. Niamh
Pronounced ‘NEEVE’, this beautiful and unusual Irish name means radiant or bright – a wonderful choice for a brand new baby girl. It’s an incredibly rare name in the US, with only a handful of babies per million being given the name in 2022.
- Zia
Zia is an Arabic name with a modern feel. It means ‘light’ or ‘glow’ – very apt for a new baby in the family.
It’s quite a rare name in the US, given to just over 100 babies per million in 2022.
- Ayla
Ayla is a highly unusual name that means ‘moonlight’ or ‘halo of light surrounding the moon’.
It has Turkish origins and is pronounced ‘EYE-LUH’.
It wasn’t used as a name for girls in the US until the 80s and it’s increased dramatically in popularity in recent years. In 2005, only around 200 babies per million were given the name Ayla in the US, compared with over 1600 per million in 2022.
- Clara
Clara isn’t just a top baby girl name that means light – it’s a timeless vintage name, too. It has Latin origins and is linked with brightness and clarity.
It was incredibly popular in the late 1800s but has decreased in popularity ever since in the US. It remains a somewhat common name though, with over 1500 babies per million being given the name in America in 2022.
- Hikari
Pronounced ‘HEE-KAR-EE’ this elegant Japanese name means light. It could be shortened to ‘Ari’ and is a great choice if you’re looking for an unusual name for your little girl.
- Meira
Pronounced ‘MEA-RA’, this Hebrew name means ‘one who illuminates’. It’s a great name that means light for a baby girl and was given to only around 40 babies per million in the US in 2022.
- Iluminada
Illuminada is a beautiful name for a little girl that means enlightened. It has Spanish origins and is such a unique name in the US that there’s no data to show its popularity!
- Sana
Sana is an elegant Arabic name that means brilliance or radiance. It’s a highly unusual name in America and is pronounced ‘SAH-NAH.
- Thea
Pronounced ‘TH-EE-A’, this beautiful Greek name means goddess of light – a wonderful meaning to pass on to your little girl.
The name has seen a huge spike in popularity in recent years. Back in 2011, only around 80 babies per million were given the name Thea. In 2022, over 650 babies per million were given the name in the US.
Read Next: Baby Names That Mean Soul: Discovering Deeply Meaningful Names for Your Child
Boys’ Names meaning Light
- Lucas
Lucas is a name of Latin origin that means illumination. It’s another name that means light that’s seen a huge spike in popularity over recent years. The name was gaining in popularity in the 1990s and in 2022 in America, over 6200 babies per million were given the name Lucas.
- Kirin
Kirrin is an unusual name in the US that has Japanese origins. It means ‘ray of light’ and is pronounced ‘KI-RIN’. Only 20 babies per million were given the name in America in 2022.
- Samson
Samson is a biblical name with Hebrew origins. It means bright sun and, despite increasing in popularity over recent years in the US, it was only given to just under 300 babies per million in 2022.
- Abner
Another name that means light with Hebrew origins is Abner. Pronounced ‘AB-NUH’, this unusual name means ‘Father of light’ and was given to around 100 babies per million in 2022.
- Kenzie
Kenzie is a Scottish name that means ‘the light one’. Pronounced ‘KEN-ZEE’, it’s such a rare name in the US that no data is readily available to show how popular it is!
- Chand
Chand is another unique name linked with light. It has Sanskrit origins and means moon. It’s so rare that data to show its popularity isn’t readily available!
- Raiden
Raiden is a name with Japanese origins. It’s linked with the idea of light but in a very interesting way – it actually means thunder and lightening! It’s the perfect name for a baby boy who’ll grow up with a fiery personality. It’s pronounced ‘RY-DEN’ and was given to over 500 babies per million in the US in 2022.
- Uri
Uri is a Hebrew name. It means ‘my light’ or ‘flame’ and is pronounced ‘YER-EE’. It was only given to a handful of babies per million in the US in 2022!
- Zain
Zain – or Zayn as it’s often spelt – was made popular thanks to the mega-popularity of the boyband One Direction, which Zayn Malik was part of. It has Arabic origins and means ‘bright’ or ‘shining’.
The name was given to a handful of babies per million every year throughout the 2000s. That number increased to around 700 babies per million in the US in 2022.
- Phoebus
Pronounced ‘FEE-BAS’, this unusual Greek name means bright and shining. It’s linked with Apollo, the god of light. It’s an incredibly unique name in modern times in the US.
Unisex and Gender-Neutral Names that mean light
- Akari
Akari is a unique name in the US. It has Japanese origins and means ‘brightness’. It’s often seen as a gender neutral name, so it could be used for either baby girls or baby boys. It’s pronounced ‘AH-KAR-EE’.
- Lux
Lux is a modern and unique name with Latin origins. It means ‘light’ and can be used for either little girls or little boys. It’s such a rare name in the US that there isn’t any data readily available to show its popularity!
- Roshan
Pronounced ‘ROW-SHAN’, this beautiful Persian name is a great gender-neutral name that means light.
- Sorin
Sorin is a Romanian name that’s very unique in the US. It means ‘sun’ and is pronounced ‘SOH-RIN’. It can be used as name for both little girls and little boys.
- Lior
Lior is a name with Hebrew origins. It means ‘my light’ – perfect for a brand new bundle of joy. It’s pronounced ‘LEE-OR’ and is a very unique name in the US. It’s a gender neutral name, suitable for both boys and girls.
- Siraj
Siraj is an Arabic name that means light. Pronounced ‘SAH-RAHJ’, it’s a unique name in the US and can be used for little boys or little girls.
- Manar
Manar has a beautiful meaning – guiding light. It has Arabic origins and is a unisex name that means light. It’s pronounced ‘MA-NAR’ and is a very rare name in America.
- Ray
A simple but sophisticated name, Ray has English origins and is often used as a name for both little boys and little girls. Traditionally, it was a name for boys only, but it’s become more popular over recent years as a name for girls too. It means beam of light.
Conclusion
Choosing a name for your little one is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. A name isn’t just that; it’s an expression of your deepest hopes and dreams for them. Names that mean ‘light’ are, unsurprisingly, very popular with parents looking for names with deep and positive meanings.
‘Light’ is a symbol of hope, guidance, and purity and names linked to light are a reminder of the brightness and potential that your child brings into the world.
We’re sure you’ll find a name that means light that you love in the list above, but if you’re looking for more inspiration, be sure to check out our roundup of names that mean forgotten, names that mean soul and timeless vintage baby names.
