Born to Shine: 70 Bright Names That Mean Light

Have you ever heard of the cry of a newborn child? Had a glimpse of their first smile? Witness their first walk? Have you watched them struggle to stand up and face the world? All these little things babies do bring so much light into our world.

As babies provide the much-needed radiance in our dark world, we ought to give them brilliant names that correspond to their worth. Listed below are 50+ brightest names that fit your newborn light bringer. So, choose what you most prefer, and let there be light!

Girl Names That Mean Light

These luminous names will make your baby girl stand out as they mirror radiance. Mentioned below are brilliant names that mean light.

1. Zia

Zia is a girl’s name that means “light, splendor; grain”. It is of Arabic and Latin origin and has roots in Italian and Hebrew. If you’re searching for a female name that would be suitable to different kinds of cultures, this short but appealing name can be a wise choice.

2. Inara

Inara is a female name of Arabic origin that means “shining light”. In Hittite-Hurrian mythology, Inara was the daughter of the Storm god, Teshub, and Potnia Theron, the goddess of wild animals. Nicknames available for Inara can be Nara, Ina, or Ara.

3. Chiara

Chiara is of Italian origin which means “light, clear”. It is a charming and romantic Italian name that’s familiar but is not widely used here. It currently ranks Number 8 in Italy and is also well-used in countries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

4. Eliora

Eliora is of Hebrew origin, and is a girl’s name which means “God is my light”. It is the feminine form of Elior. It is an uncommon name for females, giving you the chance to give your cute baby girl a name that will surely stand out.

5. Fana

The name Fana is of Old Greek and African origin, meaning “light” or “jungle”. It is a variant transcription of the Russian name Faina. Though it is a wonderful name, Fana is a rare baby girl’s name. It is not listed in the Top 1000, and it is not even a bad thing!

6. Laoise

Pronounced as Lee-sha, Laoise is a female name of Irish Gaelic origin which means “light”. It is the feminine form of Lugus, the Celtic god of commerce and craftsmanship. The pronunciation might be confusing due to the spelling but having this quirky name can benefit your child in the long run.

7. Yetta

Yetta, a female name, is of Yiddish origin meaning “light”. It is a short form for Henrietta. Yetta is a very prominent first name for females. It reached its highest peak at #465 during the early 1900’s, but is currently not in the Top 1000.

8. Nahara

The name Nahara is of Aramaic origin, and is a girl’s name which translates to “light”. It is used mostly in Hebrew speaking countries and also in few other parts of the world. If you want your child to stand out from the crowd, be independent, and be confident, giving your child a unique name like Nahara is one way to make this happen!

9. Alora

The name Alora is a girl’s name which translates to “the Lord is my light”. It entered the Top 1000 in 2017 as part of the trend for girl’s names beginning and ending with A. This name has an alluring sound, which supports its meaning.

10. Alena

Alena is of Slavic origin, and it means “light”. One notable person having the name is Hara Alena, a major character and one of the protagonists from a famous Philippine fantasy series, “Encantadia”.

11. Dawn

Derived from Old English origins, the name Dawn is a girl’s name which refers to the first appearance of light that we all experience each and every day.

12. Zariya

Fresh from its Arabic roots, Zariya, which means “beauty” and “light”, serves as a good choice when selecting a name for your bright princess.

13. Phoebe

Phoebe, a common but lovely name, can be found in Greek mythology, and is a feminine form of Phoebus, which means “bright, shining”.

14. Ciana

Ciana is a feminine name which literally means “light”, and is of Italian origin.

15. Ellen

Originating from Greece, the name Ellen is a female’s name which translates to “sun, ray, shining light”.

16. Meira

Having Hebrew roots, Meira is an elegant and classy name for girls meaning “light”.

17. Claire

Of Latin roots, Claire is a female’s name meaning “clear” or “bright”, which obviously pertains to light.

18. Soleil

Derived from its French roots, a popular name Soleil is a female name which translates to “sun” – which is also associated with light.

19. Aurora

A creative name you can make use of when naming your daughter is Aurora, meaning “dawn”.

20. Elaine

If you want an ethereal name that you can address your child with, the name Elaine which means “shining light”, can be a great choice.

21. Thea

From Greek mythology, Thea is known for being the goddess of light and vision.

22. Avira

Of Tamil roots, Avira is a lovely name for females, which translates to “bright”.

23. Ayla

The name Ayla is a Turkish name for cute little girls which means “moonlight”.

24. Yelena

If you’re looking for a name that fits your baby girl and exudes brilliance, Yelena is the perfect fit for you.

25. Alina

Alina, a female name which translates to “light”, was used by the Greeks to name their bright baby girls.

Boy Names That Mean Light

Here are some radiant names that will forever represent your bright baby boy as he lights his way towards success.

1. Abner

The name Abner is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin. This name that can be found in the Bible means “father of light”. In the Hebrew Bible, he was the cousin of King Saul, and was the commander-in-chief of his army. Abner is a name which carries a lot of pride because aside from appearing twice in the New Testament, it is also the first name of the famous inventor of baseball, Abner Doubleday.

2. Valo

The name Valo is of Finnish origin, which means “man of light”. It is not a frequently used name of boys, and is not included in the Top 1000. You could also use another variant, Vallo, which appears to be manlier and more appealing.

3. Cassander

Of Spanish and Greek origin, Cassander is a name for boys which means “light of man”. It is the male form of Cassandra. He was once a king of Macedonia, and a contemporary of Alexander the Great. Make your son feel mighty and powerful by giving him a name as royal as the name Cassander!

4. Lucifer

Lucifer, a male’s name, is of Latin origin which means “light-bearer”,and was originally the name for planet Venus, known as the “morning star”. The name is already popular given the fact that it is the name of the archangel sent from hell. The fame continued to become more notable with the rise of a mainstream show taking the name as the title–-which almost all of you are familiar with.

5. Reyansh

Of Hindi origin, the name Reyansh is a masculine name meaning “ray of light”. It is an alternative name for Lord Vishnu, who is said to restore light in the darkness. Amidst of being an unusual name, it has become one of the fastest-growing names for males for the last decade.

6. Uriel

A male’s name, Uriel is of Hebrew origin, which translates to “God is my light” or “flame of God”. The name is one of the seven archangels in Hebrew tradition, being known to be the angel of wisdom. If you’re planning to give your baby boy a name that symbolizes hope, Uriel will be a perfect choice.

7. Meir

Meir is Hebrew in origin, and a name for boys which means “bright one”, and is a well-known biblical name. One of the notable people with the name is Rabbi Meir, a Jewish sage who lived in the time of the Mishnah, and was considered one of the greatest Tannaim of the fourth generation.

8. Elouan

Derived from Celtic origin, Elouan is a Breton name and is a famous name in France. It is a boy’s name which translates to “good light”. The name was widely used in 2006, reaching its highest peak of #127, thanks to the obscure saint who is now venerated in Brittany and Cornwall.

9. Argider

Derived from Basque origin, Argider is a male’s name which translates to “beautiful light”. Names are one of the best gifts that a newborn child can receive for his parents. Why not try this one? Surely, your child will feel extra special knowing that his parents put so much time and effort into coming up with a unique name like Argider.

10. Lito

The name Lito is a masculine name which exactly means “light”, and has its origins in the Germanic, Breton, Irish Gaelic and Old English languages. It is listed outside of Top 1000 names, thus; it is an unusual name for males. If you are looking for a name which exhibits simplicity, this can be an ideal fit!

11. Apollo

Famous from Greek mythology, the name Apollo was known for being the god of light, the sun, music and poetry.

12. Zohar

An illuminating name that you can utilize when giving your son a title is the name Zohar, which is of Hebrew origin that means “light”.

13. Castor

Let your son’s brilliant personality shine more brightly than any star as you name him Castor, a Spanish name related to two close stars of same level of brightness in the Gemini constellation.

14. Lucian

Lucian is of Latin origin that means “light”, and is one of the names you can think of when choosing a way on how you can call your baby boy.

15. Epifanio

Derived from its Spanish roots, Epifanio is a masculine name which means “bringing light”.

16. Elior

One unique way of addressing your son is by naming him Elior, meaning “God is light”.

17. Lucas

Make your baby boy shine by giving him the name Lucas, which translates to “bright” and “shining”.

18. Ivar

One title you can choose from when searching for your son’s name is Ivar, which means “light”.

19. Aaron

Of Hebrew origin, the name Aaron is a masculine name which means “enlightened”.

20. Ambert

One name to identify your child is the German name Ambert, which means “bright, shining light”.

21. Harbin

Let your child be known as he takes the name of Harbin, a German name which translates to “little bright warrior”.

22. Zain

Another masculine name you can address your little lightbringer is Zain. Coming from its Hindi origin, the name means “the light of God”.

23. Anwar

Made popular by notable celebrities, Anwar is an Arabic male’s name which translates to “light”.

24. Jomei

Of Japanese roots, the name Jomei is a male’s name meaning to “spread light”.

25. Albus

If you are a fan of Harry Potter, you will surely love the name Albus. Give your son a chance to be like Albus as he paves the way toward the brightest light of his life.

Unisex Names That Mean Light

Cited below are stylish and fashionable gender-neutral names for your little ray of sunshine.

1. Lux

Derived from its Greek origin, Lux is a name that can fit any gender. It means “light”.

2. Kenzie

The name Kenzie is of Scottish origin, which means the “light one”, This is considered as a unisex name.

3. Roshan

Roshan is a gender-neutral baby name which translates to “bright“.

4. Ziv

One name that is suitable for both boys and girls is the Hebrew name Ziv, meaning “light of God”.

5. Kiran

Another name that can be used by both genders is Kiran. It is a Sanscrit name that means a “beam of light”.

6. Lior

A Hebrew name that translates to “God’s gift of light” is the name Lior; which fortunately,  can be an address towards a boy and a girl.

7. Neri

A gleaming name that can be a perfect fit for your child, whether it is a boy or a girl, is Neri. It is of Hebrew origin, and means “bringing light”.

8. Cahaya

One sophisticated name to refer to your baby regardless of its gender is the Indonesian name Cahaya, meaning “light”, “glow”, or “radiance”.

9. Lumi

Lumi, a name which means “lightbringer”, is of Old Norse origin, and can serve as a gender-neutral name for your child.

10. Sunny

Just like the weather, the unisex name Sunny can light up your mood as it pertains to a calm and pleasant day-to-day atmospheric condition.

Related Reading