75 Baby Names That Mean Light

There’s no doubt that the bun you’re currently baking in your oven will be the light of your life, so why not give your bundle of joy a name that represents the warm bond you’ll share and the inspiration they’ll bring you? If you agree, read on for a thorough list of baby names that mean light, including unique choices from around the world, gender-neutral options and sweet one-syllable monikers.

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Baby Girl Names That Mean Light

1. Aurora

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A feminine name of Latin origin that means “dawn” and has ties to the stunning Northern Lights.

2. Luz

This short and pretty name has Portuguese and Spanish origins and a straightforward meaning of “light.”

3. Haruko

Haruko is a Japanese name that means “spring child,” “light” and “sun.”

4. Zora

When it comes to fierce sounding feminine names that mean light, you can’t go wrong with this moniker, which has Slavic origins and a pleasant meaning of “dawn.”

5. Yoko

As in Yoko Ono. This irresistibly cute Japanese name means “sun child.”

6. Svetlana

Here, a sturdy sounding and sophisticated Slavic name that means “light,” “luminescent,” “pure” and “holy.”

7. Diya

“Light” and “wisdom” are the meanings of this Sanskrit name, which is pronounced DEE-ah.

8. Dawn

Dawn is a sweet one-syllable moniker with a meaning that requires little explanation; an obvious choice if you’re looking for names that mean light.

9. Ayla

Ayla is a Turkish name with a couple pronunciation options—AY-lah or EYE-lah—though we’re partial to the former. It means “ moonlight ” and “halo.”

10. Keren

Not to be confused with the Germanic (and widely besmirched) name Karen, this similar looking name has Hebrew origins and a meaning of “ray of light.” It’s pronounced KI-rahn.

11. Lucia

Lucia is a soft and melodic name of Latin origin with a simple meaning of “light.”

12. Sade

Add an umlaut to the famous singer’s name (Säde) and you have a Finnish version that means “ray of light.”

13. Abha

This short and sweet Indian name has meanings of “light” and “lustrous beauty.”

14. Roxana

“Dawn” and “sunrise” are the meanings of this energetic three-syllable Persian moniker.

15. Eos

Another name meaning “dawn,” this one has Greek origins and ties to a mythological winged goddess.

16. Pratibha

This beautiful Hindu Sanskrit name rolls off the tongue and boasts meanings of “light,” “intelligence” and “splendor.”

17. Hina

Derived from the name “Henna,” this one has roots in Japanese, Indian and Pacific Islander cultures and just as many meanings, among which are “light” and “sun.”

18. Orli

Here, a cute and spunky name of Hebrew origin that means “my light.”

19. Zoraida

“Enchanting,” “dawn” and “captivating woman” are the meanings of this feminine Arabic name. Give this one to an enigmatic girl with both beauty and brains to spare.

20. Aferdita

Aferdita is an Albanian name with ties to the word for “morning” and a symbolic meaning that evokes hopeful new beginnings.

21. Mitsuki

Undeniably fun to say, this Japanese name for girls has a meaning of “beautiful moonlight.”

22. Lesedi

If you’re looking for a unique girl name, Lesedi fits the bill. This melodic moniker (pronounced le-SAY-dee) has African roots and a meaning of “beam of light.”

23. Luciana

A drawn out, Italian version of the name Lucia, this soft and pretty moniker has the same meaning of “light.”

24. Drita

Drita (DREE-tah) is a sweet and cute Albanian name with a direct translation of “light.”

25. Dipa

Also spelled Deepa, this Indian Sanskrit name is another cute and diminutive-sounding choice that means “light” or “lamp.”

26. Fioralba

We’re getting romantic and sophisticated vibes from this classic Italian name meaning “flower of the dawn.”

Baby Boy Names That Mean Light

27. Apollo

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An imposing and decidedly badass name that means “destroyer” and belongs to the God of the Sun in Greek and Roman mythology .

28. Argus

“Glistening” and “shining” are the meanings of this Latinized version of the Greek name Argos.

29. Taner

Pronounced TAH-nesh, this unique Turkish name has a pretty cool meaning of “dawn warrior.”

30. Bhaskara

This powerful and strong-sounding name has Hindu origins and a meaning of “shining.”

31. Castor

An oil, yes, but Castor is also a masculine given name of Greek origin that means “to shine, to excel.”

32. Zhulong

Zhulong is a Chinese name that means “torch-bearing” and “shining.” Let’s just say it’s a good fit for a trailblazer.

33. Seong-Ho

This name of Korean origin has a wide variety of meanings, and “daybreak,” “stove” and “bright” are among them.

34. Elior

This Hebrew name for boys is popular in Israel and works well if you’re looking for a fresh take on Elliot. It means “my God is my light.”

35. Elnur

Another El- name, this Azerbaijani moniker has a triumphant meaning of “light of the people.”

36. Kōki

This short and quirky Japanese name has meanings that are well-suited to a newborn bundle of joy: “light,” “happiness,” “radiance” and “sunshine.”

37. Haruki

Haruki is a Japanese name that means “springtime sun” and also happens to belong to a famous fiction writer, Haruki Murakami, whose works of magical realism are much loved.

38. Krešimir

Here, a fiery Slavic name that belonged to four kings of Croatia. It means “to spark” and “to flare up.”

39. Lucius

The masculine form of Lucia—this Latin name goes way back and has the same meaning of “light.”

40. Erlantz

“To glow, shine, sparkle” is the meaning of this strong and sophisticated name of Basque origin. If you’re looking for unique names that mean light, Erlantz is an excellent choice.

41. Fulgencio

Pronounced FUL-hen-sio, this regal Spanish name has a gallant sound and a meaning of “bright” and “brilliant.”

42. Heimdall

Or Heim for short—this Scandinavian name comes straight from Norse mythology, where it belongs to the god of dawn and light.

43. Kuldeep

Kuldeep is a neat Sanskrit name with a meaning that’s just right for a cherished new addition whose prospects are bright. It means “the lamp of the family.”

44. Melchior

This ancient masculine name has Hebrew origins, a meaning of “my king is light,” and a decidedly biblical sound.

45. Nuri

This sweet and unassuming name has Hebrew origins and a tender meaning of “my light” and “my moon.”

46. Orion

Another fierce masculine name plucked from Greek mythology—Orion means “heaven’s light” and belongs to one of the brightest constellations in the sky.

47. Anwar

Here, the English version of an Arabic name meaning “luminous.”

48. Barack

Yep, our former president makes the list of names that mean light. Barack has Arabic origins and dual meanings of “blessed” and “lightning.”

49. Lambert

This humble sounding name of German origin has a vintage feel and a meaning of “light of the land.”

Gender-Neutral and Unisex Names That Mean Light

50. Ziya

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This short and zippy unisex name of Arabic and Turkish origin means “light,” “splendor” and “radiance.”

51. Blaze

This gender-neutral name of Latin origin has a meaning you probably already guessed: “fire” or “flame.”

52. Chiaki

Chiaki is a unisex Japanese moniker with a peppy sound and multiple meanings that include “bright light” and “crystal.”

53. Zohar

Zohar is a badass unisex name with Hebrew origins and a meaning of “glow” and “radiance” that matches its soft but fierce sound.

54. Win

This one-syllable Welsh moniker has meanings of “fair,” “white” and “blessed.” All of which indicate a certain luminescence, no?

55. Ori

Ori is a gender-neutral name of Hebrew origin that quite simply means “my light,” though it can also be used as a shortened version of Orion for an alternative with a more unisex feel.

56. Roshan

A soft sound but a big presence—this name of Turkish and Indian origin means “celebrated,” “illumination” and “brightness of the light.”

57. Lux

Lux is a one syllable gender-neutral name that’s derived from the Latin root word for “light.” I’m getting too-cool-for-school vibes off this one.

58. Nur

Yet another short-but-sweet option, this one syllable moniker has Arabic roots and a spot-on meaning of “light.”

59. Kōnane

If you’re looking for an adorable shortened version of this Hawaiian name meaning “glowing light,” Kona is an obvious choice.

60. Khurshid

Khurshid, sometimes spelled Khorshid, is a Persian name with a bright and beautiful meaning of “radiant sun.”

61. Lior

Short and musical, this name of Hebrew origin can stay in gender neutral territory or be adapted to the feminine form, Liora. Either way, it means “my light.”

62. Haru

“Light,” “sun” and “clear weather” are the meanings of this sweet, gender-neutral Japanese name. We’re thinking it’s a good fit for a spring baby .

63. Huang

This popular Chinese surname meaning “yellow” can also be used as a given name with a meaning of “bright, shining and luminous.”

64. Eirian

Eirian is a Welsh name with a mysterious, magical air about it and meanings of “silver,” “bright” and “luminous.”

65. Berhane

This unique gender-neutral name hails from Ethiopia and has a meaning of “my light.”

66. Ailbhe

Ailbhe is an Irish name with Old Gaelic roots and meanings of “bright,” “white” and “noble.” It’s pronounced AHL-vah.

67. Lucero

Closely related to the name Luz, this unisex Spanish name has a shared meaning of “light.”

68. Aruna

This name of Hindi, Sanskrit and Japanese origin has multiple flattering meanings, including “dawn,” “moon,” “love” and “affection.”

69. Or

Like Ori and Orli, this super short one-syllable moniker has the same Hebrew roots and a similar meaning of “light” and “brilliance.”

70. Yang

There’s Yin and then there’s Yang. Hint: the latter refers to the white side of the pair and is used as a Chinese given name meaning “ocean,” “light” and “sun.”

71. Minh

Here, a gender-neutral name of Vietnamese origin with a meaning of “brightness” that suggests a radiant personality and sharp intellect, to boot.

72. Sengphet

This Lao name has a meaning of “light” and “gem” that relates to oh-so sparkly diamonds . A fine choice for an April baby if you’re looking for a birthstone-inspired name.

73. Ming

Ming is a gender-neutral Chinese name with a multitude of meanings if written using Chinese characters, but otherwise the consensus is that it means “bright” and “clear.”

74. Amardeep

If you’ve been paying attention, you might’ve noticed a trend involving Sanskrit names that include ‘deep’ or have a similar sound to it. Yep, this one means “eternal light.”

75. Cahaya

Cahaya has Malay and Indonesian origins; though the name favors girls, it’s also used as a unisex moniker that means “radiant light.”

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