Luminous Names

Fanciful image distinguishes this Native-American name.

Rare Russian name borne by an enemy of Rasputin.

Popular in Hawaii during the first half of the 20th century.

Stella gets a cool European makeover.

An alternate name for Alhena, one of the stars in the Gemini constellation.

Metrophanes is derived from the elements meter, meaning "mother," and phanes, "appearing" or "shine." It was borne by several important bishops, most notably Metrophanes of Byzantium, who was later sanctified.

The Hawaiian word for sunflower is also used figuratively for people who gaze toward the sun, and has a nice resonance with Lion King name Nala.

A sparkling and rare option among the names that mean light.

All the femininity of Luciana, with added zing.

This unisex Hebrew name has held rather steady for boys while falling for girls in Israel.

Iridiana is related to the Greek name Iris, who in Greek mythology was the personification of the Rainbow. Iridiana is a frillier version of the name, likely to appeal to people who prefer Isabella to Isobel and Delphinia to Delphi.

With the growing popularity of Celia and Cecilia, this vintage canasta-playing nickname name could be due for a comeback.

The slightly complex spelling of this Sanskrit name belies its sweet and simple sound.

A lesser-known Welsh name with a beautiful sunny meaning.

Hesperus or Hesperos is a figure in Greek mythology who is the personification of the Evening Star or Venus, the son of the dawn goddess Eos. There's a Longfellow poem about a tragic shipping voyage called The Wreck of the Hesperus. An archaic name that with the revival of many old mythological names might just have a chance at revival.

An Edwardian coinage from the Welsh word for gold, plus the suffix -wen.

In Greek mythology, Sterope is the name of one of the seven Pleiads. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Asterope, from the same root.

This gender-neutral Indonesian name feels familiar but unique. Damar is also used among African-American parents for boys.

The feminine form of Loan — which is derived from the saintly name Elouan — gained attention in France thanks to Loana Petrucciani. She was a contestant on the reality TV show Loft Story, the French version of Big Brother.