Now on iOS & AndroidSwipe baby names with your partner — match on names you both love.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Nameberry Logo

Names That Mean Brilliant

  1. Wilbur
    • Origin:

      English, German
    • Meaning:

      "wild boar"
    • Description:

      Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last truly popular more than a century ago. A recent year saw it given to 42 boys.
  2. Phoebus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "shining, brilliant"
    • Description:

      One of the names of the sun god Apollo, this is better known in its feminine form, Phoebe. Rarely used as a given name, perhaps owing to the clunky end sound, it might work as a unique alternative to Phoenix, Felix, or Phineas.
  3. Thanh
    • Origin:

      Vietnamese
    • Meaning:

      "bright blue; brilliant"
    • Description:

      A common Vietnamese name heard evenly for boys and girls in the U.S. Sounds like tahn or tong, depending on what part of Vietnam you come from.
  4. Eibhlin
    • Origin:

      Irish form of Aveline and Evelyn, German
    • Meaning:

      "desired; or water, island"
    • Description:

      The Irish Gaelic form of Evelyn or Aveline, this name is more authentically spelled Eibhlín. It appears in the title of a love song by 17th century composer Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh, called Eibhlín a Rún.
  5. Lambert
    • Origin:

      French and German
    • Meaning:

      "land brilliant"
    • Description:

      Ancient saint's name used for cowardly cartoon lion.
  6. Zelmira
    • Origin:

      Neapolitan blend of Arabic, Slavic, Latin influences. "brilliant one; one who wish for peace"
    • Meaning:

      "brilliant one; one who wish for peace"
    • Description:

      This name belongs to the eponymous heroine of Rossini's opera Zelmira (1822) about a (fictional) princess of Lesbos who saves her father and husband and her kingdom.
  7. Cuthbert
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "famous, brilliant"
    • Description:

      Years ago we might have said that this name was unthinkable, but with clunky, old-fashioned names being so popular right now — consider Augustus, Stanley, Wilfred, etc — what's to stop Cuthbert from becoming more wearable? Bertie is a cute (and very fashionable) nickname option for this grand old name, though Curt and Kit might work too.
  8. Sana
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "mountaintop, splendid, brilliant"
    • Description:

      One of the most easily imported Arabic names.
  9. Heller
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "bright, brilliant"
    • Description:

      A li'l hell-raiser name in the Ryder-Rogue-Rebel vein.
  10. Filbert
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "very brilliant"
    • Description:

      Like Norbert and Hubert, feels terminally dated -- in addition to which it's a nut.
  11. Feivel
    • Origin:

      Yiddish
    • Meaning:

      "brilliant one"
    • Description:

      This comes from Faivish, the Yiddish form of Phoebus, the Greek sun god...and it's also the little mouse in "An American Tail."
  12. Cuddy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Cuthbert
    • Meaning:

      "famous, brilliant"
    • Description:

      Cuthbert is unlikely to make a comeback anytime soon, so Cuddy too may be lost to history.
  13. Vasu
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "excellent, brilliant"
    • Description:

      An Indian boy name with an appealing meaning.
  14. Osbert
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "divinely brilliant"
    • Description:

      Some cutting-edge parents might revive Osbert as a substitute for Oscar. We like the "divinely brilliant" meaning. Cool or terminally nerdy? Your call.
  15. Alohi
    • Origin:

      Hawaiian
    • Meaning:

      "shining, brilliant"
    • Description:

      Just one letter separates Alohi from the famous Hawaiian greeting "aloha," but that one letter makes all the difference.
  16. Zahi
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful, brilliant"
    • Description:

      A short and bright Arabic name with that zippy Z initial.
  17. Thanh
    • Origin:

      Vietnamese
    • Meaning:

      "bright blue; brilliant"
    • Description:

      A common Vietnamese name heard for both boys and girls in the U.S.
  18. Fulgencio
    • Origin:

      Spanish, variation of Fulgentius
    • Meaning:

      "shining, brilliant"
    • Description:

      A male Spanish given name derived from the Latin name Fulgentius.
  19. Bahira
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "dazzling, brilliant"
    • Description:

      A pretty Arabic possibility which would work well in many languages.

The Nameberry App Is Live

Nameberry app screenshot
Find your perfect baby name together in our app, now available on the App Store and Google Play.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Nameberry app screenshot