Names That Mean Light
Across 10 pages
of 10
Nelly
Variation of Nellie and Nell
"light"
Nelly or Nellie is an adorable nickname name that can be short for a wide range of more formal appellations or that can stand on its own, and is typical of the vintage nickname genre that is growing…
Lleucu
Welsh
"dear light"
Lleucu is often considered the Welsh equivalent of Lucy, as it shares the same meaning of "light", and a similar sound. (Lwsi and Liwsi are the phonetic Welsh spellings of Lucy.) It's a statement…
Noor
Arabic
"light"
More commonly seen as a girl name, where it has roots in both Arabic and Dutch. The masculine variation of Noor is Arabic and used in Islamic communities.
Nuriel
Hebrew
"light or fire of God"
The name of an angel in the Zohar, Nuriel is related to the Arabic name Nur.
Hélène
French
"shining light, torch"
The French form of Helen, Hélène was hugely popular in France throughout the 20th-century, though recent years have seen it decline in popularity, leaving it towards the latter end of the Top 500.…
Lux
Latin
"light"
Lux, one of the light-filled names that include Lucy and Lucian, broke onto the scene as a girls' name but now it's decidedly gender neutral. In fact, at the last count there were slightly more boys…
Yitty
Diminutive of Yetta, Yiddish
"light"
One of those cute Yiddish nicknames that feel charmingly vintage when borne by young Jewish girls today. These names, such as Gitty and Malkie and Faigy, are typically reserved for the most religious…
Dark
English word name
"without light"
Grimes and Elon Musk put this name on the map in 2022, when they revealed their daughter's name was Exa Dark Sideræl. Until that point, Dark had not been recorded as a given name, although it…
Maor
Hebrew
"a light"
A little-known Hebrew name which ranks in the Top 100 in Israel.
Lucetta
English elaboration of Lucia or Lucy
"light"
Lace-hankie name with Shakespearean pedigree.
Fairylight
English
"light of the fairies"
Calls to mind the twinkling strands of bulbs found during the winter holidays and in college dorm rooms.
Melchior
Dutch from Hebrew
"city of the king; king of light"
The least used of the Three Wise Men's names, but a strong option for bold namers to consider. The exact origins of Melchior are unknown, but it is speculated that it derived from either the Hebrew…
Day
English word name
"the time of light between one night and the next"
Many African tribes have a tradition of naming children for the day or time they were born -- Friday, Afternoon -- a practice finding new life in the Western world as word names become more popular.
Maryellen
English, combination of Mary and Ellen
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + shining light"
A gentle old-fashioned compound name that has never been epidemically popular, but is now almost unused. The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots…
Makaveli
American variation of Machiavelli, Italian
"bad nail; king of light"
Makaveli was an alias of Tupac Shakur — his posthumous album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory , was released under the pseudonym. The album was released in 1996, following his death, and the…
Norrie
English
"light"
Old-fashioned nickname for Nora, Honora, Eleanor, Noreen... or any name with that "nor" sound.
Elouan
Breton and French
"light"
This beautiful Breton saint's name peaked at #127 in France in 2006. It's still in the Top 500 there today, but remains almost unknown outside of France.
Alpenglow
German, “the rosy light of the setting or rising sun on high mountains”
Jyoti
Sanskrit
"light"
The slightly complex spelling of this Sanskrit name belies its sweet and simple sound.
Aliona
Russian
"bright shining light"
A light and lovely Russian diminutive of Yelena (Helena), now used in its own right in Russia. Also spelt Alyona.