Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Light
Across 12 pages
of 12
Deva
Hindi
"divine, shining one"
If you don't want your daughter to be a Diva, try this Hindu moon goddess name that was chosen by actress Monica Bellucci for hers.
Berthold
German
"bright strength"
One bright spot: famous namesake Threepenny Opera playwright Berthold (later known as Bertolt) Brecht.
Deepak
Sanskrit
"lamp, light"
Spiritual author Deepak Chopra made this familiar, if not particularly accessible, outside the Indian community.
Dag
Scandinavian
"daylight"
Norse god who's the son of light plus historic diplomat Dag Hammarskjöld and author Dag Solstad combine to boost this Nordic name's appeal, but this could be difficult in English-speaking countries…
Beacon
English word name
"signal light"
A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning.
Laina
Short form of Elaine, French and Scottish
"bright, shining light"
Laina owes is popularity not to mother name Elaine but to the much-more-popular Lainey, a fixture in the US Top 100 and still rising. Laina was used for about 100 baby girls last year. Laina, Lainey,…
Barack
Hebrew; also Swahili from Arabic
"thunderbolt, lightning; or blessing"
The name of the 44th president, which he inherited from his Kenyan father, is related to the Swahili word "baraka," meaning "blessing," derived from the Arabic "baracka." It is linked, through the…
Albus
Latin
"white, bright."
The ancient name Albus has modern currency as the first name of the headmaster of Harry Potter 's Hogwarts, more formally known as Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Can Albus work if…
Clarimond
French
"Light of the World"
Clarimond is related to the Occitan name Esclarmonde, and is probably the more wearable of the two variations. Seventeenth century French novelist Nicolas des Escuteaux used the name for the…
Dai
Welsh; Japanese
"beloved; great"
A cross-cultural name that can be a nickname for David, as is common in Wales, pronounced "dye".
Merrill
English
"sea-bright; pleasant hill"
Merrill, once fairly common for American boys back in the first half of the 20th-century, is now a rare choice, given to just 7 girls and 6 boys in a recent year. Alternative spelling Meryl is also…
Dagur
Norse mythological name
"day"
Dagur, one of the top boys' names in Iceland, is the personification of day. His mother is Nott, or night, and together they are thought to ride in a chariot around the earth every 24 hours.
Azenor
Breton form of Elinor or Helen
"light"
One way to spin grandma Helen or Ellen's name off the beaten track. The legendary Azenor was a tragic 6th century Breton princess who was mother to a saint. This personage also may be known as Senara.
Pleun
Dutch
"of the sun god"
Pleun is a unisex Dutch name deriving from Apollonius or Apollonia, although now it ranks far higher for girls in its native land than the original form. In 2024, it ranked in the Top 140 in The…
Khorshid
Persian
"radiant sun"
Khorshid, also found as Khurshid and Khursheed, is the Persian word for sun and a name used for both girls and boys. The name of a place in Iran, Khorshid is the title of an Iranian film about street…
Ming
Chinese
"shining bright"
A common Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean unisex name, and the name of a culturally rich Chinese Dynastic period. Yao Ming is the seven and a half foot Shanghai-born basketball star. Trivia tidbit: His…
Mashal
Arabic
"torch"
An elegant and fluid Arabic name that casts a brilliant light. Mashal is most commonly used among Muslim families in countries such as Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, but has hopped in and…
Nahir
Hebrew
"clear, bright"
Positive meaning -- and a choice of spelling variations.
Leocadia
Spanish
"splendid brightness"
Leocadia marries a mix of sounds: the strength of a lion, with a rhythmic Latin ending. St. Leocadia was an early martyred Spanish saint, and "La Leocadia" is a famous Goya painting of Leocadia…
Dagobert
German
"bright day"
Almost unheard of in recent years, Dagobert has some connections to the French diaspora. Pere Dagobert was an eighteenth century Capuchin monk who immigrated to New Orleans from Quebec. Dagobert I…