Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Light
Across 12 pages
of 12
Oran
Hebrew, Irish, Scottish
"light, song, little green one"
A calm and gentle multicultural choice. Oran is popular in Ireland, where its Gaelic form is Odhrán, meaning "little green one". In Scottish Gaelic, the name means "song", and in Hebrew, it's a…
Ori
Hebrew
"my light"
Friendly but substantial.
Orit
Hebrew
"light"
A bit blunt.
Orli
Hebrew
"light"
Cute, nickname-y, and international, à la Romy or Demi. Spelling it Orly turns it into a busy French airport.
Pradeep
Hindi
"light, lantern"
One of the more familiar Hindu choices, with built-in depth and a suggestion of enlightenment.
Phaedra
Greek
"bright"
This name of a tragic figure in Greek mythology, the daughter of King Minos, sister of Ariadne and wife of Theseus, has a mysterious and intriguing appeal, and would make a dramatic choice. Phaedra…
Roberta
Feminine variation of Robert, English from German
"bright fame"
Roberta has been one of the most successful feminization names, up at #64 in 1936. It's a name that's found all over children's lit, often nicknamed Bobbie or Robbie, though Bertie is another…
Rupert
German variation of Robert
"bright fame"
Rupert is a charming-yet-manly name long more popular in Britain (where it's attached to a beloved cartoon bear) than in the U.S. Yet we can see Rupert as a more stylish, modern way to honor an…
Senna
Botanical name; Arabic
"brightness"
Senna is a flowering bush common in the tropics, with bright yellow flowers. In herbal medicine, Senna has gained some notice as the active ingredient in so-called "dieter's teas," which works mainly…
Sherwood
English
"bright forest"
Unfashionable surname, best left in the forest with Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
Shirley
English
"bright meadow"
Shirley Temple almost single-handedly lifted the gloom of the Great Depression, and in tribute (and perhaps wishing for a similarly curly-headed, dimpled darling of their own), thousands of parents…
Siria
Spanish from Persian
"sun-bright, glowing"
Would undoubtedly be confused with the geographical Syria.
Sorcha
Irish
"bright, shining"
A popular Irish name virtually unknown here, but one that feels like it could follow in the footsteps of Siobhan and Saoirse. It's pronounced SOR-ka, but with a little hiccup between the ' r ' and…
Thanh
Vietnamese
"bright blue; brilliant"
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.
Yelena
Russian variation of Helen
"bright, shining one"
One of many international versions of this classic.
Yu
Chinese
"universe"
Yu the Great founded China's first dynasty and the name went on to become one of the most popular boy names in its native country during the 2000s. In more recent years, it has been used as an…
Reyansh
Hindi
"ray of light"
This unusual Indian name, which refers to one of the names of Lord Vishnu, has been one of the fastest-growing boys' names of the last decade. It first managed to climb into the US Top 1000 in 2014.…
Roshan
Persian
"light, bright"
The name of the sweet human baby in the film Ice Age , Roshan is a handsome Persian name that is the origin of the female name Roxanne, via its feminine form Roshanak.
Sanaa
Swahili; Arabic
"work of art; shining light"
Simple-yet-unusual name with a creative meaning. Actress Sanaa Lathan promoted it, and it was on the U.S. popularity list from 2003 to 2011. Shaquille O'Neal used it as the middle name of his…
Senara
Variation of Azenor, Breton
"light"
The origins of Senara, the name of a Cornish saint who is patron of the village of Zennor, are not so straightforward. Some say she was the same person as Azenor, a legendary Breton princess whose…