Names That Mean Light

A handsome Portuguese name derived from the old Germanic saint's name Audamar or Otmar. Especially common in Brazil.

Spiritual author Deepak Chopra made this familiar, if not particularly accessible, outside the Indian community.

Javiera, pronounced ha-vee-AIR-a, is not as well used as twin brother JAVIER, but makes an attractive Latina choice.

One of the rarest Bert names, Engelbert has been used at least since the time of Charlemagne and is the name of several saints. But mostly, it's impossible not to associate it with Engelbert Humperdinck, both the German composer and the British pop singer (born Arnold Dorsey) who borrowed his name.

Also appearing as Alyonushka and Alinoshka, Alionushka is a Russian diminutive of Alyona, itself a diminutive (though used as a given name). Ultimately, the name comes from the classic Helen and shares its bright meaning.

A radiant Slavic name with an easily accessible sound. While it is reminiscent of the more familiar Svetlana, Svetla actually originates from the Bulgarian word svetal, meaning bright.

A li'l hell-raiser name in the Ryder-Rogue-Rebel vein.

Deriving from the Greek word phos meaning "light", Photine is a rare choice with a Biblical link. The name of the Samaritan woman in "Jesus and the Woman at the Well" (John 4), Photine is associated with Jesus's mercy and love, and with spreading the word of God.

Evocative African choice.

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 where the obvious tease will be "daggy Dag."

This shining name of Arabic origin has familiar sounds and an appealing meaning. It shares the same roots as the name Zahra. Cricketer Azhar Ali is a notable bearer, while Azhar was a 2016 sports film inspired by cricketer and captain Mohammad Azharuddin.

The viv syllable adds vitality.

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.

A zippy name of Sanskrit origin, Cahya is a unisex name used in Indonesia, particularly on the Island of Java. Derived from the element chāyā meaning "light, reflection, shadow", in Indonesian, it usually interpreted as meaning "light". Alternative forms include Cahaya, Cahyo, Cahyani, and Cahyono.

Strongly identified with peace-accord-seeking Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat.

Positive meaning -- and a choice of spelling variations.

Problematic, even if not for Dilbert.

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 was a king of the Merovingian dynasty in the seventh century.

Gwenno originated as a diminutive of Gwenllian, Gwynhwyfar or Gwendolen, but it is increasingly being bestowed as a full name, with between 10 and 20 births a year in England & Wales. Musician Gwenno (full name Gwenno Mererid Saunders) is a famous bearer.