Names That Mean Light

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.

More modern than Helen or Helena, and an interesting alternative to Hayley and Hallie. By coincidence, heli also means "saltwater" in Welsh.

Musical and poetic in sound, Sarangerel has the appealing and mystical meaning of "moonlight". Writer and shaman Sarangerel Odigan is a notable bearer.

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

An elaboration of the popular Nur, Nuran is a name that suggests the bearer is comparable to light. Traditionally a feminine name, Nuran might also be used as a masculine name and it ranked in the Azerbaijan Top 100 for boys between 2015 and 2021.

Latona is the Roman equivalent of Leto, the Greek goddess of light. These days Leto feels more modern for a baby girl, but Latona retains its appeal.

Would undoubtedly be confused with the geographical Syria.

Argider is a somewhat used boys' name in Basque-speaking parts of Spain.

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.

Worldly and evocative.

An understandably popular compound name in Indonesia, Nurhayati combines the Arabic Nur meaning "light" with the Indonesian and Malay Hayati meaning "my life". Together, they make for a beautiful name with the poetic meaning of "light of my life" or more simply, "light my life". Nurhayat and Nurhəyat are the Turkish and Azerbaijani forms of the name, while Norhayati and Noorhayati might be alternative spellings.

The viv syllable adds vitality.

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 out of the US charts since 1990. At peak usage, Mashal was given to 12 American baby girls in 1995.

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

Khorshid, also found as Khurshid, is the Persian word for sun and is also the name of a place in Iran. The name is found mostly in Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan and can be used for both boys and girls. Khorshid, anglicized as Sun Children, was the title of an Iranian film about street children. Khorshid Khanom, or Sun Lady, was an ancient fertility and water goddess.

Deriving from the Greek word phos meaning "light", Photina is a variation of Photine, 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.

One bright spot: famous namesake Threepenny Opera playwright Berthold (later known as Bertolt) Brecht.

Lovely name that's been overshadowed by sister ZAHARA, which was chosen by Brad and Angelina for their oldest daughter.