Names That Mean Light

A sunny, gentle sounding name used throughout India, Rashmi is a unisex option, though it is used more often as a feminine choice. A notable bearer is cricketer Rashmi Parida.

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

One of the more familiar Hindu choices, with built-in depth and a suggestion of enlightenment.

That difficult Ur- sound cancels out the feminine appeal of the rest of the name.

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.

Positive meaning -- and a choice of spelling variations.

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 Netherlands. The name is said somewhere between "plone" (rhyming with phone) and "ploon" (rhyming with moon), but it may be worth listening to it if you're unfamiliar.

As well as Japanese physicist Hideki Yukawa, two Yankees ballplayers, Hideki Irabu and Hideki Matsui, made this name familiar to Americans.

All varieties of Hob are antiquated nicknames for Robert, though this one has the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon association too. It may also be linked to philosopher Thomas Hobbes, giving it a more refined feel.

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

Unfashionable surname, best left in the forest with Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

No guarantee of a fellowship.

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.

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

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.

Neriah is a biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah as the father of Baruch and Seraiah ben Neriah. According to the Talmud, Neriah and his sons are all prophets. The name is traditionally associated with Hanukkah, the festival of lights.

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.

Certainly qualities desired for our sons.

A feminized form of Melchior, the name of one of the Biblical Magi (or Three Wise Men) and therefore associated with Christmas.

A simple name with a bright and shining mean, Shama is a Hindi name, ultimately derived from the Arabic sham meaning "candle". It coincides with a Hebrew masculine name that appears in the Bible.