Names That Mean Sun
Updated Sun Mar 31 2024
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Names that mean sun evoke summer, warmth, fire, and the zodiac fire signs of Aries, Sagittarius, and especially Leo, making them ideal astrology names.
Names with sun meanings might also reference the names of sun gods or goddesses of fire or the sun or other fire-related mythological figures. These include Apollo and Sunna.
Girl names that mean sun in the US Top 1000 include Eliana, Marisol, and Sunny. Boy names that mean sun in the US Top 1000 include Cyrus, Samson, and Elian.
Unique and uncommon baby names with sun meanings include Oriana, Sampson, Sunniva, and Soleil. Names that mean sun from international sources include the Spanish Helio, the Gaelic Eilidh, and the Hindi Kalinda.
All our baby names for boys and girls that mean sun are here, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
RELATED:
- Elio
Origin:
Italian, SpanishMeaning:
"sun"Description:
Elio is a sunny and spirited Italian and Spanish name that makes a great crossover prospect, which could catch on as Enzo has. Elio is also currently popular in France, ranking in the Top 250.
- Cyrus
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"sun"Description:
Cyrus is one of those surprising names that have always ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US. On an upward trend since the mid-90s, Cyrus now sits in that comfortable place between too popular and too unusual.
- Apollo
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"destroyer"Description:
With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option.
- Eliana
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"my God has answered"Description:
Eliana is a lilting, rhythmic choice, which has caught on in the US and other English-speaking countries, along with many other El-starting names.
- Soleil
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"sun"Description:
An attractive French word name known here via former child TV star Soleil Moon Frye, aka Punky Brewster. It started to be lightly used in the U.S. in the 1920s and is now attracting some attention as both a sunny nature and an international word name. It's currently in the Nameberry Top 500.
- Sol
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"sun"Description:
Although pinochle-playing partner Sam came out of retirement, we don't see it happening to Sol. Near soundalike Saul has more of a shot.
- Cyra
Origin:
Persian or GreekMeaning:
"sun or throne, or lord"Description:
Cyra is an unusual name that can be pronounced either SEER-a or SI-ra, rhyming with Keira or Tyra. This name may be a feminine variation of Cyrus but is also a Persian name that stands on its own. One noted bearer is writer Cyra McFadden.
- Sunny
Origin:
English nicknameDescription:
Upbeat nickname-name that can't help but make you smile. You might want to use it as a short form for a more "serious" name such as Sunniva, but Sunny is undeniably, well, sunny.
- Idalia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"behold the sun"Description:
A pretty, if unusual choice for a summer baby, particularly a girl with an ancestor named Ida. An epithet of the goddess Aphrodite, Idalia is derived from the Greek place name Idalion.
- Solana
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"sunshine"Description:
A bright and warm possibility for a summertime girl, Solana has been heard in a few video games. Solana Rowe is the real name of the singer known as SZA.
- Oriana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dawn"Description:
Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice if you're searching for names that mean new beginnings or dawn.
- Marisol
Origin:
Spanish, contracted form of Maria de la SoledadMeaning:
"Mary of Solitude"Description:
Marisol is a favorite Spanish name for girls, and an excellent candidate to cross the culture line, a la Soledad and Paz.
- Samson
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"sun"Description:
With the prevailing popularity of Samuel, some parents are considering this more (literally) powerful biblical name, which shares the desirable nickname of Sam.
- Sunday
Origin:
Day name, English from LatinMeaning:
"day of the Sun"Description:
Sunday is among the most usable of the day names, with its sunny opening syllable, initially made famous when Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban chose it for their daughter. Although it had been widely written that Kidman and Urban named their baby after art patron Sunday Reed, Kidman was quoted saying that was a myth, they just liked the name.
- Solaris
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"of the Sun"Description:
A surprisingly modern word name, only recorded since the 20th century, Solaris is also the title of a 1961 science fiction novel by Polish author Stanisław Lem, which has been adapted for the big screen several times. An unexpected route to cool-guy nickname Sol.
- Elian
Origin:
Dutch variation of ElijahDescription:
This variation has the popular Eli (or for femalies Elli) prefix and nickname. Elian ranks in the Top 20 in Puerto Rico.
- Ravi
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"conferring"Description:
A title of the Hindu sun god, made cross-culturally famous by sitar player Ravi Shankar.
- Sunniva
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"sun gift"Description:
Sunniva was an Irish-born saint who fled to Norway, where she hid in an island cave with her followers and eventually died. After miracles were reported on the island, the cave was excavated and Sunniva's intact body was found. Sunniva is the patron saint of Western Norway. Her name would make a fascinating and unusual choice for a modern baby girl, and if her story is a bit grim, you can take refuge in the upbeat nickname Sunny or Sunni.
- Apollonia
Origin:
Greek, Feminine variation of Apollo, Greek sun god.Description:
This name of a third-century Christian martyr has an romantic, appealing feel in the modern world. It first came to American attention via Prince's love interest in the film Purple Rain.
- Aelia
Origin:
RomanMeaning:
"sun"Description:
This little-known Ancient Roman name might make a fresh spin on the popular Ella, Ayla, Isla contingent. The "ae" is pronounced "ee" (think Aesop's fables).The Annals of Aeliana is a children's fantasy series by Ryan Watters. The meaning is thought to derive from the Greek helios, or sun.