18 Radiant Baby Names That Mean 'Light'

Your baby is the light of your life, so why not choose a name that reflects it? Opting for a baby name that means "light" attaches a feeling of positivity, brightness, and good fortune to your child—and this can become an unmistakable part of their identity.

Throughout history, parents worldwide have given their children names with this illuminating meaning. These monikers range from classics like Robin and Lucy to more uncommon names like Oran and Valo.

Looking for more inspiration? Keep reading while we shine the spotlight on 18 radiant and bright baby names that mean "light."

Baby Girl Names That Mean Light

Across different cultures and languages, you'll find many baby names meaning "light". We rounded up a few shining options for girls.

Clara

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Bright, clear
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Claire, Clare, Clarissa, Clarina, Clarabelle
• Famous Namesakes: Silent film actress Clara Bow, Red Cross founder Clara Barton, and main character of The Nutcracker Clara Stahlbaum
• Peak Popularity: Clara is a classic girls’ name that peaked in the 1880s, when it was a top 10 girl name. Since then, it’s remained among the top 1000 girl names in the U.S. Its popularity has increased since the turn of this century, and it’s now holding steady around number 100.
• Fun Fact: Actor Ewan McGregor and musician Flea both have daughters named Clara.
  

Lucy

• Origin: English, Latin
• Meaning: Light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lucie, Lucia, Lucille
• Famous Namesakes: Actress Lucy Liu, actress Lucille Ball, Peanuts character Lucy van Pelt
• Peak Popularity: Lucy has always been a popular pick for girls in the U.S., particularly in the last decade. These days, more than 4000 girls each year are named Lucy.
• Fun Fact: According to John Lennon, the Beatles’ hit “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was based on an imaginative drawing his son had done in school. That song, in turn, inspired the naming of one of the earliest humanoid fossils discovered.

Helena

• Origin: Greek, Latin
• Meaning: Shining light, torch
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Helen
• Famous Namesakes: Actress Helena Bonham Carter and Danish model Helena Christensen
• Peak Popularity: Helena saw a very gradual descent in popularity between 1880 and 1990, nearly falling out of the top 1000 names in the U.S. in 1989. It had a resurgence as a popular name in the early 1990s, and has dipped into the top 500 girl names in the U.S. a few times since 2014.

Nora

• Origin: Irish, Greek, Hungarian
• Meaning: Light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Norah, Nóra
  
• Famous Namesakes: Writer Nora Ephron, musician Norah Jones
• Peak Popularity: Nora has enjoyed consistent popularity in the U.S. and Europe for well over a century. It peaked in the past decade, ranking among the top 50 girl names in the U.S.
• Fun Fact: The name Nora has two origin stories. From Hungary, Nora is a shortened form of Eleonora. However, the Irish/Anglo-Norman version derives from Honora, which comes from the Latin word honor. 

Elaine

• Origin: French, Scottish
• Meaning: Bright, shining light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Elaina, Elena
• Famous Namesakes: Seinfeld character Elaine Marie Benes
• Peak Popularity: Elaine became a top 100 girl name in the U.S. in the 1920s, where it remained for nearly 40 years. After a long slump, it’s seen a slow growth in popularity since 2010.
• Fun Fact: Elaine is a homophone for the French name Helene, which derives from the Greek name Helen.
  

Solana

• Origin: Spanish
• Meaning: Sunshine
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Salana
• Famous Namesakes: Singer Solana Rowe (SZA)
• Peak Popularity: This Spanish baby name has been ranked among the 1000 most popular names in the U.S. since 2023.
• Fun Fact: Solana is the name of characters in the video games Pokémon Ranger and Mass Effect.
  

Noor

• Origin: Arabic
• Meaning: Light
• Famous Namesakes: Queen Noor of Jordan
• Peak Popularity: Popular among Muslim parents, this Arabic name appeared in the U.S. top 1000 list for the first time in 2015.
  

Phoebe

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Radiant, shining one
• Famous Namesakes: Actress Phoebe Cates, Friends character Phoebe Buffay, mythological Greek titaness Phoebe
• Peak Popularity: Phoebe has seen a marked increase in popularity in the U.S. since the 1990s, and now consistently ranks among the top 300 girl names.

Baby Boy Names That Mean Light

Although many of these picks have faded out of the limelight, these classic baby names that mean "light" are a great choice for any boy.

Lucian

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lucius, Lucien (French), Luciano (Italian)
• Famous Namesakes: Saint Lucian, Greek satirist Lucian of Samosata, painter Lucian Freud
• Peak Popularity: The popularity of Lucian peaked in the 1880s, seeing a steady decline until the 1940s. Since then, it’s seen a slow upward trend, and now the name ranks among the top 600 boy names in the U.S.

Rupert

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Bright fame
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Robert
• Famous Namesakes: Actor Rupert Grint, actor Rupert Everett, media mogul Robert Murdoch
• Peak Popularity: Though popular in Britain, Rupert hasn’t ranked highly in the U.S. since the 1950s.

Uri

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: My flame, my light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Uriel, Uriah, Ori
• Famous Namesakes: Paranormalist Uri Geller, children's book writer and illustrator Uri Shulevitz
• Peak Popularity: Ranked among the top 10 boys names in Israel, Uri has hovered in the top 1000 list of U.S. boy names since 2017.
• Fun Fact: A popular moniker in Israel, Uri is a Hebrew name that's symbolic for boys born on Hanukkah. 

Oran

• Origin: Hebrew, Irish, Scottish
• Meaning: Light, song, little green one
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Odhrán
• Famous Namesakes: Saint Oran of Iona
• Peak Popularity: Consistently a popular name for boys in Ireland and Scotland, Oran held steady in the top 1000 list in the U.S. for nearly half a century before declining in 1949.

Reyansh

• Origin: Hindi
• Meaning: Ray of light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Rey
• Famous Namesakes: Alternate name for the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu
• Peak Popularity: One of the faster-growing names for boys in the 2010s, Reyansh entered the U.S. top 1000 list in 2014 and remained there until 2019.

Albus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: White, bright
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Albert
• Famous Namesakes: Harry Potter character Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster at Hogwarts
• Peak Popularity: Albus has not entered the U.S. top 1000 list.
• Fun Fact: In the Harry Potter series, Harry names his second child, Albus, in honor of Albus Dumbledore.

Gender-Neutral Baby Names That Mean Light

Light has no gender, and your baby's name doesn't have to either!

Robin

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Bright fame
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Robert, Robbie, Robyn
• Famous Namesakes: Actor Robin William, actress Robin Wright, singer Robin Alan Thicke, singer Robyn, folk hero Robin Hood, Batman’s sidekick Robin
• Peak Popularity: A top 100 boy name in France, Robin entered the top 1000 U.S. boys names in 1926 and peaked in the top 150 in the early to mid-1950's. Today it hovers around the lower end of the top 1000 rankings.
• Fun Fact: Although considered a gender neutral name at first, it gradually became more popular for girls. Robin peaked higher as a girl's name holding in the top 100 from 1953 to 1979. Today it’s used equally for both sexes.

Ming

• Origin: Chinese
• Meaning: Shining bright
• Famous Namesakes: Basketball player Yao Ming
• Peak Popularity: Though it’s a common unisex name in China, Japan, and Korea, Ming has yet to crack the top 1000 list in the U.S.
• Fun Fact: The Ming Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that lasted from 1368 to 1644.

Valo

• Origin: Finnish
• Meaning: Light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Valen, Valens, Valentinus
• Famous Namesakes: Singer Ville Valo
• Peak Popularity: A common name in Finland, Valo has yet to find traction in the U.S. — ideal if you’re seeking a short baby name that means light.

Kiran

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: Ray of light, sunbeam
• Famous Namesakes: Author Kiran Desai, soccer player Kiran Chemjong, news anchor Kiran Chetry 
• Peak Popularity: A popular baby name in India, Nepal, and Pakistan, Kiran has yet to break into the top 1000 names in the U.S.

Tips for Naming Your Child

Searching for the perfect baby name that means "light" is only one step of the process. A name follows someone for life, so it's important to choose a name that fits well and can stand the test of time. Here are some tips.

• If you opt for a name from another language or culture, consider your own connection to it and whether picking that name makes sense for your family.
• Some parents avoid overly trendy names that may make it difficult for your child to feel unique in the future. Others prefer popular monikers. The choice is yours!
• Don’t forget the little details that could cause your child problems as they get older—like unfortunate nicknames that could arise from the name, or awkward initials (because no one wants to be a R.A.T., right?).
• Give yourself some time to get used to the name. Practice saying it, and make sure it rolls off your tongue naturally. It’s a name you'll be saying for the rest of your life!