Names That Mean Light

  1. Dark
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "without light"
    • Description:

      Grimes and Elon Musk put this name on the map in 2022, when they revealed their daughter's name was Exa Dark Sideræl. Until that point, Dark had not been recorded as a given name, although it resembles more established names such as Mark and Lark.
  2. Norrie
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      Old-fashioned nickname for Nora, Honora, Eleanor, Noreen... or any name with that "nor" sound.
  3. Fana
    • Origin:

      African
    • Meaning:

      "light or jungle"
    • Description:

      Simple, delicate, and unusual.
  4. Lukan
    • Origin:

      Croatian, German, Polish and Russian variation of Lucanus, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      An attractive and rare alternative to Luke and Luca. Lucan is the Irish variation.
  5. Lohan
    • Origin:

      Irish surname, or variation of Elouan, Breton and French
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Leochán; light"
    • Description:

      Americans may consider Lohan a surname name forever tied to Lindsay but in France, it's a modern variation of the Breton saint's name Elouan.
  6. Laynee
    • Origin:

      Variation of Laney, English
    • Meaning:

      "bright, shining light"
    • Description:

      A modern spelling of a vintage nickname.
  7. Fairlight
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful light"
    • Description:

      A rare but historic English name bestowed upon girls in the 19th century. Fairlight seems to have been particularly popular among baby girls in the Appalachian region of the US. It appeared as a character name in Catherine Mashall's 1967 novel Christy, which was turned into a TV show in 1994.
  8. Nuriel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "light or fire of God"
    • Description:

      The name of an angel in the Zohar, Nuriel is related to the Arabic name Nur.
  9. Nahara
    • Origin:

      Aramaic and Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      Beguiling cousin of Sahara.
  10. Aylee
    • Origin:

      Scottish, English
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      Phonetic anglicisation of the popular Scottish name Eilidh, a relative of Eleanor or Helen.
  11. Luma
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      A warm and simple alternative to Luna, derived from Latin lumen "light".
  12. Lleucu
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "dear light"
    • Description:

      Lleucu is often considered the Welsh equivalent of Lucy, as it shares the same meaning of "light", and a similar sound. (Lwsi and Liwsi are the phonetic Welsh spellings of Lucy.) It's a statement choice even within Wales, and the spelling/pronunciation would make it extremely bold in other countries.
  13. Leor
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "I have a light"
    • Description:

      Spelling variation of Lior.
  14. Lesedi
    • Origin:

      Tswana
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      A sparkling and rare option among the names that mean light.
  15. Apollon
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "strength or father light"
    • Description:

      Greek and French form of Apollo, son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis in Greek mythology. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom, also associated with the sun and light.
  16. Uriela
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God's light"
    • Description:

      That difficult Ur- sound cancels out the feminine appeal of the rest of the name.
  17. Meir
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "bringer of light"
    • Description:

      The original form of the Hebrew Meyer.
  18. Mayer
    • Origin:

      German surname or Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "landlord, farmer; bringer of light"
    • Description:

      More common -- when it was common -- with the Meyer spelling.
  19. Argider
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful light"
    • Description:

      Argider is a somewhat used boys' name in Basque-speaking parts of Spain.
  20. Esclarmonde
    • Origin:

      Occitan
    • Meaning:

      "Light of the World"
    • Description:

      Esclarmonde de Foix was an Occitan countess and an important figure in Catharism, a medieval Christian movement, which allowed women and men to both hold church offices. Her tale inspired an opera by the same name by Jules Massenet; the name is also featured in Kate Mosse's bestselling novel Labyrinth.