Names That Mean Sun

The graceful Indian Suria or Surya may remind Americans more of little Miss Suri Cruise than of the pantheon of Hindi gods and goddesses.

An epithet of the sun and the Hindu god Shiva, also borne by a 12th century Indian astronomer. Bhaskar, a common Indian surname, is related.

Sunny Italian surname name for a little girl. Solari was the name of a character on Xena: Warrior Princess.

Kalindi is a lovely, rhythmic name refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.

Has a nice fresh, early morning meaning, but not the most mellifluous of sounds. Also spelled Arpineh.

Sunna was a mythological goddess of the sun. As a mythology name that easily translated into English yet is unique and uplifting, Sunna feels like an all-around winner.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday). Kwasi is the name for boys born on a Sunday. (The name for girls born on a Sunday is Akosua).

A traditional possibility for a Japanese or Japanese-American child born in April or May.

Strong and rhythmic Italian form of Samson

Since it's also Spanish for "nothing," this name wouldn't be great for a girl's self-esteem.

There's no shortage of quirky ways to get to hip nickname Oz -- Ozias, Osborne, Ozymandias -- but this one may appeal to parents looking for a full name with some religious significance. It was originally a name for Palm Sunday, which came from the Latin word for "hosanna."

Would undoubtedly be confused with the geographical Syria.

Solana has been trending up the Nameberry popularity charts, perhaps thanks to a legion of SZA fans. And it's poised to enter the US Top 1000 too, given to over 225 baby girls last year.

This name is very wearable in English-speaking countries and has a lovely meaning.

Midcentury macramé-maker.