Names That Mean Light

Argider is a somewhat used boys' name in Basque-speaking parts of Spain.

Strongly identified with peace-accord-seeking Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat.

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.

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

Evocative African choice.

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.

The usual form of Eleonara is Eleanora, with each syllable pronounced, but transposing, adding, or subtracting a vowel or syllable here or there works fine and adds to the international, feminine spin on a solid name.

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

Spiritual author Deepak Chopra made this familiar, if not particularly accessible, outside the Indian community.

One step up from Irwin, and that's not nearly enough.

Claribel improves on its mother name Clarabelle by distancing itself from the clown and the cow.

Too close to yenta.

This name may mean light but is likely to be heavy to wear outside of Spain.

Certainly qualities desired for our sons.

Almost unheard of in recent years, Dagobert has some connections to the French diaspora. Pere Dagobert was an eighteenth century Capuchin monk who immigrated to New Orleans from Quebec. Dagobert I was a king of the Merovingian dynasty in the seventh century.

Evocative of hulas, leis, and luaus.

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

Would undoubtedly be confused with the geographical Syria.