Bringing a new baby into the world is a source of light and hope for all parents, and below we have complied a list of baby names for boys and girls that mean light, or are closely related to the idea of illumination. We hope you find the perfect name for your newborn on this list, especially if you are looking for something bright!
Abner is a Biblical name meaning ‘father of light.’ The name was borne by the leader of King Saul’s army, and relative to the King himself. Abner is now fairly uncommon as a name.
Aurelia has similar Latin roots to the name Aurora, which refers to the dawn. Both names have connotations of light and beauty.
Ayla is a common Turkish name, which has roots in Persia. In Turkish ‘ay’ means ‘moon,’ and it is likely that the name means ‘halo of light around the moon.’
An Old French respelling of the Old Provencal name Alienor, and means ‘bright.’ The name was introduced to England in the 12th century by Eleanor of Aquitaine who came from France to wed King Henry II.
Eliora is the femine form of the Hebrew name Elior, meaning ‘God is light.’ Similar and related names include Eleora, Eleanor and Eleanora.
Ellen is a variant form of the Greek name Helen, and like Eleanor, means ‘bright’ as well. It originally came into use in the 16th century.
Kiran is a unisex name of Sanksrit origin, said to mean ‘beam of light’. It could also be considered a spelling variant of the Gaelic name Kieran.
As well as being a spelling variant of Lainey, meaning ‘bright’, the name Laney also derives from the French surname Delaney. It is a unisex name, but is more common to girls.
Lucian is an uncommon variant of the name Lucius, which is derived from the Latin word for light, which is ‘lux.’ The feminine form of the name, Lucille, and its variant Lucy, are a lot more common than the male form.
Lucy comes from the Old French name Lucie, derived from the Latin word ‘lux’, meaning ‘light’. It was in fairly widespread use back in the Middle Ages, increasing greatly in popularity in the 1990s.
Mazie is an alternative spelling of Maisy, which originally derived from the name Margaret, meaning ‘pearl’. The ancient Persians believed pearls were made by light, hence the meaning ‘light’s creation.’
The name Nell has roots in Old English, Latin, Greek and Arabic, however its meaning is always associated with light (it means ‘ray of sunshine.) Nell was originally a shortened form for names such as Helen, Eleanor and Danielle.
Zia, derived from the Arabic name Ziva, is usually given to girls. It is said to mean ‘light’, but also means ‘aunt’ in Italian.
So, which of these radiant baby names do you like the most? Let us know if you would choose one of these names for your baby!
