Names That Mean Light
22 names whose etymology relates to “light” — drawn from documented origins, sorted by all-time U.S. popularity.
AdamFrom Middle English Adam, from Old English Adam, from Latin Adam, Adamus, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám), Ἄδαμος (Ádamos), from Biblical Hebrew אָדָם (adam, “earth, man, soil, l…
DianaBorrowed from Late Latin Diāna, short form of Latin Dīāna, derived by syncope from Old Latin Dīvāna, equivalent to dīvus +‎ -āna; roughly akin to Proto-Italic *deiwā (“godde…
EleanorThe first known bearer was Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122–1204), Provençal Aliénor, perhaps from Latin alia (“other”) and her mother's name Aenor, its meaning thereby said to be “th…
LucyFrom Middle English Lucy, from Old French Lucie (notably after the Christian martyr Lucia of Syracuse), from Latin Lucia (feminine of Lucius, a Roman praenomen), from lux (“ligh…
OrionFrom Middle English Orioun, from Latin Ōrīōn, from Ancient Greek Ὠρίων (Ōríōn), speculatively from Akkadian 𒌋𒊒𒀭𒈾 (Uru-anna, “heaven's light”), though without any firm evidence.
UrielBorrowed from Ancient Greek Οὐριήλ (Ouriḗl), from Hebrew אוּרִיאֵל (“God is my light”).
LucianFrom Latin Lūcianus, either a derivative of the Roman praenomen Lūcius, from lūx (“light”); or from Ancient Greek Λουκιανός (Loukianós), of obscure meaning.
UriahFrom Biblical Hebrew אוּרִיָּה ('ūriyyā, literally “God is my light”)API.
LeoraPossibly a variant of the modern Israeli name transliterated as Liora, from Hebrew, ליאורה "my light", or an American contraction of Leonora.
LuciusFrom Latin Lūcius, a common Roman praenomen deriving from lux (“light”).
SeleneFrom the Ancient Greek Σελήνη (Selḗnē, proper noun), from σέλας (sélas, “light”).
AbnerFrom Hebrew אבנר (Abner, “father of light”). From אָב (av, “father”) + נור (nur, “light”).
NoorFrom Arabic نُور (nūr, “light”).
JairFrom Middle English Jair, Iair, from Ancient Greek Ἰάϊρ (Iáïr), from Biblical Hebrew יָאִיר (yāʾîr, literally “he will light up”). Doublet of Yair and Jairus.
AviFrom Hebrew אבי (Ávi, “father”), chiefly as a diminutive of אַבְרָהָם (Avrahám, “Abraham, lit. father of a multitude or exalted father”) and אַבְנֵר (Avnér, “Abner, lit. father …
AydinFrom Turkish Aydın, from Ottoman Turkish آیدین (Aydın) named for Aydin Mehmet Bey, from آیدین (aydın, “light; clarity; shining; bright; enlightened, educated, intelligent”).
YairTransliteration of Hebrew יַאִיר, meaning "he will light up".
KiranFrom Sanskrit किरण (kiraṇa, “ray of light”).
ZiaBorrowed from Arabic ضِيَاء (ḍiyāʔ, “light”) via Spanish.
LuciA modern nonstandard spelling of Lucy, from Lucia, from the Latin feminine form of the Latin praenomen Lucius, from lux "light".
KeelinBorrowed from Irish Caoilfhionn, from caol (“thin, slender”) + fionn (“light, fair”).
LiorFrom Hebrew לִיאוֹר (Lior, “my light”).
More meanings
Etymologies adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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