Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the meaning contains the keywords bright or light or shining or radiant or white.
gender
usage
meaning
Ori m & f Hebrew
Means "my light" in Hebrew.
Orion m Greek Mythology
Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian Uru-anna meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.
Orit f Hebrew
Means "light" in Hebrew.
Orli f Hebrew
Means "light for me" in Hebrew.
Osbert m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements os "god" and beorht "bright". After the Norman Conquest, this Old English name was merged with its Norman cognate. It was rare in the Middle Ages, and eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Oyibo m & f Urhobo
Means "white" in Urhobo.
Phaedra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.
Phaedrus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φαῖδρος (Phaidros), which meant "bright". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, and also of a 1st-century Roman fabulist who was originally a slave from Thrace.
Phaenna f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek φαεινός (phaeinos) meaning "shining". According to some Greek myths this was the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]
Phoebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοῖβος (Phoibos), which meant "bright, pure". This was an epithet of the Greek god Apollo.
Photine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.
Photios m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)).
Prabhakara m Sanskrit
Means "light maker", derived from Sanskrit प्रभा (prabhā) meaning "light" and कर (kara) meaning "maker". In Hindu scripture this term is used to refer to the sun and the moon. A notable bearer of this name was a 6th-century scholar from Kerala.
Prabhat m Hindi
Means "shining forth, morning" in Sanskrit, derived from प्रभा (prabhā) meaning "to shine".
Pradip m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Prakash m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रकाश (prakāśa) meaning "light, bright, shining".
Prasanna m Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Odia, Hindi
Means "clear, bright, tranquil" in Sanskrit.
Pratibha f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit प्रतिभा (pratibhā) meaning "light, splendour, intelligence".
Quang m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (quang) meaning "bright, clear".
Raginbert m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and beraht "bright". This was the name of an 8th-century Lombard king.
Ragnheiðr f Old Norse
Old Norse name meaning "bright advice", derived from the elements regin "advice, counsel" and heiðr "bright, clear".
Riko f Japanese
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "reason, logic" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Rim f Arabic
Means "white antelope" in Arabic.
Rina 4 f Japanese
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "village" combined with (na), a phonetic character, or (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Rio 2 f Japanese
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "village" combined with (o) meaning "center", (o) meaning "thread" or (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Robert m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Catalan, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the rare Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).... [more]
Rosalba f Italian
Italian name meaning "white rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and alba "white". A famous bearer was the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).
Roshan m & f Persian, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "light, bright" in Persian.
Roshanak f Persian
Feminine form of Roshan, used in Persian to refer to Roxana the wife of Alexander the Great.
Roshanara f Persian (Archaic)
From Persian روشن (rōshan) meaning "light" and آرا (ārā) meaning "decorate, adorn". This was the name of the second daughter of the 17th-century Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
Roshni f Marathi, Hindi
From Hindi and Marathi रौशनी (raushanī) meaning "light, brightness", ultimately of Persian origin.
Roxana f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latin form of Ῥωξάνη (Rhoxane), the Greek form of an Old Persian or Bactrian name, from Old Iranian *rauxšnā meaning "bright, shining". This was the name of Alexander the Great's first wife, a daughter of the Bactrian nobleman Oxyartes. In the modern era it came into use during the 17th century. In the English-speaking world it was popularized by Daniel Defoe, who used it in his novel Roxana (1724).
Sacnicte f Mayan (Hispanicized)
Means "white plumeria flower", from Yucatec Maya sak "white" and nikte' "plumeria flower".
Säde f Finnish
Means "ray of light" in Finnish.
Sarangerel f Mongolian
Means "moonlight" in Mongolian, from саран (saran) meaning "moon" and гэрэл (gerel) meaning "light".
Sarolt f Hungarian (Rare)
From the Old Hungarian name Saroldu, probably of Turkic origin meaning "white weasel, ermine". This was the wife of the 10th-century Hungarian grand prince Géza.
Satomi f Japanese
From Japanese (sato) meaning "village" or (sato) meaning "intelligent, clever, bright" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Satoru m Japanese
From Japanese (satoru) meaning "enlightenment" or (satoru) meaning "intelligent, clever". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Satoshi m Japanese
From Japanese (satoshi) meaning "intelligent, clever", (satoshi) meaning "wisdom, intellect", or other kanji and kanji combinations that are read the same way.
Schneeweißchen f Literature
Means "snow white" in High German, thus a cognate of Low German Sneewittchen (see Snow White). This is the name of a peasant girl in the German folktale Snow-White and Rose-Red, recorded by the Brothers Grimm in 1837. Her sister is Rosenrot, translated into English as Rose-Red. This story is distinct from the Grimms' earlier tale Snow White.
Sengphet f & m Lao
From Lao ແສງ (saeng) meaning "light" and ເພັດ (phet) meaning "diamond, gem".
Seong-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or (seong) meaning "abundant, flourishing" combined with (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or (ho) meaning "daybreak, bright". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
Sheraga m Jewish
Means "light, candle" in Aramaic.
Sherwood m English
From an English place name (or from a surname that was derived from it) meaning "bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.
Shideh f Persian
Means "bright" in Persian.
Shirley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.
Shkëlqim m Albanian
Means "shining, blaze" Albanian.
Shōji m Japanese
From Japanese (shō) meaning "flourish, prosper, good" or (shō) meaning "bright, luminous" combined with (ji) meaning "two". Other combinations of kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Shri f Hinduism
Means "diffusing light, radiance, beauty" in Sanskrit, a word used as a title of respect in India. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Shriram m Hindi, Marathi
From the Sanskrit honorific श्री (śrī) meaning "radiance, splendour" combined with the name of the Hindu deity Rama 1.
Shubham m Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शुभ (śubha) meaning "splendid, bright, auspicious".
Shukra m Hinduism
From Sanskrit शुक्र (śukra) meaning "clear, bright". This is the name of a Hindu god who presides over the planet Venus.
Shweta f Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati
From Sanskrit श्वेत (śveta) meaning "white".
Siegbert m German
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and beraht "bright". This was the name of several Frankish kings, including the 7th-century Sigebert III of Austrasia who is regarded as a saint.
Sigeberht m Anglo-Saxon
Means "bright victory", derived from Old English sige "victory" and beorht "bright" (a cognate of Siegbert). This was the name of a king of Wessex. The name fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.
Sigiberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Sigibert and Sigeberht.
Siyana f Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian сияние (siyanie) meaning "glow, shine, light".
Skaidrīte f Latvian
Derived from Latvian skaidrs meaning "clear, bright".
Sneewittchen f Literature
Older form of Schneewittchen (see Snow White). This was the Low German form originally used by the Brothers Grimm for their adaptation of the folktale Snow White.
Snow White f Literature
English translation of German Sneewittchen, derived from Low German Snee "snow" and witt "white" combined with the diminutive suffix -chen. This is the name of a girl who escapes her evil stepmother and takes refuge with seven dwarfs in an 1812 story recorded by the Brothers Grimm, who based it on earlier European folktales. The High German translation would be Schneeweißchen, but this was used by the Grimms for an unrelated character in another story (Snow-White and Rose-Red). The modern German form is typically the hybrid Schneewittchen. The story was adapted into a film by Walt Disney in 1937.
Sorcha f Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Means "radiant, bright" in Irish. It has been in use since late medieval times. It is sometimes Anglicized as Sarah (in Ireland) and Clara (in Scotland).
Sovanna f & m Khmer
Variant of Sovann.
Sukhdeep m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit सुख (sukha) meaning "pleasant, happy" and दीप (dīpa) meaning "lamp, light".
Svetla f Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian светъл (svetal) meaning "bright, light".
Svetlana f Russian, Slovak, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Armenian, Georgian
Derived from Russian свет (svet) meaning "light, world". It was popularized by the poem Svetlana (1813) by the poet Vasily Zhukovsky. It is sometimes used as a translation of Photine.
Swaran m & f Punjabi
Punjabi form of Swarna.
Taliesin m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "shining brow", derived from Welsh tal "brow, head" and iesin "shining, radiant". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century Welsh poet and bard, supposedly the author of the collection of poems the Book of Taliesin. He appears briefly in the Welsh legend Culhwch and Olwen and the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. He is the central character in the Tale of Taliesin, a medieval legend recorded in the 16th century, which tells how Ceridwen's servant Gwion Bach was reborn to her as Taliesin; how he becomes the bard for Elffin; and how Taliesin defends Elffin from the machinations of the king Maelgwn Gwynedd.
Tarzan m Literature
Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs for the main character in his novel Tarzan of the Apes (1912). In the novel Tarzan is the ape name of the baby John Clayton, who was adopted by the animals after his parents died in the African jungle. The name is said to mean "white skin" in the fictional Mangani ape language.
Tawny f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French tané, which means "light brown".
Tegwen f Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements teg "beautiful, pretty" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the 19th century.
Tifawt f Berber
Means "light" in Tamazight.
Tinatin f Georgian, Literature
Possibly related to Georgian სინათლე (sinatle) meaning "light". The name was devised by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Tinatin is the ruler of Arabia and the lover of Avtandil.
Tosahwi m Comanche
Means "white knife" in Comanche, derived from tosa- "white" and wihi "knife". This name was borne by a 19th-century Penateka Comanche chief.
Toshiaki m Japanese
From Japanese (toshi) meaning "talented, handsome" or (toshi) meaning "benefit, advantage" combined with (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Uri m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Hebrew
Means "my light" in Hebrew, a possessive form of אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light". This is the name of the father of Bezalel in the Old Testament.
Uriah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיָה (ʾUriya) meaning "Yahweh is my light", from the roots אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a Hittite warrior in King David's army, the first husband of Bathsheba. David desired Bathsheba so he placed Uriah in the forefront of battle so he would be killed.
Uriel m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיאֵל (ʾUriʾel) meaning "God is my light", from אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Uriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition. He is mentioned only in the Apocrypha, for example in the Book of Enoch where he warns Noah of the coming flood.
Vasu m Hinduism, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi
Means "excellent, good, wealthy, bright" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the Hindu gods, in particular the eight elemental deities who are attendants of Indra. It is also borne by several other characters in Hindu legend.
Vasuda f Hindi (Rare)
Means "granting wealth" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the earth.
Vasudeva m Hinduism
From Sanskrit वसु (vasu) meaning "excellent, good, wealthy" and देव (deva) meaning "god". This was the name of the father of Krishna. Krishna is also called by the patronymic वसूदेव (Vasūdeva).
Vasudha f Hindi
Means "holding wealth" in Sanskrit, used to refer to the earth.
Vasundhara f Hindi, Telugu
Means "possessor of wealth" in Sanskrit, used to refer to the earth.
Voestaa'e f Cheyenne
Means "white bison calf woman" in Cheyenne, derived from vóésta "white bison calf" and the feminine suffix -e'é. Because white bison calves were rare they were considered sacred.
Waldebert m Germanic
Germanic name composed of the elements walt "power, authority" and beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint from Luxeuil (called Valbert or Gaubert in French).
Walhberht m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and beraht "bright".
Whitaker m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.
Whitney f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
Wīgaberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Wigberht.
Wigberht m Anglo-Saxon, Germanic
Derived from the Old English elements wig "battle" and beorht "bright". This is also a continental Germanic equivalent, derived from the Old German elements wig and beraht. The name was borne by an 8th-century English saint who did missionary work in Frisia and Germany.
Wilbert m Dutch
Means "bright will", derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and beraht "bright".
Win m & f Burmese
Means "bright, radiant, brilliant" in Burmese.
Wyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Yang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (yáng) meaning "ocean" or (yáng) meaning "light, sun, male" (which is typically only masculine), as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Yeong f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", as well as other hanja characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name. This name was borne by Jang Yeong-sil (where Jang is the surname), a 15th-century Korean scientist and inventor.
Yeong-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", (yeong) meaning "reflect light" or (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or (ho) meaning "bright, luminous, clear, hoary". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Yeong-Hwan m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "perpetual, eternal" or (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with (hwan) meaning "shining, brilliant, lustrous". Other hanja combinations are possible as well.
Yōko f Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light, sun, male" or () meaning "ocean" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Yoshimitsu m Japanese
From Japanese (yoshi) meaning "righteous", (yoshi) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful", or (yoshi) meaning "good luck" combined with (mitsu) meaning "light". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Yōsuke m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light, sun, male" or () meaning "ocean" combined with (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Yōta m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light, sun, male" and (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". Other character combinations are possible.
Yuraq m & f Quechua
Means "white" in Quechua.
Zaahir 1 m Arabic
Means "shining, brilliant, radiant" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".
Zahra 1 f Arabic, Persian
From Arabic زهراء (zahrāʾ), the feminine form of أزهر (ʾazhar) meaning "shining, brilliant, bright". This is an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatima.... [more]
Zazil f Mayan
Means "clear, light, clarity" in Yucatec Maya. Zazil Há was a 16th-century Maya woman who married the Spanish shipwreck survivor Gonzalo Guerrero.
Zerah m Biblical
Means "dawning, shining" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Judah and the twin of Perez in the Old Testament.
Zhulong m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (zhú) meaning "candle, torch, light" and (lóng) meaning "dragon". In Chinese mythology this was the name of a giant scarlet serpent, also called the Torch Dragon in English.
Ziv m & f Hebrew
Means "bright, radiant" in Hebrew. This was the ancient name of the second month of the Jewish calendar.
Ziya m Arabic, Turkish
Means "splendour, light, glow" in Arabic. This was the name of a 14th-century Islamic Indian historian.
Ziya ad-Din m Arabic
Means "splendour of religion" from Arabic ضياء (ḍiyāʾ) meaning "splendour, light, glow" combined with دين (dīn) meaning "religion, faith".
Ziya ur-Rahman m Arabic
Means "splendour of the merciful" from Arabic ضياء (ḍiyāʾ) meaning "splendour, light, glow" combined with رحْمن (raḥman) meaning "merciful".
Zohar m & f Hebrew
Means "light, brilliance" in Hebrew.
Zuhra 2 f Arabic (Rare)
Means "brilliancy, light" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine". This name is written identically to the related name Zahra, though it is pronounced differently.
Zuriñe f Basque
Derived from Basque zuri "white". This is a Basque equivalent of Blanca.
Žydrė f Lithuanian
From Lithuanian žydra meaning "light blue".
Žydrūnas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian žydra meaning "light blue" (using the patronymic suffix ūnas).