Names Categorized "light"

This is a list of names in which the categories include light.
gender
usage
Haribert m Germanic
Old German form of Herbert.
Haru m & f Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "light, sun, male", (haru) meaning "spring" or (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Haruka f & m Japanese
From Japanese (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from (haru) meaning "spring" or (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.
Haruki m Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "clear weather" or (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with (ki) meaning "brightness" or (ki) meaning "living". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Haruko f Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "spring" or (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Ha-Yun f Korean
From Sino-Korean (ha) meaning "summer, name" combined with (yun) meaning "sunlight". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Heidrun f Norse Mythology, German
Derived from Old Norse heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and rún meaning "secret lore, rune". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.
Heimdall m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Heimdallr, derived from Old Norse heimr "home, house" and dallr, possibly meaning "glowing, shining". In Norse mythology he is the god who guards the Bifröst, the bridge that connects Asgard to the other worlds. It is foretold that he will blow the Gjallarhorn to wake the gods for the final battle at the end of the world, Ragnarök. During this battle, he will fight Loki and they will slay one another.
Heiðrún f Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Heidrun.
Heleen f Dutch
Dutch variant of Helen.
Heleena f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helena.
Heleentje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Helen.
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Heléna f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Helen.
Helēna f Latvian
Latvian form of Helen.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Hélène f French
French form of Helen.
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Heli 2 f Finnish, Estonian
Diminutive of Helena. In Estonian this coincides with the word heli meaning "sound".
Heliodoro m Spanish, Portuguese
From the Greek name Ἡλιόδωρος (Heliodoros), derived from the elements ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Heliodoro was a 4th-century bishop of Altino.
Helios m Greek Mythology
Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess Selene.
Hellen f English
Variant of Helen.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, French
Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Herberto m Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.
Heribert m German
German form of Herbert.
Heriberto m Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.
Heulwen f Welsh
Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").
Hideaki m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" and (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear", as well as other combinations of kanji.
Hikari f & m Japanese
From Japanese (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.
Hikaru m & f Japanese
From Japanese (hikaru) meaning "light" or (hikaru) meaning "brightness". Other kanji can also form this name.
Hila f Hebrew
Means "halo, aura" in Hebrew, from the root הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".
Hildebert m German (Rare)
Means "bright battle" from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and beraht "bright". This name was borne by four early Frankish kings, usually called Childebert.
Hildebrand m German (Archaic), Germanic
Means "battle sword", derived from the Old German element hilt "battle" combined with brant "fire, torch, sword". This was the name of the hero of an 8th-century poem written in Old High German.
Hildiberht m Germanic
Old German form of Hildebert.
Hina f Japanese
From Japanese (hi) meaning "light, sun" or (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Hirah m Biblical
Means "splendour" in Hebrew. This is the name of a companion of Judah in the Old Testament.
Hiranur f Turkish (Modern)
From Arabic حراء (Ḥirāʾ), the name of the cave where the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation, combined with نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Hiroki m Japanese
From Japanese (hiro) meaning "big, great" and (ki) meaning "brightness" or (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Hoebaer m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Hubert. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Hubert.
Hong m & f Chinese
From Chinese (hóng) meaning "rainbow", (hóng) meaning "enlarge, expand, great" (which is usually only masculine) or 鸿 (hóng) meaning "wild swan, great, vast" (also usually only masculine). Other characters can also form this name.
Horus m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ὧρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian ḥrw (reconstructed as Heru and other forms) possibly from ḥr "above, over" or ḥrj "distant". In Egyptian mythology Horus was a god of the sky and light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. In some versions of the mythology he was the son of Osiris and Isis, and avenged his father's murder by killing his uncle Seth.
Hotaru f Japanese
From Japanese (hotaru) meaning "firefly".
Hrambert m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hram "raven" and beraht "bright".
Huang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "bright, shining, luminous" (which is usually only masculine) or (huáng) meaning "phoenix" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Hubert m English, German, Dutch, French, Polish, Czech, Germanic
Means "bright heart", derived from the Old German elements hugu "mind, thought, spirit" and beraht "bright". Saint Hubert was an 8th-century bishop of Maastricht who is considered the patron saint of hunters. The Normans brought the name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Hygebeorht. It died out during the Middle Ages but was revived in the 19th century.
Hubrecht m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hubert.
Huệ f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or (huệ) meaning "tuberose (flower)".
Hugubert m Germanic
Old German form of Hubert.
Hui f & m Chinese
From Chinese (huì) meaning "intelligent, wise" (which is usually only feminine), (huī) meaning "brightness", besides other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Humbert m French, German (Rare), English (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hun "bear cub" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it has always been uncommon there. It was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint who founded Maroilles Abbey. It was also borne by two kings of Italy (called Umberto in Italian), who ruled in the 19th and 20th centuries. A notable fictional bearer is Humbert Humbert from Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita (1955).
Humberto m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Humbert.
Humphrey m English
From the Old German elements hun "bear cub" and fridu "peace". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hunfrith, and it was regularly used through the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the American actor Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), who starred in The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca.
Hunbeorht m Anglo-Saxon
From the Old English elements hun "bear cub" and beorht "bright", making it a cognate of Humbert. This name was borne by a 9th-century English saint.
Hunberht m Germanic
Old German form of Humbert.
Huub m Dutch
Dutch short form of Hubert.
Huy m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (huy) meaning "brightness".
Hwan m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hwan) meaning "shining, brilliant, lustrous" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character.
Hye m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or other characters that are pronounced in the same way. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character. A notable bearer was a 6th-century king of Baekje.
Hye-Jin f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or (hye) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with (jin) meaning "precious, rare". This name can be formed by a variety of other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyeon-Jeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or (hyeon) meaning "shine, glitter" combined with (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyperion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
Hyun-Jung f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 현정 (see Hyeon-Jeong).
Idril f Literature
Means "sparkle brilliance" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Idril was the daughter of Turgon, the king of Gondolin. She escaped the destruction of that place with her husband Tuor and sailed with him into the west.
Ifa m Oromo
Means "light" in Oromo.
Ilargi f Basque
Means "moon" in Basque, a compound of hil "month" and argi "light".
Ileana f Romanian, Spanish, Italian
Possibly a Romanian variant of Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
Ilinca f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
İlknur f Turkish
Means "first light", from Turkish ilk meaning "first" combined with Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Illuminata f Late Roman
Means "illuminated, brightened, filled with light" in Latin. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint from Todi, Italy.
Ilona f Hungarian, German, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech
Old Hungarian form of Helen, possibly via a Slavic form. In Finland it is associated with the word ilona, a derivative of ilo "joy".
Iluminada f Spanish
Spanish form of Illuminata.
Indu f Hindi
Means "bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Iskra f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian
Means "spark" in South Slavic.
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
Jair m Biblical, Biblical Portuguese, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "he shines" in Hebrew, a derivative of אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "to shine". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of Manasseh and one of the ruling judges of the Israelites.
Jamshed m Urdu, Tajik
Urdu and Tajik form of Jamshid.
Jamsheed m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian جمشید (see Jamshid).
Jamshid m Persian, Uzbek, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (Yima Xshaēta), which meant "shining Jam". This was the name of a mythological king of Persia who ruled during a golden age. He is known as either Jamshid or Jam, where Jamshid is a combination of his original name and an honorific.
Jasna f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from South Slavic jasno meaning "clearly, obviously".
Jela f Serbian, Croatian, Slovak
Short form of Jelena or Jelisaveta. It also means "fir tree" in Serbian and Croatian.
Jeļena f Latvian
Latvian form of Yelena.
Jelena f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Estonian, Lithuanian
Form of Yelena in several languages. In Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia it is also associated with the South Slavic words jelen meaning "deer, stag" and jela meaning "fir tree".
Jelka f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Jelena. It also means "fir tree" in Slovene.
Jeong-Hui f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" or (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with (hui) meaning "beauty" or (hui) meaning "bright, splendid, glorious". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Ji-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or (ho) meaning "summer, sky, heaven". This name can also be formed by other hanja character combinations.
Jochebed f Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹכֶבֶד (Yoḵeveḏ) meaning "Yahweh is glory", from the roots יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and כָּבַד (kavaḏ) meaning "to be glorious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses.
Joon-Ho m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 준호 (see Jun-Ho).
Jung-Hee f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 정희 (see Jeong-Hui).
Jun-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean (jun) meaning "talented, handsome" combined with (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or (ho) meaning "summer, sky, heaven". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Jupiter m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From Latin Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the vocative form of Indo-European *Dyēws-pətēr, composed of the elements Dyēws (see Zeus) and pətēr "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.
Jyoti f & m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit ज्योतिस् (jyotis) meaning "light". This is a transcription of both the feminine form ज्योती and the masculine form ज्योति.
Jyotsna f Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit ज्योत्स्ना (jyotsnā) meaning "moonlight".
Kaguya f Literature
Means "bright, shining" in Japanese. It is spelled with the kanji (kagaya) meaning "bright" and (ya) meaning "reflect". The name originates from the old Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, about a bamboo cutter who finds a tiny baby in a bamboo stalk and names her Kaguya-hime "shining princess". When she grows up she rejects all proposals for marriage (including that from the Emperor) and eventually returns to her true home on the moon.... [more]
Kashi f Hindi
From the name of a holy city in India, famous for its many temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Its name is derived from Sanskrit काशि (kāśi) meaning "shining".
Kazuki m Japanese
From Japanese (kazu) meaning "one" or (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with (ki) meaning "brightness", (ki) meaning "hope" or (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
Kelley f & m English
Variant of Kelly.
Kelli f English
Variant of Kelly.
Kellie f English
Variant of Kelly.
Kelly m & f Irish, English
Anglicized form of the Irish given name Ceallach or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).... [more]
Keren f Hebrew
Means "horn" or "ray of light" in Hebrew.
Khurshid m & f Urdu, Uzbek
Urdu and Uzbek form of Khorshid.
Kidlat m Tagalog
Means "lightning" in Tagalog.
Kiran f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Gujarati, Nepali, Urdu
Derived from Sanskrit किरण (kiraṇa), which can mean "dust" or "thread" or "sunbeam".
Kohinoor f Various
From Koh-i-noor, the name of a famous gemstone, meaning "mountain of light" in Persian.
Koit m Estonian
Means "dawn" in Estonian.
Kōki m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light" or () meaning "happiness, good luck" combined with (ki) meaning "hope" or (ki) meaning "brightness". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji characters as well.
Kōnane m & f Hawaiian
Means "bright" in Hawaiian.
Kouki m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 光希 or 幸輝 (see Kōki).
Krešimir m Croatian
From the Slavic elements krěsiti "to spark, to flare up, to bring to life, to resurrect" and mirŭ "peace, world". This was the name of four kings of Croatia in the 10th and 11th centuries. Their names were recorded in Latin as Cresimirus.
Krešo m Croatian
Diminutive of Krešimir.
Kuldeep m Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit कुल (kula) meaning "family" and दीप (dīpa) meaning "lamp, light".
Kunibert m German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German element kunni "clan, family" (or the related prefix kuni "royal") and beraht "bright". Saint Kunibert was a 7th-century bishop of Cologne.
Ləman f Azerbaijani
Possibly derived from Arabic لمعان (lamaʿān) meaning "shine, gleam".
Lambert m German, Dutch, French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements lant "land" and beraht "bright". Saint Lambert of Maastricht was a 7th-century bishop who was martyred after denouncing Pepin II for adultery. The name was also borne by a 9th-century king of Italy who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
Lamia 1 f Arabic
Means "shining, radiant" in Arabic, derived from the root لمع (lamaʿa) meaning "to shine, to gleam".
Lammert m Dutch
Dutch variant of Lambert.
Lasha m Georgian
Possibly from a Northwest Caucasian word meaning "light". This was a name of Giorgi IV, a 13th-century king of Georgia.
Lāsma f Latvian
From Latvian lāsmot meaning "to sparkle".
Léan f Irish
Irish form of Helen.
Leena f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Helena or Matleena.
Lena f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Polish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, English, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Georgian, Armenian
Short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena. It is often used independently.
Lene f Danish, Norwegian, German
Danish, Norwegian and German short form of Helene or Magdalene.
Leni f German
German diminutive of Helene or Magdalena.
Lenka f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of Magdaléna or Helena. It is now used as an independent name.
Lenuța f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
Leocadia f Spanish, Late Roman
Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.
Lesedi f & m Tswana
Means "light" in Tswana.
Lesya f Ukrainian
Diminutive of Oleksandra.
Li 1 f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "reason, logic", () meaning "stand, establish", () meaning "black, dawn", () meaning "power, capability, influence" (which is usually only masculine) or () meaning "beautiful" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Lior m & f Hebrew
Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".
Liora f Hebrew
Strictly feminine form of Lior.
Lisakhanya f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "still shining" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the roots sa "still, continuing" and khanya "to shine".
Liucija f Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Lucia.
Liùsaidh f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Lucia or Louisa.
Llúcia f Catalan
Catalan form of Lucia.
Lubbert m Dutch
Dutch form of the Old German name Leutbert, derived from the elements liut "people" and beraht "bright". Liutbert (or Liutpert) was an 8th-century Lombard king.
Luca 1 m Italian, Romanian
Italian and Romanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
Luca 2 f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lucia.
Lucas m English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Greek Λουκᾶς (see Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.... [more]
Lucasta f Literature
This name was first used by the poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems called Lucasta (1649). The poems were dedicated to Lucasta, a nickname for the woman he loved Lucy Sacheverel, whom he called lux casta "pure light".
Luce f Italian, French
Italian and French variant of Lucia. This also means "light" in Italian.
Lucero f & m Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American)
Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.
Lucetta f Italian
Diminutive of Luce. Shakespeare used this name for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Lucette f French
Diminutive of Lucie.
Lucia f Italian, German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.
Lucie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lucia.
Lucifer m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "bringing light", derived from Latin lux "light" and ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.
Lūcija f Latvian
Latvian form of Lucia.
Lucija f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Lucia.
Lucila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucilla.
Lucília f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Lucilius.
Lucilia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucilius.
Lucilius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was a derivative of the given name Lucius. This was the family name of the 2nd-century BC Roman satirist Gaius Lucilius.
Lucilla f Italian, Ancient Roman
Latin diminutive of Lucia. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred in Rome.
Lucille f French, English
French form of Lucilla. A famous bearer was American comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989).
Lucina f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Lucinda f English, Portuguese, Literature
An elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his novel Don Quixote (1605). It was subsequently used by Molière in his play The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666).
Lucinde f French (Rare)
French form of Lucinda.
Lúcio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Lucius.
Lucio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Lucius.
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Łucja f Polish
Polish form of Lucia.
Lucjusz m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Lucius.
Lucy f English
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Lugh m Irish Mythology
Probably an Irish form of Lugus. In Irish mythology Lugh Lámfada was a divine hero who led the Tuatha Dé Danann against his grandfather Balor and the Fomorians. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.
Lugus m Gaulish Mythology (Hypothetical)
Possibly from one of the Indo-European roots *lewk- "light, brightness", *lewg- "dark" or *lewgh- "oath". This was the name of a Celtic (Gaulish) god of commerce and craftsmanship, who was equated by the Romans with Mercury. He probably forms the basis for the characters and names of Lugh (Irish) and Lleu (Welsh).
Luigsech f Old Irish
Probably derived from the name of the mythological figure Lugh. This was the name of an obscure early Irish saint, mentioned in the martyrologies of Tallaght and Gorman.
Luminița f Romanian
Means "little light", derived from Romanian lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Luningning f Tagalog
Means "brilliance" in Tagalog.
Luse f Armenian
Means "light" in Armenian.
Luus f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch variant of Lucia.
Lux f & m Various
Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".
Luz f Spanish
Means "light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".
Luzia f Portuguese, German
Portuguese and German form of Lucia.
Mahin f Persian
Means "related to the moon" in Persian.
Mahsa f Persian
Means "like the moon" in Persian.
Maira f Greek Mythology
From Greek μαρμαίρω (marmairo) meaning "sparkle, gleam, flash". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids.
Malo m Breton
Means "bright pledge", derived from Old Breton mach "pledge, hostage" and lou "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint, supposedly a companion of Saint Brendan on his trans-Atlantic journey. He later went to Brittany, where he founded the monastic settlement of Saint-Malo.
Mandeep m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and दीप (dīpa) meaning "lamp, light".
Manjushri m Buddhism
Means "beautiful radiance", derived from Sanskrit मञ्जु (mañju) meaning "lovely, beautiful" and श्री (śrī) meaning "radiance, splendour, beauty". According to Buddhist tradition this is the name of a bodhisattva.
Maor m Hebrew
Means "a light" in Hebrew.
Marduk m Semitic Mythology
Probably from Sumerian amar-Utuk meaning "calf of Utu", derived from amar "calf" combined with the name of the sun god Utu. This was the name of the chief Babylonian god, presiding over heaven, light, sky, battle, and fertility. After killing the dragon Tiamat, who was an old enemy of the gods, he created the world and sky from the pieces of her body.
Marisol f Spanish
Short form of María Soledad. It is sometimes considered a combination of María and Sol 1, or from Spanish mar y sol "sea and sun".
Mehrab m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and آب (āb) meaning "water". This is the name of the king of Kabul in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Mehrdad m Persian
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and داد (dād) meaning "given". Since مهر is also the Modern Persian form of Mithra, this name can also function as a modern form of Mithridates.
Mehrnaz f Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Meir m Hebrew
Means "giving light" in Hebrew.
Meira f Hebrew
Feminine form of Meir.
Melchior m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, French (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Possibly from the Hebrew roots מֶלֶךְ (meleḵ) meaning "king" and אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "light". This was a name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. According to medieval tradition he was a king of Persia.
Merrill m English
From an English surname that was derived either from the given name Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".
Meryl f English
Variant of Muriel. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
Meyer m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵאִיר (see Meir). It also coincides with a German surname meaning "mayor, leader".
Ming m & f Chinese
From Chinese (míng) meaning "bright, light, clear" or (míng) meaning "inscribe, engrave", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Minh m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (minh) meaning "bright". This was an adopted name of the communist revolutionary Hồ Chí Minh (1890-1969).
Mirdza f Latvian
Derived from Latvian mirdzēt meaning "to shine, to glitter". This is the name of a tragic character in the play Vaidelote (1894) by the Latvian poet and playwright Aspazija.
Mithra m Persian Mythology
From Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 (mithra) meaning "oath, covenant, agreement", derived from an Indo-Iranian root *mitra meaning "that which binds". According Zoroastrian mythology Mithra was a god of light and friendship, the son of the supreme god Ahura Mazda. Worship of him eventually spread outside of Persia to the Roman Empire, where it was known as Mithraism.
Mitsuaki m Japanese
From Japanese (mitsu) meaning "light" and (aki) meaning "bright, luminous". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Mitsuki f Japanese
From Japanese (mi) meaning "beautiful" and (tsuki) meaning "moon". It can also come from (mitsu) meaning "light" and (ki) meaning "hope", as well as several other kanji combinations.
Mitsuko f Japanese
From Japanese (mitsu) meaning "light" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Mönkhtuya f Mongolian
From Mongolian мөнх (mönkh) meaning "eternal" and туяа (tuyaa) meaning "ray, beam".
Muireall f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Muirgel.
Muirgel f Old Irish
Means "bright sea", derived from Old Irish muir "sea" and gel "bright".
Muirgheal f Irish (Rare)
Modern form of Muirgel.
Munir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "bright, shining" in Arabic, related to the root نوّر (nawwara) meaning "to illuminate, to light".
Muriel f English, French, Irish, Scottish, Medieval Breton (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Irish Muirgel and Scottish Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).
Murielle f French
French variant of Muriel.
Myeong m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (myeong) meaning "bright, light, clear" or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.
Myeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean (myeong) meaning "bright, light, clear" combined with (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Myrgjǫl f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Muirgel.
Nadra f Arabic
Means "radiance" in Arabic.
Najm m Arabic
Means "star" in Arabic.
Najma f Arabic, Urdu
Feminine form of Najm.
Narangerel f Mongolian
Means "sun light" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and гэрэл (gerel) meaning "light".
Narantsetseg f Mongolian
Means "sun flower" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".
Naseem m & f Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic نسيم or Urdu نسیم (see Nasim).
Nassim m & f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نسيم (see Nasim).
Natela f Georgian
Derived from Georgian ნათელი (nateli) meaning "light, bright".
Navdeep m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit नव (nava) meaning "new, fresh" and दीप (dīpa) meaning "lamp, light".
Nejra f Bosnian
Possibly from Arabic نيّر (nayyir) meaning "luminous, bright", a derivative of نوّر (nawwara) meaning "to blossom, to illuminate, to light".
Neon m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new".
Neriah m Biblical
Means "lamp of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of the father of Baruch in the Old Testament.
Nesim m & f Turkish
Turkish form of Nasim.
Neve f Irish
Anglicized form of Niamh.
Nia 1 f Welsh
Welsh form of Niamh. The Welsh poet T. Gwynn Jones used it in his long poem Tir na n-Óg (1916), referring to the lover of Oisín.
Níam f Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Niamh.
Niamh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Nisanur f Turkish
From the name Nisa combined with Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Nishant m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
From Sanskrit निशान्त (niśānta) meaning "night's end, dawn".
Nkazimulo m & f Zulu
Means "glory, brightness" in Zulu.
Noga f & m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew transcription of Nogah, usually used as a feminine name.
Nogah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "brightness" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of King David in the Old Testament.
Noor 1 f & m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu نور or Bengali নূর (see Nur), as well as a Malay and Indonesian variant.
Noora 2 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نورة or نورا (see Nura).
Noor-Ali m Persian
From Persian نور (nūr) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with the name Ali 1. Though usually transcribed into Latin characters with a dash or a space, it is not written with a space in Persian.
Nor 1 f & m Malay
Malay variant of Nur.
Nora 2 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نورة or نورا (see Nura).
Norbert m German, English, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements nord meaning "north" and beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of an 11th-century German saint who made many reforms within the Church.
Noriaki m Japanese
From Japanese (nori) meaning "law" or (nori) meaning "rule, ceremony" combined with (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Nour f & m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نور (see Nur).
Noureddin m Persian
Persian form of Nur ad-Din.
Noureddine m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic نور الدين (see Nur ad-Din) chiefly used in North Africa.
Nur f & m Arabic, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Urdu, Bengali, Uyghur, Indonesian, Malay
Means "light" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition النور (al-Nūr) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Nura f Arabic
Strictly feminine form of Nur.
Nur ad-Din m Arabic
Means "light of religion", from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" combined with دين (dīn) meaning "religion, faith".
Nurasyl m Kazakh (Rare)
From Kazakh нұр (nur) meaning "light" and асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble" (both words ultimately of Arabic origin).
Nuray f Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kazakh
Means "bright moon" in Turkish, Azerbaijani and Kazakh, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" and Turkic ay meaning "moon".
Nurbek m Kyrgyz
From Kyrgyz нур (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with the Turkic military title beg meaning "chieftain, master".
Nurcan f Turkish
Means "bright soul" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" and Persian jān meaning "soul, life".
Nurdaulet m Kazakh
From Kazakh нұр (nur) meaning "light" and дәулет (daulet) meaning "country, government" (both words ultimately of Arabic origin).
Nurettin m Turkish
Turkish form of Nur ad-Din.
Nurgül f Turkish
Means "radiant rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" and Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Nuri m Arabic, Turkish
Means "my light" in Arabic.
Nurislam m Kazakh
From Kazakh нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with Islam, the name of the religion (ultimately from Arabic إسلام).
Nurlan m Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Azerbaijani
Means "bright boy" in Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Azerbaijani, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" and Turkic oglan meaning "young man, boy".
Nurmuhamad m Avar
Combination of Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" and the name Muhamad.
Nursultan m Kazakh
From Kazakh нұр (nur) meaning "light" and сұлтан (sultan) meaning "sultan, king" (both words of Arabic origin).
Nurten f Turkish
Means "radiant skin" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" and Persian تن (tan) meaning "body".
Nuru f Swahili
Means "light" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr).
Nuruddin m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نور الدين (see Nur ad-Din).
Nurul m & f Arabic, Indonesian, Malay
First part of compound Arabic names beginning with نور ال (Nūr al) meaning "light of the" (such as نور الدين (Nūr al-Dīn) meaning "light of religion").
Nurullah m Arabic, Turkish
Means "light of Allah", from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" combined with الله (Allah).
Nurzhan m Kazakh
From Kazakh нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) and жан (zhan) meaning "soul" (of Persian origin).
Nuur m Somali
Somali form of Nur.
Ochieng m Luo
Means "born when the sun shines", derived from Luo chieng meaning "sun".
Olena f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Helen.
Or m & f Hebrew
Means "light" in Hebrew.
Ora 2 f Hebrew
Strictly feminine form of Or.
Orah f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אוֹרָה (see Ora 2).
Orel m Hebrew
Means "light of God" in Hebrew.
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.
Ortzi m Basque
Means "sky" in Basque.
Osbeorht m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Osbert.
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.
Pericles m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Περικλῆς (Perikles), which was derived from Greek περί (peri) meaning "around, exceedingly" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian statesman and general. It is also the name of the central character in the play Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1608) written (or co-written) by William Shakespeare.
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).
Philibert m French, Germanic
Early variant of Filibert altered by association with Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover". A famous bearer was Philibert de l'Orme (1510-1570), a French Renaissance architect.
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.