ABNER m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinMeans "my father is a light" in Hebrew, from
אָב ('av) meaning "father" and
נִיר (nir) meaning "lamp, light". In the Old Testament, Abner was a cousin of
Saul and the commander of his army. After he killed Asahel he was himself slain by Asahel's brother
Joab. It has been used as an English Christian given name since the Protestant Reformation. It was popular with the Puritans, who brought it to America in the 17th century.
ADHARA f AstronomyDerived from Arabic
عذارى ('adhara) meaning "maidens". This is the name of the second brightest star (after Sirius) in the constellation Canis Major.
AEGLE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Αιγλη (Aigle) which meant "light, radiance, glory". This was the name of several characters in Greek myth, including one of the Heliades and one of the Hesperides.
AELIUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name which was possibly derived from the Greek word
‘ηλιος (helios) meaning "sun". This was the family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
ÁINE f IrishMeans "radiance" in Gaelic. This was the name of the queen of the fairies in Celtic mythology. It is also taken as an Irish form of
Anne.
AKEMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (ake) meaning "bright" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
AKI (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.
AKIKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
AKIO m JapaneseFrom Japanese
昭 (aki) meaning "bright, luminous" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband",
男 (o) meaning "male" or
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations are possible.
AKIRA m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
昭 (akira) meaning "bright",
明 (akira) meaning "bright" or
亮 (akira) meaning "clear". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.
ALBA (1) f Italian, Spanish, CatalanThis name is derived from two distinct names,
ALBA (2) and
ALBA (3), with distinct origins, Latin and Germanic. Over time these names have become confused with one another. To further complicate the matter,
alba means "dawn" in Italian, Spanish and Catalan. This may be the main inspiration behind its use in Italy and Spain.
ALBERT m English, French, Catalan, German, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Romanian, Hungarian, Ancient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Adalbert, which was composed of the elements
adal "noble" and
beraht "bright". This name was common among medieval German royalty. The Normans introduced it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Æðelberht. Though it became rare in England by the 17th century, it was repopularized in the 19th century by the German-born Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
... [more] ALBINUS m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen which was a derivative of
ALBUS. Saint Albinus (also called Aubin) was a 6th-century bishop of Angers in Brittany.
ANWAR m ArabicMeans "brighter, more luminous" in Arabic. This name was borne by Egyptian president Anwar Sadat (1918-1981), who was assassinated three years after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
AOIBHEANN f IrishMeans "beautiful sheen" in Irish Gaelic. This was the name of the mother of Saint Enda. It was also borne by Irish royalty.
ASTROPHEL m LiteratureProbably intended to mean "star lover", from Greek
αστηρ (aster) "star" and
φιλος (philos) "lover, friend". This name was first used by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney in his collection of sonnets 'Astrophel and Stella'.
AUREOLE f English (Rare)From the English word meaning "radiant halo", ultimately derived from Latin
aureolus "golden".
AVTANDIL m Georgian, LiteratureCreated by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin'. Rustaveli based it on Persian
آفتاب (aftab) "sunshine" and
دل (dil) "heart". In the poem Avtandil is a knight who is sent by
Tinatin to search for the mysterious knight of the title.
AYELET f HebrewMeans "doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase
אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר ('ayelet hashachar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
BAST f Egyptian MythologyPossibly means "fire, heat" or "ointment jar" in Egyptian. In Egyptian mythology Bast was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. She was often depicted with the head of a lioness or a house cat. As her role in the Egyptian pantheon diminished, she was called
Bastet.
BASTET f Egyptian MythologyVariant of
BAST. This form of the name, a diminutive, was given to her after the similar goddess Sekhmet (protector of Upper Egypt) became more important.
BELENUS m Celtic MythologyProbably from a Celtic word meaning "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a Gaulish solar god who was often equated with
Apollo.
BELPHOEBE f LiteratureCombination of
belle "beautiful" and the name
PHOEBE. This name was first used by Edmund Spenser in his poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590).
BERGLJOT f NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Bergljót, which was composed of the elements
berg "protection, help" and
ljótr "light".
BERTHA f German, English, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
beraht meaning "bright, famous". It was borne by the mother of
Charlemagne in the 8th century, and it was popularized in England by the Normans. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. The name also appears in southern Germanic legends (often spelled
Perchta or
Berchta) belonging to a goddess of animals and weaving.
BERTRAM m English, German, Ancient GermanicMeans "bright raven", derived from the Germanic element
beraht "bright" combined with
hramn "raven". The Normans introduced this name to England. Shakespeare used it in his play 'All's Well That Ends Well' (1603).
BERTRAND m French, English, Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic elements
beraht meaning "bright" and
rand meaning "rim (of a shield)". From an early date it has been confused with
BERTRAM and the two names have merged to some degree. A famous bearer was English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
CASSANDRA f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κασσανδρα (Kassandra), derived from possibly
κεκασμαι (kekasmai) "to excel, to shine" and
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of
Priam and
Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by
Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.
... [more] CASTOR m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Καστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to
κεκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect
κεκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word
καστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of
Zeus and the twin brother of
Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
CHANDLER m & f EnglishFrom an occupational surname which meant "candle seller" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French.
CHANDRA m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Indian, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, NepaliMeans "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from
चन्द (chand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of the masculine form
चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form
चण्डा.
CHANG m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
昌 (chāng) meaning "flourish, prosper, good, sunlight" (which is usually only masculine),
畅 (chàng) meaning "smooth, free, unrestrained" or
长 (cháng) meaning "long". Other Chinese characters are also possible.
CHIARA f ItalianItalian form of
CLARA. Saint Chiara (commonly called Saint Clare in English) was a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.
CLARA f Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late RomanFeminine form of the Late Latin name
Clarus which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name
Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called
Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages, originally in the form
Clare, though the Latinate spelling
Clara became more popular in the 19th century.
CLARICE f EnglishMedieval vernacular form of the Late Latin name
Claritia, which was a derivative of
CLARA.
CUTHBERT m English (Rare)Derived from the Old English elements
cuþ "famous" and
beorht "bright". Saint Cuthbert was a 6th-century hermit who became the bishop of Lindisfarne, an island off the coast of England. He was known as performer of healing miracles. Because of the saint, this name remained in use in England even after the Norman conquest. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was (briefly) revived in the 19th century.
DAI m WelshDerived from the old Celtic word
dei meaning "to shine". This name is also used as a Welsh diminutive of
DAVID.
DAIKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
樹 (ki) meaning "tree" or
貴 (ki) meaning "valuable". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
DARA (2) f & m KhmerMeans "star" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit.
ELAINE f English, Arthurian RomanceFrom an Old French form of
HELEN. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation 'Le Morte d'Arthur' Elaine was the daughter of Pelleas, the lover of
Lancelot, and the mother of
Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the appearance of Tennyson's Arthurian epic 'Idylls of the King' (1859).
ELANOR f LiteratureMeans "star sun" in Sindarin. In 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.
ELEN f WelshWelsh form of
HELEN. This was the name of a 4th-century Welsh saint. It also appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, belonging to a woman who built the roads in Wales.
ELENA f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Lithuanian, Russian, Greek, German, Medieval SlavicCognate of
HELEN, and an alternate transcription of Russian
Елена (see
YELENA).
ELLEN (1) f EnglishMedieval English form of
HELEN. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 17th century, when
Helen became more common.
ELOISE f EnglishFrom the Old French name
Héloïse, which is probably from the Germanic name
Helewidis, composed of the elements
heil "hale, healthy" and
wid "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word
‘ηλιος (helios) "sun" or the name
Louise, though there is not likely an etymological connection. This name was borne in the 12th century by Saint Eloise, the wife of the French theologian Peter Abelard. She became a nun after her husband was castrated by her uncle.
... [more] EOS f Greek MythologyMeans "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
GALADRIEL f LiteratureMeans "maiden crowned with a radiant garland" in Sindarin. Galadriel was a Noldorin elf princess renowned for her beauty and wisdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The elements are
galad "radiant" and
riel "garlanded maiden".
Alatáriel is the Quenya form of her name.
GILBERT m English, French, Dutch, German, Ancient GermanicMeans "bright pledge", derived from the Germanic elements
gisil "pledge, hostage" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages. It was borne by a 12th-century British saint, the founder of the religious order known as the Gilbertines.
GLÆDWINE m Anglo-SaxonOld English name derived from the elements
glæd "bright" and
wine "friend". This name was not actually recorded in the Old English era, though it is attested starting in the 11th century.
GÜLNUR f TurkishMeans "rose light" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light".
HARU m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male",
春 (haru) meaning "spring" or
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
HARUKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
春 (haru) meaning "spring" or
陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
HELENA f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinate form of
HELEN.
HELIOS m Greek MythologyMeans "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.
HIKARI f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
光 (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.
HIKARU m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
光 (hikaru) meaning "light" or
輝 (hikaru) meaning "brightness". Other kanji can also form this name.
HINA f JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun, male" or
日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
HIROKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" and
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
HUBERT m English, German, Dutch, French, Polish, Ancient GermanicMeans "bright heart", derived from the Germanic elements
hug "heart, mind" 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.
HUỆ f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
慧 (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or
蕙 (huệ) meaning "orchid".
HUMBERT m French, German (Rare), English (Rare), Ancient GermanicMeans "bright warrior", derived from the Germanic elements
hun "warrior, bear cub" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it has always been uncommon there. It was borne by two kings of Italy (called Umberto in Italian), who ruled in the 19th and 20th centuries.
HUMPHREY m EnglishMeans "peaceful warrior" from the Germanic elements
hun "warrior, bear cub" and
frid "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'.
HYEON-JEONG f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or
炫 (hyeon) meaning "shine, glitter" combined with
廷 (jeong) meaning "court" or
貞 (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
ILEANA f Romanian, Spanish, ItalianPossibly a Romanian variant of
ELENA. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
JEONG-HUI f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
正 (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" or
靜 (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with
姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or
熙 (hui) meaning "bright, splendid, glorious". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
JUPITER m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From Latin
Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the Indo-European *
Dyeu-pater, composed of the elements
Dyeus (see
ZEUS) and
pater "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.
KAZUKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (kazu) meaning "one" or
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
希 (ki) meaning "hope" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
KEREN f HebrewMeans "horn" or "ray of light" in Hebrew.
KHURSHID m & f Persian, Urdu, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
Hvare Khshaeta meaning "shining sun". In Zoroastrianism this was the name of a Yazata (or angel) who was associated with the sun.
KOUKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
光 (kou) meaning "light" or
幸 (kou) meaning "happiness, good luck" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope" or
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji characters as well.
LENA f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Russian, English, Italian, Portuguese, GreekShort form of names ending in
lena, such as
HELENA,
MAGDALENA or
YELENA.
LI (1) f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
理 (lǐ) meaning "reason, logic",
立 (lì) meaning "stand, establish",
黎 (lí) meaning "black, dawn",
力 (lì) meaning "power, capability, influence" (which is usually only masculine) or
丽 (lì) meaning "beautiful" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
LUCASTA f LiteratureThis 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, who he called
lux casta "pure light".
LUCIA f Italian, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient RomanFeminine 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.
LUCINA f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with
lux "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
LUCIUS m Ancient Roman, Biblical, EnglishRoman 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.
LUGUS m Celtic MythologyProbably from early Celtic meaning "light", ultimately from the Indo-European root *
leuk "light, brightness". 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).
LUMINIȚA f RomanianMeans "little light", derived from Romanian
lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.
LUX f & m VariousDerived from Latin
lux meaning "light".
LUZ f SpanishMeans "light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".
MARDUK m Semitic MythologyProbably from Sumerian
amar-Utuk meaning "calf of Utu", derived from
amar 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.
MERRILL m EnglishFrom an English surname which was derived either from the given name
MURIEL or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".
MERYL f EnglishVariant of
MURIEL, influenced by the spelling of the name
CHERYL. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
MEYER m HebrewAlternate transcription of Hebrew
מֵאִיר (see
MEIR). It also coincides with a German surname meaning "mayor, leader".
MING m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
明 (míng) meaning "bright, light, clear" or
铭 (míng) meaning "inscribe, engrave", as well as other characters which are pronounced similarly.
MINH m VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
明 (minh) meaning "bright". A famous bearer was the communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969).
MITHRA m Persian MythologyDerived from an Indo-Iranian root *
mitra meaning "oath, alliance, friend". In Persian mythology he was a god of light and friendship, the son of the supreme god
Ahura Mazda. Worship of him eventually spread outside of Persia, where it was known as Mithraism.
MITSUKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
光 (mitsu) meaning "light" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
MUIRGEL f IrishMeans "bright sea", derived from Gaelic
muir "sea" and
geal "bright".
MURIEL f English, French, IrishMedieval English form of a Celtic name which was probably related to the Irish name
MUIRGEL. The Normans brought it to England from Brittany. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel 'John Halifax, Gentleman' (1856).
MYEONG m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
明 (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.
NURAY f TurkishMeans "bright moon" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Turkic
ay meaning "moon".
NURGÜL f TurkishMeans "radiant rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
NURISLAM m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with
Islam, the name of the religion (ultimately from Arabic
إسلام).
NURLAN m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) and
ұлан (ulan) meaning "soldier".
NURZHAN m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) and
жан (zhan) meaning "soul" (of Persian origin).
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.
PHOEBE f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical LatinLatinized form of the Greek name
Φοιβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek
φοιβος (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. In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. A moon of Saturn bears this name (in honour of the Titan).
PHOTINE f Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
φως (phos) meaning "light" (genitive
φωτος (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.
RAINBOW f English (Rare)From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.
RAY m EnglishShort form of
RAYMOND, often used as an independent name. It coincides with an English word meaning "beam of light". Science-fiction author Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) and musician Ray Charles (1930-2004) are two notable bearers of the name.
ROBERT m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Romanian, Ancient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the Germanic elements
hrod "fame" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Hreodbeorht. It has been a very common English name since that time.
... [more] ROXANA f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latin form of
Ρωξανη (Roxane), the Greek form of the Persian or Bactrian name
روشنک (Roshanak) which meant "bright" or "dawn". 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).
SATOMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
里 (sato) meaning "village" or
聡 (sato) meaning "intelligent, clever, bright" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
SHERWOOD m EnglishFrom an English place name (or from a surname which was derived from it) meaning "bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.
SHIRLEY f & m EnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of the main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel 'Shirley' (1849). The child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) helped to popularize this name.
SHRI f HinduismMeans "diffusing light, radiance, beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess
Lakshmi. This word is also commonly used as a title of respect in India.
SIEGBERT m GermanDerived from the Germanic 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.
SOHRAB m Persian, Persian MythologyProbably from Middle Persian
swhr "red" and
ab "water". In the 11th-century Persian epic the 'Shahnameh' this is the name of the son of the hero
Rostam. He was tragically slain in battle by his father, who was unaware he was fighting his own son.
SORIN m RomanianPossibly derived from Romanian
soare meaning "sun".
SUNNIVA f NorwegianScandinavian form of the Old English name
Sunngifu, which meant "sun gift" from the Old English elements
sunne "sun" and
giefu "gift". This was the name of a legendary English saint who was shipwrecked in Norway and killed by the inhabitants.
SUNNY f & m EnglishFrom the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".
SUNSHINE f EnglishFrom the English word, ultimately from Old English
sunne "sun" and
scinan "shine".
TAIKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (tai) meaning "big, great" and
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are possible.
TALIESIN m Welsh, Arthurian RomanceMeans "shining brow", derived from Welsh
tal "brow" and
iesin "shining". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh poet and bard. In later Welsh legends he is portrayed as a wizard and prophet, or as a companion of King
Arthur.
TANE m Maori, Polynesian MythologyMeans "man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tane was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god
Rangi and the earth goddess
Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.
THEIA f Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
θεα (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of sight, glittering and glory. She was the wife of Hyperion and the mother of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
TINATIN f Georgian, LiteraturePossibly related to Georgian
სინათლე (sinatle) "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.
URIAH m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אוּרִיָה ('Uriyah) which meant "
YAHWEH is my light", from the roots
אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and
יָה (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, HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
אוּרִיאֵל ('Uri'el) which meant "God is my light", from
אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and
אֵל ('el) 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.
VASANTA m HinduismMeans "brilliant" or "spring" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu personification of the spring.
VULCAN m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Vulcanus, possibly related to
fulgere "to flash", but more likely of pre-Latin origin. In Roman mythology Vulcan was the god of fire. He was later equated with the Greek god
Hephaestus.
WILBERT m DutchMeans "bright will", derived from the Germanic elements
wil "will, desire" and
beraht "bright".
YANG m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
洋 (yáng) meaning "ocean" or
阳 (yáng) meaning "light, sun, male" (which is typically only masculine), as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
YEONG-HO m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero",
映 (yeong) meaning "reflect light" or
泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with
浩 (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or
皓 (ho) meaning "bright, luminous, clear, hoary". Other hanja combinations are possible.
YOUKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (you) meaning "light, sun, male" or
洋 (you) meaning "ocean" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
YOUTA m JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (you) meaning "light, sun, male" and
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big". Other character combinations are possible.
YUUKI m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
優 (yuu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or
悠 (yuu) meaning "distant, leisurely" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope",
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
生 (ki) meaning "living". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
ZAHI m ArabicMeans "beautiful, brilliant" in Arabic.
ZEDONG m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
泽 (zé) meaning "moist, grace, brilliance" combined with
东 (dōng) meaning "east", as well as other character combinations. A notable bearer was the founder of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong (1893-1976).
ZERAH m BiblicalMeans "dawning, shining" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of
Judah and the twin of
Perez in the Old Testament.
ZIV m & f HebrewMeans "bright, radiant" in Hebrew. This was the ancient name of the second month of the Jewish calendar.
ZIYA m ArabicDerived from Arabic
ضياء (diya) meaning "splendour, light, glow". This was the name of a 14th-century Islamic Indian historian.
ZULEIKA f LiteraturePossibly means "brilliant beauty" in Persian. According to medieval legends this was the name of Potiphar's wife in the Bible. She has been a frequent subject of poems and tales.