Light is one of the commonest ideas in names anywhere. Latin has lux (Lucy, Lucia, Lucius), Arabic has nur (Noor, Nura, Nuri), Hebrew has or (Ori, Lior, Uriel), and Sanskrit has dipa, 'lamp' (Diya, Kuldeep). This list gathers real names from those families and more, each meaning checked against a cited source, mostly Behind the Name and Wiktionary. Where a name ranks in England and Wales, the ONS figure appears beside it.
Some of the best-known 'light' names on baby name sites don't hold up. Helen and Eleanor are often said to mean 'light', and Lucas and Luke are nearly always linked to lux, but the evidence is weaker than the claim. Those are marked uncertain, with the reason.
By Rich · 13 November 2026 · 75 names · 41 with their real rank in England and Wales · every meaning checked against the sources below
Checked The meaning is recorded in the sources below.
Disputed The meaning is disputed or popular but unproven.
Girl names that mean 'light' (29)
“light (from Lucia, the feminine of Lucius)”Latin, via EnglishChecked[1]
only when written 明; other characters mean other things
#4,275 in 2025 (boys)
No names match. Try a different letter or origin.
Four families of light names
Most of the names here grow from a handful of words. Latin lux gives Lucius, and from him Lucy, Lucia, Lucie and Lucian. Arabic nur gives Nur, Noor, Nour, Nura and Nuri. Hebrew or appears in Or, Ori, Ora, Orli, Lior and, as ur, in Uri and Uriel. Sanskrit dipa, 'lamp', ends many Sikh names such as Kuldeep, Navdeep and Amandeep.
If you want a name that carries the meaning clearly, pick from these families. If you want something less obvious, look at Svetlana, Drita or Säde.
Spelling choices
Nur, Noor and Nour are the same Arabic name written three ways, and families choose by region and habit as much as anything. Noor is the most common in England and Wales. With Hebrew names, the 'my' ending (Ori, Uri, Nuri in Arabic) is part of the meaning, so Ori is 'my light' rather than just 'light'.
Nicknames and short forms
Lucia and Lucinda both shorten to Lucy or Lu, and Lucian to Luke, which is handy if you like Luke but want a name with a firmer link to light. Uriel can become Uri, and Svetlana is Sveta at home in Russian.
Names That Mean 'Sun': Over 60 real names that mean 'sun' or 'sunshine', from Soleil, Sunniva and Heulwen to Samson, Ravi and Shams, with every meaning checked and sourced.
Names That Mean 'Star': Over 60 real names that mean 'star', from Stella, Estelle and Seren to Najm and Tara, with sourced meanings and the 'star' names that are myths.
Names That Mean 'Fire': Real names that mean 'fire', 'flame' or 'hearth', from Aidan and Seraphina to Azar and Keahi, plus popular 'fire' names that don't mean 'fire' at all.
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Roman Names: Praenomen, Nomen and Cognomen (Naming Library): How Roman names worked: praenomen, nomen and cognomen, how women, freed slaves and adopted sons were named, and why Cicero means chickpea.
Frequently Asked Questions
+What girl names mean 'light'?
Lucy, Lucia and Lucie come from the Latin word for light. Others include Noor and Nura (Arabic), Ora and Orli (Hebrew), Diya and Roshni (Hindi), Svetlana (Russian) and Luz (Spanish).
+What name means 'light of God'?
Uriel means 'God is my light' and Orel 'light of God' in Hebrew. Uriah means 'Yahweh is my light', and Neriah 'lamp of Yahweh'.
+What name means 'light' in Hebrew?
Or, and names built on it: Ori and Uri ('my light'), Ora, Orit, Orli ('light for me'), Lior ('my light'), Meir ('giving light') and Zohar ('light, brilliance').