Names that mean light
Light names come from several languages. Latin lux gives Lucy, Lucille and Luciana; Latin clarus, "clear, bright", gives Claire and Clarissa. The Germanic element berht, "bright", hides at the end of old names like Robert, Herbert and Hubert, and at the start of Bertha.
Girl names (25)
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucy | light (Latin root) | Latin | #25 |
| Claire | clear, bright | Latin | #68 |
| Clara | clear, bright | Latin | #63 |
| Lucia | light | Latin | #83 |
| Phoebe | bright, shining | Greek | #157 |
| Lucille | light (via French Lucille, Latin Lucilla) | Latin | #239 |
| Luciana | of Lucius (light) | Latin | #273 |
| Halo | halo, a ring of light | English | #613 |
| Zahra | radiant; flower (Arabic) | Arabic | #540 |
| Noor | light (Arabic) | Arabic | #659 |
| Luz | light (Spanish) | Spanish | #839 |
| Akira | bright, clear | Japanese | #983 |
| Neriah | lamp of God | Hebrew | #762 |
| Clarissa | "bright, clear" | Latin | #1,114 |
| Robyn | variant of Robin, from Robert; "bright fame" | Germanic | #1,441 |
| Roxanne | "bright, shining" | Persian | #1,315 |
| Eliora | my God is light | Hebrew | #914 |
| Liora | my light | Hebrew | #900 |
| Lucinda | from Lucia; "light" | Latin | #1,750 |
| Bobbi | pet form of Roberta | Germanic | #1,834 |
| Roberta | feminine of Robert, 'bright fame' | Germanic | #2,809 |
| Clarice | "bright, shining" | Latin | #3,111 |
| Muriel | "bright sea" | Irish | #4,430 |
| Bertha | bright | Germanic | #4,569 |
| Alberta | "noble and bright" | Germanic | #9,481 |
Boy names (25)
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert | bright fame | Germanic | #92 |
| Luciano | of Lucius (light) | Latin | #305 |
| Uriel | God is my light | Hebrew | #446 |
| Lucian | of Lucius (light) | Latin | #462 |
| Roberto | bright fame (Spanish/Italian Robert) | Germanic | #570 |
| Arjun | white, bright (Sanskrit) | Sanskrit | #490 |
| Albert | noble and bright | Germanic | #614 |
| Uriah | God is my light (biblical) | Hebrew | #650 |
| Alberto | noble and bright (Italian/Spanish Albert) | Germanic | #819 |
| Yahir | he will shine (Hebrew Jair) | Hebrew | #816 |
| Akari | light, brightness (one spelling) | Japanese | #542 |
| Jairo | he will give light | Hebrew | #935 |
| Meir | one who gives light | Hebrew | #948 |
| Lucien | of Lucius (light) | Latin | #899 |
| Bobby | pet form of Robert | Germanic | #1,097 |
| Gilbert | bright pledge | Germanic | #1,330 |
| Gilberto | "bright pledge" | Germanic | #1,521 |
| Robbie | pet form of Robert; "bright fame" | Germanic | #2,122 |
| Herbert | bright army | Germanic | #2,656 |
| Hubert | "bright mind" | Germanic | #3,400 |
| Wilbert | "bright will" | Germanic | #5,031 |
| Delbert | short form of Adelbert; "noble and bright" | Germanic | #6,901 |
| Bert | "bright" (short for -bert names) | Germanic | #10,866 |
| Elbert | form of Albert; "noble and bright" | Germanic | #8,442 |
| Bob | short form of Robert | Germanic | #9,845 |
How names get on this list
Our editors read each name's documented etymology and tag a theme only when the roots of the name carry that meaning. Popular explanations without support (folk etymologies) don't count, and names whose origin is uncertain are left out unless every explanation agrees. The list covers the roughly 2,000 most used names we have researched so far, ordered by the number of US babies in the last five years. How we research meanings.