60+ Names That Mean Sun, Sunshine, or Light

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Find unique and joyful names in Greek, Spanish, and more

Co-authored by Sonya Prior and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: December 13, 2025 Fact Checked

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Girl Names

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Boy Names

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Gender-Neutral Names

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Greek & Latin

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French & Spanish

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Hawaiian

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Similar Names & Meanings

The sun is undeniably beautiful, powerful, and full of radiant energy—qualities that many of us aspire to embody! So, whether you’re naming your baby, a pet (aka a fur baby), a fictional character, or even yourself, we’re not surprised that you’re turning to sunshine for inspiration. Below, you’ll find an extensive list of male, female, and gender-neutral names that literally mean “sun” or “sunshine,” or that are otherwise related to the sun.

Beautiful Names That Mean Sunshine

Cyra: “sun.” Of Persian origin.
Elia: “sunshine.” Of Hebrew origin.
Lā: “sunshine” or “day.” Of Hawaiian origin.
Solana: “sunshine.” Of Spanish origin.
Sunny: “sunshine.” Of English origin.
Tonalli: “sunshine.” Of Nahuatl origin.

Section 1 of 7:

Girl Names That Mean Sunshine or Sun

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A baby girl is like a little spot of sunshine on Earth, so it’s no surprise that there are plenty of gorgeous girl names that mean “sun,” “sunshine,” or something similar! Here are some of our favorites:^{[1]
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- Alba: “sunrise” or “bright light.” Of Latin origin.
- Aurora: “dawn.” Of Latin origin.
- Cyra: “sun.” Of Persian origin.
- Elena: “sun.” Of Greek origin.
- Helen: “sun.” Of Greek origin.
- Lucia: “light.” Of Spanish origin.
- Nora: “light” or “the bright one.” Of Greek and Arabic origins.
- Phoebe: “shining one.” Of Greek origin.
- Sunny: “sunshine.” Of English origin.
- Suvi: “summer.” Of Finnish origin.
- Synnove: “sun gift.” Of Old Norse origin.

Section 2 of 7:

Boy Names That Mean Sunshine or Sun

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Plenty of boys’ names are related to the sun—whether they literally mean “sun” (like Cyrus) or emulate the sun’s golden color (like Xanthus). Whatever type of meaning you’re looking for, here are some more examples of “sunshiney” boys’ names:^{[2]
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- Albert: “bright.” Of German origin.
- Blaze: “fire” or “sun.” Of Latin origin.
- Cyrus: “sun.” Of Persian origin.
- Dayton: “day” or “bright town.” Of English and Scandinavian origins.
- Eki: “sun.” Of Basque origin.
- Ishaan: “the sun.” Of Hindi origin.
- Ji-Ho: “wisdom” and “brightness.” Of Korean origin.
- Mehrab: “sun.” Of Persian origin.
- Sampson: “like the sun.” Of Hebrew origin.
- Xanthus: “yellow.” Of Greek origin.

Section 3 of 7:

Gender-Neutral Names That Mean Sunshine or Sun

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If you’re looking for a gender-neutral name that’s connected to the power of the sun, there are plenty of different names from around the world that can get the job done. Whether you’re naming a pet, child, or fictional character, below you’ll find some amazing unisex names that mean “sun.”
- Arki: “sun.” Of Filipino, Sanskrit, Indian, and Norwegian origins.
- Aruna: “dawn.” Of Indian origin.
- Diell: “sun.” Of Albanian origin.
- Hinata: “toward the sun.” Of Japanese origin.
- Keahi: “flames” or “fire.” Of Hawaiian origin.
- Li: “dawn.” Of Chinese origin.
- Mirri: “the sun.” Of Australian origin.
- Solaris: “sun.” Of Latin origin.
- Sun: “sun.” Of English origin.
- Sunday: “Sun’s day.” Of English origin.
- Tonalli: “sunshine.” Of Nahuatl origin.

Section 4 of 7:

Greek & Latin Names That Mean Sunshine

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We have Greek, Latin, and Roman languages to thank for a lot of the modern names that mean “sun.” Thanks to the mythologies and linguistic developments of these ancient cultures, we have popular names today like Clara, Eleanor, and more:^{[3]
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- Aeliana: “sun.”
- Apollo: “destroyer,” the Greek and Roman god of the Sun.
- Aurelia: “gold.”
- Clara: “bright.”
- Eleanora: “sunray.”
- Eleni: “sunray.”
- Elia: “sunshine.”
- Eliana: “daughter of the sun.”
- Helia: “sun.”
- Helios: “sun.”
- Lyana: “sun.”

Section 5 of 7:

French & Spanish Names That Mean Sunshine

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Just like the vibrant languages that they come from, these French and Spanish names radiate with the energy and power of the sun. To names like “Sol” that literally translate as “sun” to names like “Dior” that harness the sun’s golden rays, here are some sunshine-related names from French and Spanish:^{[4]
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- Berto: “bright flame.”
- Dior: “golden.”
- Eliane: “daughter of the sun.”
- Elio: “the sun.”
- Marisol: “sea and sun.”
- Roberto: “bright flame.”
- Sol: “sun.”
- Solana: “sunshine.”
- Soleil: “sun.”
- Zoraida: “enchanting dawn.”

Section 6 of 7:

Hawaiian Names That Mean Sunshine

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Nowhere knows the beauty of the sun quite like Hawaii, so it comes as no surprise that its language boasts a ton of sun-related names! Below, you’ll find examples of Hawaiian names that mean “sunshine,” “shining,” “light,” and more:^{[5]
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- Alaula: “light of dawn.”
- Alohilani: “bright sky.”
- Hoku: “shining.”
- Kukuna: “rays of the sun.”
- Kula: “gold.”
- Lā: “sunshine” or “day.”
- Laʻa kea: “sacred light.”

Section 7 of 7:

More Baby Names With Similar Meanings

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Looking for even more baby names? At the links below, you’ll be able to find even more adorable names with similar meanings that revolve around nature, light, space, and feelings of happiness and joy.