What’s In a Name: 56 Names That Mean Sun for Boys and Girls

If you want a baby that grows up to be a shining star, you need to give them a name that fits. There are names from all over the world and throughout history that are focused on the brilliant light that is the sun.
These 56 names that mean sun for boys and girls will help you to find the perfect name for a baby full of light and warmth and that is sure to grow up to be someone bright and dependable. Some of the names are common, but others are one-of-a-kind.
28 Girl Names That Mean Sun
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1. Aelia: Aelia is a name that originates from Ancient Rome and means ‘sun’. It was the name of several prominent members and some landmarks and coins are found with this name on them.
2. Aine: This name comes from Ireland, and is the name of a Goddess said to have power over the sun. She was also often represented as a majestic red horse, perfect for those born with red hair.
3. Akino: This name originates from Japan and means ‘rising sun’.
4. Alba: Alba comes from the Latin language. It usually represents words such as ‘dawn’ or ‘sunrise’. It is the feminine version of Albus.
5. Dayton: Dayton is a name that was adapted from an old town name that meant ‘sun town’.
6. Eadaoin: This is the modern spelling of the Irish name, Etain. Etain was thought to be the old Irish sun goddess.
7. Elanor: Anyone who is a fan of Lord of the Rings likely recognizes this name. While she is named after a flower, the name can also mean ‘the star sun’.
8. Hathor: Hathor was an Egyptian goddess of the sun and was also often referred to as the ‘Golden One’.
9. Helen: Helen is a classic name still popular today. The name means ‘sun ray’ or ‘shining light’. It is a name also often associated with beauty.
10. Helie: Helie comes from ancient Greek mythology. She is one of the seven daughters of Helios who was the sun god.
11. Hesperia: Hesperia itself is a Spanish name that means ‘evening’. However, it was the name for the country of Italy as well, which was also known as ‘the land where the sun sets’.
12. Idalia: Idalia is a Scandinavian name that comes from the Greek city Idalion. The name means ‘I see the sun’. Alia and Ida are both shortened versions of this name.
13. Kalinda: Kalinda is a Hindi name. It means ‘sun’, and comes from the Kalinda Mountains, where the sacred river flows.
14. Kyra: Kyra is the female adaptation of Kyros. It means ‘like Ra, the sun,’ and is an Ancient Egyptian name.
15. Lucy: If you want a more common name that means sun, Lucy is perfect. It originates from the Latin word lux, which means ‘light’, such as light from the sun.
16. Marisol: Marisol is a mix of Spanish words that mean ‘sea’ and ‘sun’ and is still a common name in many parts of the world.
17. Mehr: Mehr is a Persian name that stands for ‘sun’ or ‘friendship’. It also refers to the first month of autumn, the seventh month.
18. Mirri: This is a name that originates from the Australian Aborigines. Despite this, it can be found throughout the world as a somewhat popular name that means ‘the sun’.
19. Olwen: Olwen was a Welsh goddess. Her name means ‘white footprint’, but she was also known to bring flowers and the golden wheel in the summer. It is assumed that this golden wheel is the summer sun.
20. Ostara: Ostara is an old German word. It means ‘to shine’. There was a month devoted to Ostara in the German calendar, called Ostermonat. This is when the spring equinox was celebrated, and the name slowly changed to mean Easter.
21. Roxana: Roxana is a Greek name that tends to mean ‘bright’ or ‘dawn’.
22. Solana: Solana is another Spanish name that means ‘sunshine’.
23. Solbritt: Solbritt is a name from Sweden. It is a relatively new name, first appearing in the early 1900s. It mixes the word for sun and the common name Britt to mean ‘the exalted one’.
24. Sunniva: This name comes from Norway, and means ‘sun gift’.
25. Tesni: Tesni is a Welsh name. It means ‘Indian summer’, or ‘warmth from the sun’.
26. Thea: Thea is a different spelling of the name Theia. In Ancient Greek mythology, she is the goddess of the sun, dawn, and moon. Thea may also be good as a nickname and can come from names such as Theodora, Dorothea, Anthea, and Althea.
27. Yumana: Yumana is the daughter of the sun god, Surya.
28. Zonnestra: As a Dutch name meaning ‘sunbeam’, this unique name is sure to make your little girl stand out.
28 Boy Names That Mean Sun
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1. Aarush: Aarush comes from Sanskrit and means “the first ray of the sun”.
2. Aditi/Aditya: Over time, this name has come to mean sun. Originally in Hinduism, Aditya was the name of a group of sun gods who were the sons of a god named Aditi. It is another name for Surya.
3. Aelius: This was a common name back in Ancient Rome for boys, especially for those from nobler households. The family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian was Aelius. It means ‘sun’.
4. Agim: Agim means ‘dawn’ and is an Albanian name. It actually has a longer meaning, which is ‘the time when the sun comes to us early in the morning’.
5. Aidan: Adian is a fairly common name now, but it was originally a Celtic name and meant ‘fire of the sun’.
6. Baer: This is a name that means ‘bright’. It comes from the Limburg region and was popular during the medieval era.
7. Castor: Castor is a Greek name. It means ‘to shine’.
8. Diell: Diell is an Albanian name and means ‘sun’.
9. Eleodoro: This is a rarely used Spanish name that means ‘gift from the sun’. In the 19th century, it was given to those that were to be important.
10. Erlantz: Erlantz is a Basque name that means ‘to glow’ or ‘to shine’.
11. Finlay: This is an old English name that means ‘sunbeam’.
12. Helios: Helios is the Greek god of the sun.
13. Horus: Horus is the Egyptian god of light.
14. Kem: Kem is a popular Romani name that means ‘sun’.
15. Langa: Langa is a Xhosa name from the Bantu language of Africa. It means ‘sun’.
16. Levant: Levant is a Turkish name that refers to the direction the sun is rising. It is often used for kids born in late spring and is a fairly modern name.
17. Misae: this name comes from Native Americans and is part of the Osage language. It means ‘white and hot sun’.
18. Naolin: This is the Aztec god of the sun.
19. Ochieng: This name originates from Africa. It is used for children born when the sun is shining bright in the sky. This may mean during the day, any time it is sunny, or in the heart of summer.
20. Phoebus: Phoebus is another name for the Greek god Apollo, the god of the sun.
21. Ravindra: This is an Indian name that means ‘ lord of the sun’. It is often shortened to Ravi, which still means ‘sun’.
22. Samson: Samson is a common Biblical name and has roots in Hebrew. The name means ‘sun’ and is a longer version of the name Sam.
23. Sansone: Sansone originates from Italy. It is similar to the name Samson, also meaning ‘sun’.
24. Sharik: Sharik is an Arabic name and can also be spelled like Sharique. It means ‘one on whom the sun shines’.
25. Taner: Taner means ‘born at dawn’ and is a name from Turkey. Many people use this name to celebrate children born as the light from the sun comes to erase the dark night.
26. Tyr: Tyr is a Norse god and the name means ‘to glow’ or ‘to shine’.
27. Yohan: Yohan, or Yo-han is a Korean name. The name in Korean means ‘sunlight’ or ‘to shine’. It is also common in French, and means ‘God is gracious’.
28. Zeus: Zeus may be the God of thunder and lightning in Greek mythology, but the name originally meant ‘to shine’.