Baby Names That Mean Fire

Names that mean fire are just right for any season. They’re perfect for the heat of summer, but in fall and winter, they’re a cozy hearth fire.

A flame can signal lots of things – renewal, excitement, warmth. And so fire-inspired baby names carry plenty of symbolism and meaning.

Boy names and girl names alike can be fiery choices, and there are some unisex choices in the mix, too.

Some of these names don’t mean fire exactly. Instead, they mean flame, which is almost the same thing. Or, in a few cases, sun. Depending on your reasons for choosing the meaning, they might satisfy – or feel a little to the left of your mark.

Lots of these come from other cultures. While you’ll need to exercise your best judgment in determining whether they’re a good fit for your family, there’s something appealing about the very universal appeal of names that mean fire.

BOY NAMES that MEAN FIRE

AGNI

Agni means means fire in Sanskrit, and the name belongs to an ancient Hindu god of fire.

AIDAN, AIDEN

This chart-topping favorite comes from the Gaelic Aodh with the suffix -an. Aodh means fiery; adding the -an transforms it to “little fire.” For over a decade, this sound dominated popular  baby boy names. Most of the -aiden names are fading now, but they remain common. Spellings abound, including Aydin, Adan, Edan, and more.

APOLLO

Ancient Greek sun god Apollo makes this list because of his favorite ride. Artwork frequently shows the deity driving a chariot pulled by fiery horses, bringing the sunrise with it.

ARIES

A newcomer to the US Top 1000, Aries is borrowed from the night sky. The constellation resembles a ram – often associated with the Golden Fleece in the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. But in astrology, Aries is a fire sign, which puts in on this list.

BLAZE

With this spelling, Blaze suggests a roaring fire. Or a super-fast speed, or perhaps a trailblazer. Spell it Blaise and it’s a French heritage choice, and a scholarly, saintly possibility.

BRANDO

The Germanic brandt means fire, torch, or possibly sword. In the US, this name also brings to mind Marlon Brando, the celebrated actor.

BRANT

Brant shares the same roots as Brando. It’s similar to Brent and related names.

CYRUS

Most sources trace Cyrus to a title, meaning lord. But a handful connect it to the sun, too, making this a possible fiery choice for a son.

EGAN

Egan also comes from that Irish element aodh.

ELIO

The sun god in Greek myth was known as Helios; with his fiery chariot, it feels like a possibility for this list. The Italian form of the name, Elio, seems especially appealing right now.

ELMO

Centuries before Sesame Street gave this name to a furry, red Muppet, Saint Elmo was the patron saint of sailors. St. Elmo’s Fire is a blue light flickering in the night sky at sea. While it’s actually more akin to lightning, that’s new knowledge. This would be an obscure fact, save for the 1985 hit movie St. Elmo’s Fire. 

FINTAN

A name from Irish legend, Fintan means white fire or ancient fire. In the stories, Fintan was the only person to survive the primeval flood.

FLINT

A word name, a flint is a type of rock. It’s hard enough that when struck, flint will spark and stark a fire. It sounds something like Finn and even more like Flynn, which makes Flint a possibility. It’s also a nature name in the key of Stone. And if you know your 1960s-era movies, Our Man Flint and In Like Flint were parodies of popular spy movies, with a James Bond-esque character named Derek Flint in the center of the action.

FLORIAN

Saint Florian is the protector of firefighters. The Catholic church gave him this designation because it matched his real world experience. A Roman soldier, Florian rose thorugh the ranks and organized early fire brigades. When he converted to Christianity and refused to recant, he was martyred by drowning rather than burning. More reason to associate Florian with fiery miracles? In 1528, a fire swept through Krakow, Poland. The only building spared was the church dedicated to St. Florian.

HAYDEN

It might just be a creative twist on Aiden, but Hayden likely owes something to Hayes, too – and Hayes helps put Hayden on this list.

HAYES

There’s more than one origin for Hayes, but it can connect back to Aodh – fiery.

IGNATIUS

This name predates ancient Rome; in fact, it started out as the Etruscan name Egnatius. But in Latin origin, ignis means fire. And so fiery Ignatius became the preferred spelling. Thanks to a famous saint by the name, Ignatius can be found in most European languages, including the Spanish Ignacio. The latter explains why Nacho – Nacio – is a sometimes-heard nickname.

INIGO

This is the Basque form of Ignatius. But it might feel more accessible in English, thanks to famed seventeenth century English architect Inigo Jones. (His dad was named Inigo, too.) Or maybe it’s all pop culture thanks to Inigo Montoya of The Princess Bride fame.

JUDE

Jude was one of the original twelve apostles. (No, not that one. Judas is a different guy.) Also called Thaddeus or even Jude Thaddeus, he makes this list because he’s often depicted with a crown of flame. It indicates he was present at Pentecost.

KEEGAN

Take Egan, add Mac to it, and eventually it’s whispered down the alley into Keegan. It’s an Irish surname, but it’s also a pop culture fixutre, thanks to comedian and actor Keegan-Michael Key.

KENNETH

A favorite from the 1930s straight through the 1960s, Kenneth feels more like a grandpa name than a fresh choice for a boy today. But it is classic, and both of the possible meanings – handsome or fiery – appeal. The reason for two meanings? Two distinct Scottish Gaelic names both became Kenneth in English.

KIRAN

Kiran means sunbeam in Sanskrit; it’s delightfully close to the Celtic Kieran, which means dark – pretty much the opposite of bright, sunny Kiran.

LEO

We all know that Leo means lion. But, like Aries, it’s a fire sign. That makes Leo a regal name, king of the jungle on his throne – but also one strongly associated with peak summer.

MCCOY

Yes, it’s another Irish surname that refers to a descendant of fiery Aodh – even though it doesn’t look like it at all.

NURI

A name of Hebrew origin, Nuri means “my fire,” though the first syllable is associated with light across several languages.

RAVI

This name means sun in Sanskrit, and Ravi is a Hindu god associated with the sun, too. It’s also an element in longer names, like Ravinder, meaning “lord of the sun.”

SULIEN

A Celtic sun god, Sulien means “born from the sun.” That lends this obscure name some fiery spirit. And it resembles popular favorites like Sebastian and Julian, too.

TYSON

In Old French, tison means firebrand. So this started out as a surname given to a hotheaded person.

VATROSLAV

An unusual Slavic name, Vatroslav comes from the Croatian word for fire – vatra – combined with that familiar slav ending, meaning glory.

VULCAN

The Roman god of fire, Vulcan is also blacksmith to his fellow gods. As names go, Vulcan has never appeared in the US names data. But it still feels more accessible that the Greek equivalent, Hephaestus.

FIRE NAMES for GIRLS

ADSILA

A Cherokee name, Adsila means fire, though it could also be a flower name.

AGATHA

Agatha means good. But in third century Sicilty, the future Saint Agatha lived. Shortly after her death, Mount Etna threatened to erupt. Residents of nearby Palermo prayed to Saint Agatha for her intervention. Miraculously, the volcano never erupted, and the saint became associated with preventing fire more generally.

AINE

The Irish goddess Áine is especially associated with summertime, as well as fertility. Áine is sometimes Anglicized as Anne, but it also means radiance, which might be another reason it’s associated with names that mean fire. Sometiems Enya is also merged wtih Áine, though the names have distinct roots.

APRICITY

It sounds a little like April meets Felicity. In terms of meaning, it’s a word referring to the “warmth of the sun in winter.” Rare and surprising, Apricity might just work with names that mean fire.

ARINNA

It’s a place name, but it’s also associated with a sun goddess from the ancient world, the Hittite Empire. It looks a little like Ariana, though the sound is distinct.

BRIDGET and BRIGID

We tend to think of Bridget as a saint, and that’s true. Saint Brigid of Kildare lived circa 500 and is considered one of the three patron saints of Ireland. But long before that, the name belonged to a Celtic goddess of fire, as well as wisdom. As if that’s not enough, the name means “exalted one.”

BRITT

A Scandi short form of Bridget, Britt is tailored and strong.

CEMRE

In Turkish foklore, Cemre is a series of three embers. As each one falls, the weather grows warmer. According to tradition, the first cemre falls around February 20th, warming up the air; a week later, another falls to melt the snow and ice; and finally, in early March, the final cemre falls and thaws the earth. Just like the English Ember, Cemre is a popular given name in Turkish. Pronunciation is a challenge, though. In Turkish, the C sounds like a J, so this name is sounds like jem-REH.

CLYTIE, KLYTIE

In English, we’d probably rhyme the first syllable with “sky,” then add a “tee.” But it’s worth noting that Klytië would’ve had a third syllable, more like Lydia with a C. In Greek myth, the name Clytie means famous. It makes this list because of an ocean nymph who fell in love with sun god Helios. He wasn’t interested, but Clytie persisted. Eventually, out of pity, the gods turned her into the heliotrope flower, which follows the sun.

CYRA

Cyrus is on the list of boys’ names that mean fire, and Cyra is the feminine form. The connection is, again, tenuous. But Cyra might come from the Persian Khur, a name for the sun. The Bazeh Khur fire temple is a chartaq, an ancient structure with a dome topping four arches.

ELANOR

Sometimes Eleanor is said to mean torch, just like Helen. The two names are tangled up across the centuries. But it’s Elanor – this spelling – on the list, thanks to JRR Tolkein’s Sindarin language. He tells ust hat Elanor means “star sun.”

EMBER

A modern noun name, Ember comes from the Old English word for a live coal.

FIAMMA, FIAMMETTA

Fiamma means flame in Italian. Add the -etta nd Fiammetta is “little flame.” Both are known, but rarely heard – even in Italy.

HELEN

While Helen’s exact meanings and origins are debated, most agree that it means “torch.” But not flashlight. Instead, an old school fire-burning torch. Through a complicated, twisting path, Eleanor is sometimes said to share Helen’s meaning, and many names, like Ellen and Eilidh, are loosely tied to both.

HELIA

It’s the feminine form of sun god name Helios. Sometimes it’s also the name of one of Helios’ daughters. Dropping the H results in Elia, which could work as a girls’ name in English, too.

HESTIA

In Greek mythology, Hestia is in charge of the home fires; the Greek goddess of the hearth.

KALAMA

A Hawaiian name meaning “the torch.”

KALINDA, KALINDI

Kalindi is the daughter of the sun god in Hindu myth. It literally means sun. Kalinda is another possibility.

KASAI

A Japanese name meaning flame. Several Japanese names share fire-related meanings, but Kasai seems more accessible than, say, Hotaru, which means firefly.

KEAHI

A Hawaiian name, Keahi means “the fire.”

KENVIE

At least two older Scottish names led to modern standard Kenneth, but also Kenvie. One means handsome; the other means “born of fire.” This also feels like a feminine form – and modern update – for traditional, but slightly dated, Kenneth.

LEHAVA

Another name of Hebrew origin, Lehava means “flame.” It would be a rare and lovely choice, except that the name has been borrowed by a far-right Israeli group. That makes this name overtly political – and problematic – for anyone in the know.

NINA

There are multiple meanings and origins for Nina, but one of them is the indigenous language Quechua, spoken in Peru and surrounding areas. It means fire.

ORIELDA

A medieval throwback, Orielda comes from the Germanic aus, meaning fire. (Maybe. Plenty of other explanations exist for or- names.)

PYRENE and PYRONIA

In Greek, pyr means fire. It’s the source of our words pyromaniac and pyrotechnics. And myth gave us Pyrene, a love interest for Hercules. The Pyrenees Mountains are named for her. There’s also Pyronia, usually associated with the goddess Artemis. Neither are used today, but they both qualify as potential baby girl names that mean fire.

SAVITA

There’s a Hindu sun god called Savitr. Savita is a feminine form of his name. Savitri is another possibility.

SERAPHINA

While Seraphina remains outside of the US Top 1000, it fits perfectly on this list It means “fiery ones,” and refers to an order of angels. Despite a rising profile – including Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s second daughter – Seraphina remains surprisingly uncommon, never appearing in the US Top 1000.

SHULA

An Arabic name meaning flame.

SOL

In an earlier generation, Sol might’ve been masculine, a short form of Solomon. Today? It’s more likely to be the Spanish and Portugueuse word for the sun. There’s also Marisol, traditionally a contraction of Maria and Soledad, but close to the Spanish-language phrase mar y sol – sea and sun.

SOLANA

Names like Solana suggest the fiery sun, too. Salana might be another form.

SOLEIL

The French Soleil has been on the fringes of name lists ever since child actor Soleil Moon Frye starred as the title character Punky Brewster in the 1980s. It’s the French word for sun. (So yes, her name is Sun Moon.) Pronounce it so LAY.

SUNNIVA

In Old English, sunne and giefu were combined in the name Sunngifu – sun gift. The name survives thanks to the Scandi form Sunniva. There’s a story of a tenth century saint that keeps the name in occasional use today. It’s said that Sunniva fled her native country to avoid marriage, only to be shipwrecked in Norway. They ultimately lose their lives, but when Sunniva’s body is discovered, it’s flawless. The name survives mostly in Scandinavia today, and modern form Synnøve was popular in the mid-twentieth century.

TANWEN

Tanwen means “white fire” or “holy fire” in Welsh.

VESTA

The Roman goddess of the hearth, and the equivalent of Hestia.

ZINARA

A Kazakh name, Zinara’s roots are ultimately Arabic. It means flame.

UNISEX NAMES that MEAN FIRE

ADAIR

A Scottish take on Edgar, Adair is sometimes a surname. That’s why it appears on this list of names that mean fire.  Paul Neil “Red” Adair became a wildly famous oil well firefighter in the years following World War II. Adair was immortalized in a John Wayne movie called Hellfighters. (Though Wayne’s character was re-named Chance Buckman.)

ASH

Like Ember and Blaze, Ash is a word name closely tied to fire. Several names for both genders start with Ash, from former favorite Ashley to current style star Asher.

AZAR

A Persian name used for boys and girls alike, Azar means fire.

PHOENIX

A mythical bird that bursts into flames before rising from its own ashes, Phoenix is among the most stylish of gender-neutral names in this moment.

REESE and RHYS

Rhys is a Welsh name meaning ardent, which could be a synonym for fiery – though it’s much less direct than most of the names on this list.

SUNSHINE and GOLDEN NAMES

Beyond the names that mean fire in a more direct way, fiery names can be found in other meanings.

Golden names like Oriane and Zahava might appeal, too.  But no matter how radiant the list, golden isn’t quite the same as fiery.

If not golden, the color red can suggest a fiery temperament or a determined nature. As can other shades of orange, like Electra – amber.

Dozens of names mean light, from Elior to Lucia and beyond. Names that mean radiant and glory can come close, too. A handful of names that mean sun or sunshine have made the list, but more possibilities exist.

Sometimes a name that suggests ardor or spirit might be interpreted as fiery, like Hugo or Hugh.

So this list is by no means complete! But if you’re set on finding names that mean fire, it’s a great place to start.

What do you think of baby names that mean fire? What would you add to this list?