Here comes the sun.
The baby names that mean sun, that is.
We’re wild about nature names. They’re an endless source of inspiration. We’ve been drawn to the stars and the night sky, so why not the hopeful sunlight of a bright day, too?
Many cultures have embraced names that reference the sun, from the Egyptian sun god Ra to some very 21st century possibilities.
From gender-neutral names to feminine, even frilly options, names that mean sun come in every style.
They’re perfect for a summer baby, but even for a child born in the dark of winter, the sun’s warmth suggests a host of positive associations. From the new beginnings promised by a rising sun to the heat of a summer’s day at the beach, this is one of those name meanings that can work on multiple levels.
Let’s look at all the names that mean sun!
GIRL NAMES MEANING SUN
ALBA, FIORALBA
Alba means dawn in Italian and Spanish. The elaborate Fioralba is a rare Italian name meaning “flower of the dawn.”
AURORA, DAWN
It’s indirect, but obvious. A new day dawns with the sunrise. Aurora means dawn, and in Roman mythology, Aurora served as goddess of the morning.
AYA
Akkadian mythology gives this name to a goddess associated with the dawn. Strictly speaking, her husband was the sun god, but his name – Shamash – seems less accessible in 21st century naming. Aya, on the other hand, exists in multiple languages across time.
ELIA, ELIANA, ELIANE
The Roman family name Aelius is likely of Greek origin and related to helios, meaning the sun. Eliana also has Hebrew roots, but seeing this name rocket into the US Top Ten, shooting past Luna? It suggests that parents are looking to the sky.
ELANOR
JRR Tolkein invented entire languages, which inevitably included names, too. In Sindarin, Elanor means “star sun.” It’s a type of flower. Sam, one of Frodo Baggin’s hobbit besties, names his eldest daughter Elanor. The similarity to traditional Eleanor is a bonus.
HINA, HINATA
This Japanese name means sunny place.
MARISOL
Several Spanish names include the syllable “sol” – literally Spanish for sun. But Marisol traditionally serves as a contraction of Maria Soledad, from the Marian title Our Lady of Solitude. Look at this name a little more closely, though, and it resembles the phrase mar y sol – sea and sun.
SAHAR
A name of Arabic origin, Sahar means dawn.
SOL, SOLANA
Another name from the Spanish word sol, for sun. Sol is directly borrowed from the word; Solana serves as an elaboration. It’s also the real first name of singer SZA, contributing to the name’s increasingly popularity in recent years.
SOLE, SOLEIL
American parents might not recognize it, but Sole is the Italian word for the sun – not a reference to the sole of a shoe. Soleil, the French vocabulary word, seems more promising. Though the pronunciation isn’t immediately obvious: so LAY
SUNNIVA
An Old Norse name with an intriguing meaning: sun gift. Legend tells that the pious Sunniva fled an unwanted marriage to a heathen king; shipwrecked in Norway; and ultimately lost her life far from home. She’s remembered as a saint, though she’s mostly known in Norway today.
SURYA, SURIYA
A Sanskrit name referring to the sun, Surya is masculine in much of the world. But it sounds feminine in the West, and French figure skater Surya Bonaly elevated her name during her successful career during the 1990s.
YOKO
As with any Japanese name, Yoko’s meaning can shift depending on the kanji chosen to write it. But the first element means sun or ocean; that familiar -ko means child. Artist, musician, and activist Yoko Ono made her name famous.
ZORA
Zora means dawn in Slavic languages. Sometimes the same meaning is attributed to Zara. Maybe … or possibly it’s just a bit whispered down the alley. It’s widely-known that then-Prince Charles suggested the name Zara to his sister, Princess Anne, years ago. Some contend he told her it was hopeful, sunny name meaning dawn. That’s not quite accurate, but Zara might mean bright, from the Arabic Zahra. Zora, though, clearly belongs on this list.
ZORAIDA
Another Arabic name, Zoraida means dawn. It’s also literary, thanks to a character in Miguel Cervantes’ 1606 novel Don Quixote.
BOY NAMES MEANING SUN
AELIUS, ELIO, HELIO, HELIOS
More names from Ancient Rome by way of Italy, ultimately related to a Greek word meaning sun. Elio featured in the title of a recent Disney-Pixar movie, helping to boost the name’s profile.
APOLLO
Possibly the most familiar sun god in the West. In Greek mythology, golden Apollo drives the morning sun across the sky in his fiery chariot. His twin sister, Artemis, is a moon goddess, ending the day that her brother begins.
CYRUS
There’s much debate over the precise meaning and origin of the name Cyrus. It’s a Persian name, worn by a historical figure who features in the Old Testament. Millennia later, Cyrus the Great’s name still sounds strong.
HELIODORO
An elaborate cousin to Elio, this name means “gift of the sun.”
KIRAN
A Sanskrit name, Kiran offers a bright meaning: sunbeam.
RA
If Jo and Bo are names, how about Ra? The Egyptian sun god wore the head of a falcon. It’s a unique name, possibly confused with Ray, but Ra rhymes with La. While’s never ranked in the US Top 1000, it’s steadily used in small numbers. The Detroit Lions’ roster includes a wide receiver named Amon-Ra St. Brown.
RAVI, RAVINDER
Ravi is an accessible Sanskrit name meaning sun. Longer choice Ravinder means “lord of the sun.” It’s associated with a Hindu sun god, though the most famous Ravi might be the late sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar.
SAMSON, SAMPSON
Samson looks like it should be a surname name related to Samuel, just like Jackson comes from John via Jack and Anderson from Andrew. But it’s not so. Instead, Old Testament name Samson comes from the Hebrew name Shimshon, ultimately from a word meaning sun.
UNISEX NAMES INSPIRED BY THE SUN
ARUN, ARUNA
The Hindu go Aruna drives a chariot, drawing the sun god Surya across the sky to begin each new day. Arun is more often masculine now; while Aruna tends to be feminine. But like many names of Indian origin, the -a ending version was once used for boys, too.
ASAHI
A Japanese name meaning morning sun. It’s unisex in Japan, and could easily be a feminine or masculine moniker in the US, too.
SUNDANCE
Associated with a movie festival, a Wild West outlaw, and an iconic 1960s movie, Sundance was more nickname than given names. But with names that mean sun in the spotlight, Sundance has potential.
SUNDAY
Days-of-the-week names are traditional in many parts of the world. In the US, not so much, but Sunday has been used in small numbers for years. It might be a sun-centric name. It could also be a Christian reference.
SUNNY, SUNI
A sunny day suggests calm, clear weather. As a name, it’s hopeful and optimistic. It’s also casual. Old school nickname Sonny, once used generically for boys, benefits from these associations, too. Re-spellings like Sunnie could be seen. Olympic gymanst Suni Lee’s name is short for Sunisa, which doesn’t means sun – but could still benefit from this trend.
SUNSET
A sunset is lovely, but they also imply endings. Maybe that’s why Sunset is rarer than many similar sun names.
SUNSHINE
A sun-drenched name, Sunshine ranked in the US Top 1000 during the 1970s and early 80s. Was it the John Denver song “Sunshine On My Shoulders” or possibly a 1973 made-for-TV movie that used the song. It’s sweet and joyful, a nature name that glows. Sunny and Suni are logical short forms.
