16 Precious Baby Girl Names That Mean Light

Are you expecting a baby girl and trying to decide on a name? Everyone hopes their child will bring brightness to the world, so it's no surprise if you decide to choose a name that means light. Here are girl names that mean light — including their origin — to help you settle on the perfect option.

This post was updated in June 2026 to include updated information about baby names that mean light and additional editorial enhancements.

Kiara is a variation of the Italian name Chiara, which means “light, clear” in Italian. Interestingly, though, it means “dark, black” in the Irish variation of the name.

Helena is a name of Greek origin, often associated with meanings like 'torch' or 'shining light,' though its exact meaning is uncertain.

Elaine is a variant of the name Helen, which is associated with meanings like 'torch' or 'shining light' from Greek origins. The name first appeared as a heroine in Arthurian legends. She became the mother of Sir Galahad.

Lucille, which is a name of French origin and means “light,” has a history dating back to the Roman Empire. The name became more popular in the U.S. in the 19th century.

Aonani is of Hawaiian origin, and it means "beautiful light". It’s a very rare name to hear outside of Hawaii.

Faven is a popular African name with Eritrean origins. The name uses the Amharic language and means “light”.

Ilona has several meanings. In Hungarian and Greek, the name means “shining light, beautiful, bright.” The other meaning, from Finnish origin, is “as a joy.”

Leora is the feminine version of Leor, which is of Hebrew origin. The name has alternate spellings like Liora and Liorah. It’s also a form of Eleanor. It means “I have light.”

Zia shares origins with Arabic and Latin. Zia is often used in combination with other names. It means “light, splendor”.

Alina has several different origins, but what they all agree on is the meaning. In the Slavic origin, it means “light”. In Armenia, it means “bearer of light”. Arabic origins state the name means “illustrious”.

Işık is a Turkish name meaning 'light.' It does not have a Hindi origin with the same meaning.

Onella has Greek and Hungarian origins. The name in Hungarian means “torch light”. In Greek, it means “light”.

Roshana is derived from Persian and means 'light' or 'bright.' Rachana is a separate Sanskrit name meaning 'creation.'

Svetlana, translated into English, means light. It is a common East and South Slavic and Russian name. It gained popularity after it appeared in an eponymous ballade by Vasily Zhukovsky in 1813.

Zariya is primarily of Arabic origin and means 'radiance' or 'light.'

Zaharira originates from Hebrew and means "light, splendor". It’s often a variant surname, but it became the first name for baby girls.