150 Names That Mean Sun: Bright & Powerful Names Worldwide

The sun is the most powerful force in our world. Every civilization that has ever existed on earth has looked up at it, worshipped it, feared it, celebrated it, and named their children after it. Names that mean sun carry something that very few other names can offer: warmth, strength, light, and a connection to the most ancient human traditions on every continent.

Whether you are looking for girl names that mean sun, boy names that mean sun, a Latin name for sun, a Greek name for the sun, Japanese names meaning sun, Arabic names meaning sun, or fantasy names meaning sun, this guide covers all of it. We have gathered 250 names that mean sun from over 25 cultures and languages worldwide.

Why Names That Mean Sun Are So Powerful

The sun has been worshipped as a deity in nearly every ancient culture. In Egypt, Ra was the king of all gods. In Greece, Helios drove his golden chariot across the sky. In Japan, Amaterasu was the goddess of the sun and ruler of the heavens. In India, Surya is still worshipped today as a life-giving solar deity. In the Inca Empire, Inti was the god of the sun and the father of the Inca people.

Names associated with the sun carry all of that history. They represent life, energy, warmth, new beginnings, leadership, and divine power. A name that means sun is not just a name about a star in the sky. It is a name about everything the sun has ever meant to human beings since the very beginning.

250 Names That Mean Sun

All 250 names below come from verified cultural, linguistic, and mythological sources spanning over 25 cultures and every major world language.

Showing 1–270 of 441 names

Name	Meaning	Origin	Gender	Pronunciation	Popularity
Vanalika	Sunflower	Sanskrit	Female	VA-na-li-ka	Uncommon
Marise	Infinite, sunny sea	French/Japanese	Female	MA-ri-se	Uncommon
Zoeiel	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	zoeiel	Uncommon
Aruna	Reddish-brown, dawn sun	Sanskrit/Hindi	Female	A-ru-na	Uncommon
Suraj	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	SU-raj	Uncommon
Kalinda	The sun	Sanskrit	Female	KA-li-nda	Uncommon
Darosmir	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	da-ros-mir	Uncommon
Rexiel	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	re-xiel	Uncommon
Eloi	Sun chosen	French	Male	E-loi	Rare
Belusyx	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	be-lu-sy-x	Rare
Bhaskar	Sun (one who shines)	Sanskrit	Male	BHA-skar	Uncommon
Idalia	I see the sun	Greek	Female	I-da-lia	Rare
Elouise	Sun, healthy	French/German	Female	E-loui-se	Rare
Gunes	Sun	Azerbaijani	Male	GU-nes	Rare
Apricus	Warmed by the sun	Latin	Male	A-pri-cus	Rare
Elio	The sun	Italian/Spanish	Male	E-lio	Rare
Aeraneth	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	ae-ra-ne-t-h	Rare
Stanford	Rocky ford bathed in sun	Old English	Male	STA-nford	Uncommon
Helia	Sun	Greek	Female	HE-lia	Rare
Arpi	Sun (poetic)	Armenian	Female	A-rpi	Rare
Fenorith	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	fe-no-ri-t-h	Uncommon
Etoilea	Radiance of the sun	French	Unisex	e-toi-lea	Rare
Utu	Sun god	Sumerian	Male	U-tu	Uncommon
Solana	Sunshine	Spanish	Female	SO-la-na	Rare
Cy	The sun	Persian	Male	CY	Uncommon
Soren	Sun, stern, bright	Scandinavian	Male	SO-ren	Rare
Lior	My light, sunlit	Hebrew	Male	LIOR	Rare
Dimanche	Sunday	French	Female	DI-ma-nche	Rare
Soleo	Bright sun	Latin	Male	SO-leo	Rare
Jishnu	Victorious sun	Sanskrit	Male	JI-shnu	Uncommon
Kalynith	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	ka-ly-nit	Uncommon
Miririx	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	mi-ri-rix	Uncommon
Nou	Sun	Hmong	Female	NOU	Rare
Charlottea	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	char-lot-tea	Uncommon
Vihaan	Sunrise	Hindi	Male	VI-haan	Common
Ravindra	Lord of the sun	Sanskrit	Male	RA-vi-ndra	Uncommon
Elias	My God is the sun	Greek/Hebrew	Male	E-lias	Uncommon
Akira	Bright light, sunlight	Japanese	Male	A-ki-ra	Uncommon
Ha-Yun	Summer, sunlight	Korean	Female	HA-yun	Rare
Savidharini	Sun carrier	Sanskrit	Female	SA-vi-dha-ri-ni	Uncommon
Sindri	Glittering, sun-like	Old Norse	Male	SI-ndri	Rare
Sylisael	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	sy-li-sael	Uncommon
Naseem	Morning breeze, sunlit air	Arabic	Male	NA-seem	Rare
Baskaran	The sun	Tamil	Male	BA-ska-ran	Rare
Elalia	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	e-la-lia	Rare
Ilona	Sun, bright	Hungarian	Female	I-lo-na	Uncommon
Eshan	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	E-shan	Uncommon
Tsukuyomiiel	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	tsu-ku-yo-mi-ie-l	Rare
Elinar	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	e-li-nar	Uncommon
Sukiyn	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	su-ki-y-n	Uncommon
Sunniva	Sun gift	Scandinavian	Female	SU-nni-va	Rare
Fletcher	Arrow of sunlight	Old English	Male	FLE-tcher	Uncommon
Shamash	Sun god	Mesopotamian	Male	SHA-mash	Uncommon
Rinerar	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	ri-ne-rar	Uncommon
Fulton	Settlement of sunlit fields	Old English	Male	FU-lton	Uncommon
Africa	Sunny, pleasant	Latin/Celtic	Female	A-fri-ca	Rare
Urja	Energy, sunlight	Sanskrit	Female	U-rja	Uncommon
Heloise	Sun, famous warrior	French/German	Female	HE-loi-se	Rare
Andreael	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	an-dreael	Uncommon
Soleil	Sun	French	Female	SO-leil	Uncommon
Sabria	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	sab-ria	Rare
Cole	Bright, coal-black sun	Old English	Male	CO-le	Common
Helen	Bright sun, torch	Greek	Female	HE-len	Very Common
Aarush	First ray of the sun	Sanskrit/Indian	Male	AA-rush	Rare
Haleth	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	ha-let	Rare
Lyann	Bright, sun	English	Female	LYANN	Rare
Leyanne	Sunny	English	Female	LE-ya-nne	Rare
Solaris	Of the sun, solar	Latin	Male	SO-la-ris	Rare
Udaya	Sunrise	Sanskrit	Female	U-da-ya	Uncommon
Elaine	Bright, shining sun	Old French/Greek	Female	E-lai-ne	Common
Golden	Made of gold, like the sun	Old English	Male	GO-lden	Uncommon
Tapati	Daughter of the sun	Sanskrit	Female	TA-pa-ti	Uncommon
Kalosar	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	ka-lo-sar	Uncommon
Yang	Sun/light	Chinese	Male	YANG	Uncommon
Heloria	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	he-lo-ri-a	Uncommon
Tamiron	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	ta-mi-ron	Uncommon
Oran	Light, sun	Irish	Male	O-ran	Rare
Heliodoro	Gift of the sun	Greek	Male	HE-lio-do-ro	Rare
Leyann	Sunny	English	Female	LE-yann	Rare
Celardra	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	ce-lar-dra	Uncommon
Qualitaa	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	qua-li-taa	Rare
Prestigeiel	Radiance of the sun	French	Unisex	pres-ti-geiel	Rare
Sylasar	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	sy-la-sar	Uncommon
Sorath	Sun warrior	English	Male	so-rat	Rare
Mirath	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	mi-ra-t-h	Rare
Aygün	Moon and sun	Turkish	Female	AYGN	Rare
Blaine	Bright, yellow, sun-like	English	Male	BLAI-ne	Rare
Iden	Prosperous, sunlit	Old English	Male	I-den	Uncommon
Anshula	Sunny, radiant	Sanskrit	Female	A-nshu-la	Uncommon
Alvis	Sun elf, all-knowing	Old Norse	Male	A-lvis	Rare
Areg	Sun	Armenian	Male	A-reg	Rare
Sampson	Like the sun	Hebrew	Male	SA-mpson	Rare
Sonnhild	Sun battle	German	Female	SO-nnhild	Rare
Dawn	Sunrise, first light	Old English	Male	DAWN	Very Common
Phoebus	Bright, shining sun	Greek	Male	PHOE-bus	Rare
Liana	Sun vine, light	Latin/Hebrew	Female	LIA-na	Uncommon
Aelius	Sun	Latin/Roman	Male	AE-lius	Rare
Heulwen	Sunshine	Welsh	Female	HEU-lwen	Rare
Amun	Hidden sun god	Egyptian	Male	A-mun	Uncommon
Hector	Sun-bright, defender	Greek	Male	HE-ctor	Common
Asis	Sun blessing	Sanskrit	Female	A-sis	Uncommon
Altan	Red dawn, golden sun	Mongolian/Turkish	Male	A-ltan	Rare
Takemikazuchia	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	ta-ke-mi-ka-zu-chi-a	Rare
Hikaru	Light, sun glow	Japanese	Male	HI-ka-ru	Uncommon
Nantai	Chief, standing sun	Navajo	Male	NA-ntai	Rare
Solan	Little sun	Gaelic/Latin	Male	SO-lan	Rare
Oriol	Golden, sunlit	Catalan	Male	O-riol	Rare
Sayan	Sun-related	Bengali/Sanskrit	Male	SA-yan	Rare
Alorael	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	a-lo-rael	Rare
Helaine	Bright sun	French/Greek	Female	HE-lai-ne	Rare
Halonrix	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	ha-lon-rix	Rare
Yelena	Bright, shining sun	Russian/Greek	Female	YE-le-na	Rare
Leighton	Settlement in the sunny meadow	Old English	Male	LEI-ghton	Uncommon
Beleniel	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	be-le-niel	Uncommon
Kiri	Skin, sunlit	Maori	Female	KI-ri	Rare
Sooriyamala	Sun garland	Sinhalese	Female	SOO-ri-ya-ma-la	Rare
Cloudia	Radiance of the sun	English	Unisex	clou-dia	Uncommon
Zarusara	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	za-ru-sa-ra	Uncommon
Solenne	Sunshine	French	Female	SO-le-nne	Rare
Lea-anne	Sunlit meadow	English	Female	LEAA-nne	Rare
Miyakoel	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	mi-ya-ko-e-l	Rare
Elar	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	e-lar	Uncommon
Amoreon	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	a-mo-reon	Uncommon
Eliane	Sun	Latin/Greek	Female	E-lia-ne	Rare
Helena	Bright, shining sun	Greek	Female	HE-le-na	Rare
Zaria	Sunrise beauty	Arabic	Female	ZA-ria	Rare
Bhanu	Sun, ray of light	Sanskrit	Female	BHA-nu	Uncommon
Sonika	Golden, sun	Sanskrit	Female	SO-ni-ka	Uncommon
Glen	Sunlit valley	Old English	Male	GLEN	Uncommon
Solveig	Strength of the sun	Norwegian	Female	SO-lveig	Rare
Valulia	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	va-lu-lia	Uncommon
Nayoung	Sun, young	Korean	Female	NA-young	Rare
Faisaliel	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	fai-sa-liel	Uncommon
Weston	Western settlement, sunset town	Old English	Male	WE-ston	Uncommon
Elosix	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	e-lo-six	Rare
Velarwyn	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	ve-lar-wyn	Uncommon
Elenwyn	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	e-len-wyn	Uncommon
Sunny	Cheerful, full of sunshine	English	Male	SUNNY	Very Common
Albern	Noble, bright as sun	German	Male	A-lbern	Rare
Arthit	Sun	Thai	Male	A-rthit	Rare
Divakar	Sun (maker of day)	Sanskrit	Male	DI-va-kar	Uncommon
Apollo	God of the sun and light	Greek	Male	A-po-llo	Very Common
Anshul	Sunbeam, radiant	Sanskrit/Hindi	Male	A-nshul	Uncommon
Celasorn	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	ce-la-so-r-n	Uncommon
Sunil	Sun's brilliance	Sanskrit	Male	SU-nil	Uncommon
Haliswyn	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	ha-lis-wyn	Rare
Sole	Sun	Italian	Female	SO-le	Rare
Hinazuki	Sunshine moon	Japanese	Female	—	Rare
Pranusha	Ray of sunlight	Sanskrit	Female	PRA-nu-sha	Uncommon
Eloise	Sun, healthy	French/German	Female	E-loi-se	Rare
Valentinaiel	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	va-len-ti-naiel	Uncommon
Fenrix	Radiance of the sun	English	Unisex	fen-rix	Rare
Arevik	Like the sun	Armenian	Female	A-re-vik	Rare
Vapeurin	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	va-peu-rin	Rare
Haruko	Sun child	Japanese	Female	hah-ROO-koh	Uncommon
Vesperaa	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	ves-pe-raa	Rare
Hiyori	Sunny weather, sun harmony	Japanese	Male	HI-yo-ri	Uncommon
Ombraa	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	om-braa	Rare
Tapti	Sun's warmth	Sanskrit	Female	TA-pti	Uncommon
Rael	Sun god's gift	Hebrew/African	Male	RAEL	Uncommon
Iorwenel	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	ior-we-nel	Rare
Zorion	Sun, happiness	Basque	Male	ZO-rion	Rare
Hayden	Hay valley, sun-warmed field	Old English	Male	HA-yden	Uncommon
Thalosel	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	tha-lo-sel	Rare
Prakash	Light of sun	Sanskrit	Male	PRA-kash	Uncommon
Thalilmir	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	tha-lil-mir	Uncommon
Raveena	Sunny	Sanskrit	Female	RA-vee-na	Uncommon
Agim	Dawn, sunrise	Albanian	Male	A-gim	Rare
Suryan	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	SU-ryan	Uncommon
Dhinakar	Sun (maker of day)	Sanskrit	Male	DHI-na-kar	Uncommon
Amaterasu	Sun goddess	Japanese	Female	A-ma-te-ra-su	Uncommon
Elanor	Star sun	Sindarin (Tolkien)	Female	E-la-nor	Rare
Cyrus	The sun, throne	Persian	Male	CYRUS	Common
Shinin	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	shi-ni-n	Uncommon
Apolinar	Sun-inspired	Spanish/Greek	Male	A-po-li-nar	Rare
Delonrix	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	de-lon-rix	Uncommon
Dariliel	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	da-ri-li-e-l	Rare
Busteryn	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	bus-te-ryn	Uncommon
Qualityia	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	qu-a-li-ty-ia	Rare
Mehrnaz	Delight of the sun	Persian	Female	ME-hrnaz	Uncommon
Ravi	The sun	Sanskrit/Indian	Male	RA-vi	Common
Bravoeth	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	bra-voet	Uncommon
Tapan	The sun	Sanskrit	Male	TA-pan	Uncommon
Ombraon	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	om-braon	Rare
Apricity	Warmth of the sun in winter	Latin	Female	A-pri-city	Rare
Zarorath	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	za-ro-ra-t-h	Rare
Sondo	Sun	Tibetan	Female	SO-ndo	Rare
Vorath	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	vo-rat	Uncommon
Belunix	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	be-lu-nix	Rare
Suravi	Sunbeam, melodious	Sanskrit	Female	SU-ra-vi	Uncommon
Helaku	Full of sunshine	Native American (Miwok)	Female	HE-la-ku	Rare
Mystereeth	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	mys-te-reet	Rare
Haruin	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	ha-ru-i-n	Uncommon
Asahi	Morning sun	Japanese	Male	A-sa-hi	Uncommon
Hanion	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	ha-nion	Uncommon
Kyrah	Sun	Persian/Greek	Female	KYRAH	Rare
Tarani	Sun, boat	Sanskrit	Female	TA-ra-ni	Uncommon
Nicoon	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	ni-coon	Uncommon
Marysol	Mary of the sun	Spanish	Female	MA-rysol	Rare
Narantsetseg	Sunflower	Mongolian	Female	NA-ra-ntse-tseg	Rare
Mirosora	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	mi-ro-so-ra	Uncommon
Günel	Sunny, sun society	Turkic	Female	GNEL	Rare
Masaru	Victory of the sun	Japanese	Male	MA-sa-ru	Uncommon
Vorynath	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	vo-ry-na-t-h	Uncommon
Zenith	Highest point, sun at peak	English/Arabic	Male	ZE-nith	Rare
Udeit	Rising sun	Sanskrit	Female	U-deit	Uncommon
Grishma	Sunny, sunlight	Sanskrit	Female	GRI-shma	Uncommon
Samson	Like the sun	Hebrew	Male	SA-mson	Common
Lyanne	Bright sunlight	English	Female	LYA-nne	Rare
Elunia	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	e-lu-nia	Uncommon
Prabhakar	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	PRA-bha-kar	Uncommon
Sylenix	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	sy-le-nix	Uncommon
Hakan	Fiery, sun-like	Turkish/Native American	Male	HA-kan	Rare
Heller	Bright, sunny	German	Female	HE-ller	Rare
Suvi	Summer sun	Finnish	Female	SU-vi	Rare
Xanthus	Yellow, golden sun	Greek	Male	XA-nthus	Rare
Leontios	Sun-like lion	Greek	Male	LEO-ntios	Rare
Maxeraeth	Radiance of the sun	English	Unisex	ma-xe-raet	Rare
Jiyoung	Wise, young sun	Korean	Female	JI-young	Rare
Yoko	Sun or ocean child; often listed among star related Japanese names	Japanese	Female	YOH-koh	Uncommon
Leighann	Sunny meadow	English	Female	LEI-ghann	Rare
Kayoung	Blooming, sun	Korean	Female	KA-young	Rare
Alpenglow	Rosy light of rising/setting sun on mountains	German	Female	A-lpe-nglow	Rare
Akin	Brave, sun warrior	Yoruba	Male	A-kin	Rare
Dysis	Sunset	Greek	Female	DYSIS	Rare
Haedal	Sun and moon	Korean	Unisex	HAY-dahl	Rare
Drake	Dragon, fire of the sun	Old English	Male	DRA-ke	Common
Aaren	Bright, mountain of sun	Hebrew	Male	AA-ren	Rare
Anshuman	Radiant as sun	Sanskrit	Male	A-nshu-man	Uncommon
Haru	Sun, spring brightness	Japanese	Male	HA-ru	Uncommon
Hinata	Sunny place, facing the sun	Japanese	Female	HI-na-ta	Uncommon
Darindrayn	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	da-rin-drayn	Rare
Lea-ann	Sunlit meadow	English	Female	LEAANN	Rare
Nayer	Shining sun	Persian	Male	NA-yer	Uncommon
Daraleth	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	da-ra-let	Rare
Norton	North town, bright northern sun	Old English	Male	NO-rton	Uncommon
Zinna	Sunlight, flower	English/German	Female	ZI-nna	Rare
Raiden	Sun and thunder	Japanese	Male	RAI-den	Uncommon
Sandya	Evening sun, twilight	Sanskrit	Female	SA-ndya	Uncommon
Kiara	First ray of sun, light	English/Italian/Aboriginal	Female	KIA-ra	Rare
Cyra	Like the sun	Persian/Greek	Female	CYRA	Rare
Xia	Glow of sunrise	Chinese	Female	XIA	Rare
Eleadora	Gift of the sun	Greek	Female	E-lea-do-ra	Rare
Remiiel	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	re-miiel	Uncommon
Vorinion	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	vo-ri-ni-o-n	Rare
Zariniel	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	za-ri-ni-e-l	Rare
Candro	Sunlight	Sanskrit	Male	CA-ndro	Uncommon
Daraswyn	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	da-ras-wyn	Rare
Ray	Ray of sunlight	English	Male	RAY	Common
Cavalieroia	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	ca-va-lie-roia	Rare
Rohit	Red sun	Sanskrit	Male	RO-hit	Uncommon
Galunion	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	ga-lu-nion	Uncommon
Tonatiuh	Sun deity	Aztec/Nahuatl	Male	TO-na-tiuh	Uncommon
Aine	Sun and moon goddess	Celtic	Female	AWN-yeh	Uncommon
Theron	Hunter, sun-chaser	Greek	Male	THE-ron	Rare
Hina	Sun, sunlight	Japanese	Female	HI-na	Uncommon
Savitri	Relating to the sun	Sanskrit	Female	SA-vi-tri	Uncommon
Shams	Sun	Arabic	Male	SHAMS	Uncommon
Sorley	From the sun	Scottish Gaelic	Male	SO-rley	Rare
Diell	Sun	Albanian	Male	DIELL	Rare
Nouron	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	nou-ron	Uncommon
Aelia	Sun	Roman	Female	AE-lia	Rare
Valinix	Radiance of the sun	English	Unisex	va-li-nix	Rare
Noiria	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	noi-ria	Uncommon
Hefin	Summer sun	Welsh	Male	HE-fin	Rare
Samir	Morning companion, sunlit wind	Arabic	Male	SA-mir	Rare
Eleodora	Gift of the sun	Spanish/Greek	Female	E-leo-do-ra	Rare
Kiyoshi	Pure bright sunlight	Japanese	Male	KI-yo-shi	Uncommon
Dhitya	Sunshine, thought	Sanskrit	Female	DHI-tya	Uncommon
Halarorn	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	ha-la-ro-r-n	Rare

Names That Mean Sun: Detailed Meanings

Sol

Meaning: Sun
Origin: Latin / Spanish
Pronunciation: SOL
Culture: Sol is both the Latin word for sun and the Spanish and Portuguese word for sun. In Roman mythology, Sol Invictus (the unconquered sun) was one of the most widely worshipped deities in the late Roman Empire. The word sol is the root of many English words including solar, solstice, and solarium.
Symbolism: Represents the sun in its purest, most direct form. Sol carries the full weight of Roman solar worship and the enduring power of the sun across cultures.
Why parents choose this name: Sol is short, strong, and works beautifully for boys and girls. It is increasingly popular as a standalone name in Spanish-speaking countries and in the United States.
Famous Namesake: Sol Invictus, the Roman sun god whose festival on December 25 predated Christmas celebrations. Sol is also the name given to Martian solar days by NASA scientists.

Soleil

Meaning: Sun
Origin: French
Pronunciation: soh-LAY
Culture: Soleil is the French word for sun and has been used as a given name in French-speaking countries for generations. It carries the elegance and romance that French names are known for while maintaining the directness of a word that simply means sun.
Symbolism: Represents warmth, brilliance, and the French cultural love of light and beauty. Soleil carries both the scientific reality of the sun and the emotional warmth it represents.
Why parents choose this name: Soleil is one of the most elegant sun names available. It sounds sophisticated and international while being immediately understandable to English speakers.
Famous Namesake: Soleil Moon Frye, American actress known for her childhood role in Punky Brewster.

Helios

Meaning: The sun / personification of the sun
Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: HEE-lee-os
Culture: In ancient Greek mythology, Helios was the divine personification of the sun. He was depicted as a young man crowned with a radiant halo, driving a four-horse chariot across the sky from east to west each day. Helios was the son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and the brother of Selene (moon) and Eos (dawn).
Symbolism: Represents the sun at its most divine and powerful. Helios is not just a name meaning sun, he is the sun, one of the oldest and most direct sun deities in Western tradition.
Why parents choose this name: Helios carries the full grandeur of Greek mythology. Parents who love strong mythological names with genuine historical depth will find Helios unmatched among Greek names for the sun.
Famous Namesake: The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was a statue of Helios built to celebrate a military victory.

Cyrus

Meaning: Sun / throne
Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: SY-rus
Culture: Cyrus comes from the Old Persian name Kurush, thought to mean sun or throne. Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian Empire, and one of the greatest rulers in human history. He liberated the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity and is the only non-Jewish figure in the Hebrew Bible referred to as a messiah.
Symbolism: Represents solar power transformed into human leadership. Cyrus carries both the warmth of the sun and the authority of one of the greatest kings who ever lived.
Why parents choose this name: Cyrus is strong, internationally recognized, and carries real historical weight. It works perfectly in English-speaking countries while maintaining its Persian roots.
Famous Namesake: Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire. Miley Cyrus, American singer and actress.

Surya

Meaning: Sun
Origin: Sanskri
Pronunciation: SOOR-yah
Culture: Surya is the Hindu god of the sun, one of the most important deities in the Hindu religion. Surya is worshipped daily in Surya Namaskar (the sun salutation), a series of yoga poses performed at sunrise. In Vedic tradition, Surya is considered the visible form of God, the eye of the universe, and the source of all life on earth.
Symbolism: Represents the divine life-giving power of the sun in Hindu spiritual tradition. Surya is not just warmth and light but the actual presence of the divine in the physical world.
Why parents choose this name: Surya is widely used across India and among Hindu communities worldwide. It carries deep spiritual meaning and a musical, powerful sound.
Famous Namesake: Surya, popular South Indian film actor. Surya Namaskar, the yoga sun salutation practiced by millions daily worldwide.

Aurora

Meaning: Dawn
Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: aw-ROR-ah
Culture: Aurora was the Roman goddess of the dawn, the sister of Sol (the sun) and Luna (the moon). Every morning she flew across the sky on rosy wings, opening the gates for the sun to rise. Aurora is also the name of the spectacular natural light display in polar skies, the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) and Aurora Australis (Southern Lights).
Symbolism: Represents the moment the sun returns each morning, the transition from night to day, and the promise of a new beginning with every sunrise.
Why parents choose this name: Aurora ranked in the top 50 in the USA, UK, and Australia in recent years. It is romantic, mythological, and immediately evocative of beauty and light.
Famous Namesake: Aurora, the sleeping princess in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. Aurora, the natural light phenomenon visible near the polar regions.

Ravi

Meaning: Sun
Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: RAH-vee
Culture: Ravi is one of the twelve names of the Hindu sun god Surya and one of the most commonly used names in India. In Sanskrit, Ravi directly means sun and refers to the life-giving, illuminating quality of solar energy. Sunday in Hindi is called Ravivar, literally meaning the day of Ravi.
Symbolism: Represents the sun as a life-giver, illuminator, and divine presence in Hindu tradition. Ravi is the sun as experienced every day, the warmth that sustains all life.
Why parents choose this name: Ravi is simple, warm, and widely recognized both within South Asian communities and internationally. It has a friendly, approachable sound while carrying real cultural depth.
Famous Namesake: Ravi Shankar, legendary Indian sitarist and composer who introduced Indian classical music to the Western world.

Aditya

Meaning: Sun / belonging to the sun gods
Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: ah-DIT-yah
Culture: In Hindu mythology, the Adityas are a group of solar deities, sons of the goddess Aditi. Aditya specifically refers to the sun and its divine children. The Adityas represent different aspects of the sun’s power throughout the year. Aditya is one of the most popular male names in India and has been for generations.
Symbolism: Represents solar divinity in its collective form. Aditya is not just one aspect of the sun but all of its power, all of its faces across the entire year.
Why parents choose this name: Aditya is extremely popular across India, Nepal, and among South Asian communities worldwide. It is strong, recognizable, and carries the full weight of Vedic solar tradition.
Famous Namesake: Aditya Chopra, prominent Bollywood film director and producer.

Samson

Meaning: Sun child
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: SAM-son
Culture: Samson comes from the Hebrew Shimshon, derived from shemesh meaning sun. In the Hebrew Bible, Samson was a judge of Israel blessed with supernatural strength connected to his uncut hair. His story is one of the most dramatic in biblical literature, combining solar mythology with human tragedy.
Symbolism: Represents the sun’s extraordinary power concentrated in a human being. Samson’s strength was as overwhelming and unstoppable as the sun itself.
Why parents choose this name: Samson is a strong, biblical name that works perfectly in English-speaking countries. It is familiar without being overused and carries genuine mythological and scriptural depth.
Famous Namesake: Samson from the Hebrew Bible, one of the judges of Israel. Also referenced in Milton’s Samson Agonistes.

Marisol

Meaning: Sea and sun
Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: MAR-ee-sol
Culture: Marisol is a Spanish compound name combining mar (sea) and sol (sun). It evokes the image of sunlight on the ocean, one of the most beautiful natural sights in the world. The name is widely used in Spain and Latin America and carries a warm, melodic, Mediterranean quality.
Symbolism: Represents the dual beauty of the sun and the sea, the two most powerful natural forces in Mediterranean culture, combined into a single name.
Why parents choose this name: Marisol is melodic, warm, and easy to say in both Spanish and English. It is distinctive without being unusual and carries a beautiful visual meaning.
Famous Namesake: Marisol Escobar, Venezuelan-American artist and sculptor famous for her Pop Art wooden sculptures. Marisol, a character in the American Girl doll series.

Girl Names That Mean Sun

Female names that mean sun tend toward warmth, beauty, and grace. The most popular girl names that mean sun draw from Latin, French, Spanish, Greek, Sanskrit, and Japanese traditions. Soleil, Solana, Aurora, Eliana, Kyra, and Aruna are among the most beloved feminine sun names. Sanskrit names like Savitri, Tapti, and Udita carry deep spiritual sun meaning. Japanese names for girls meaning sun like Haruko, Hinata, and Natsumi are growing in international popularity.

Boy Names That Mean Sun

Boy names that mean sun carry strength, energy, and divine power. The most widely used male sun names include Cyrus (Persian), Ravi (Sanskrit), Aditya (Sanskrit), Samson (Hebrew), Helios (Greek), Elio (Italian), Ra (Egyptian), and Surya (Sanskrit). These names span thousands of years and dozens of cultures, all pointing to the same ancient human instinct to name sons after the most powerful force in the natural world.

The Greek Name for the Sun

The ancient Greek name for the sun is Helios (Ἥλιος). Helios was the divine personification of the sun in Greek mythology and one of the most important deities in the ancient world. Other Greek names associated with the sun include Apollo (the god of light and sun in later Greek tradition), Eos (goddess of the dawn), and Anatole (sunrise).

The Latin Name for the Sun

The Latin name for the sun is Sol. In Roman religion, Sol was worshipped as Sol Invictus (the unconquered sun), one of the most important deities of the late Roman Empire. Other Latin sun names include Aelius (sun), Solaris (of the sun), and Aurora (goddess of dawn).

Japanese Names Meaning Sun

Japanese culture has a particularly rich tradition of sun-related names. The country’s name itself (Nihon or Nippon) means origin of the sun. Key Japanese names meaning sun include Amaterasu (sun goddess), Haruko (sun child), Haruki (shining sun), Haruto (soaring sun), Hinata (sunny place), Hina (sun), Haru (sunlight), Asahi (morning sun), and Natsuki (summer sun).

Chinese Names Meaning Sun

Chinese sun names often combine the character for sun with other meaningful characters. Common Chinese names associated with the sun include Chang (sunlight), Xia (glow of sunrise), Yang (sun, light, positive energy), and Li (dawn). The concept of yang in Chinese philosophy represents the sun, light, warmth, and the masculine principle.

Arabic Names Meaning Sun

Arabic sun names carry the beauty of the Arabic language combined with solar power. Shams (شمس) is the direct Arabic word for sun and is used as a given name. Nayer means sun in Arabic. Fajr and Sahar both mean dawn, celebrating the moment the sun first appears. Nuri means my light, closely associated with the sun’s illumination.

Fantasy Names Meaning Sun

Fantasy sun names draw from mythology, constructed languages, and creative naming traditions. Elanor (star sun from Tolkien’s Sindarin language), Solaris (Latin-derived fantasy name), Idalia (Greek, meaning I see the sun), Oriana (golden sunrise), Helia (Greek sun goddess), and Aurora (Roman dawn goddess) all work beautifully in fantasy contexts. Names like Solenne, Cyra, and Elora carry that balance of sun meaning and fantastical sound that fantasy readers and writers love.

Names That Mean Little Sun

Names that mean little sun include Solina (little sun in Spanish), Ciro (diminutive sun in Italian), Elio (the sun, used affectionately), and Sunniva (sun gift in Norse). Kiran (sunbeam in Sanskrit) also carries the sense of a small, concentrated ray of sun rather than the full solar body.

Names That Mean Golden Sun

Names associated with a golden sun include Oriana (Latin, golden sunrise), Altan (Turkish, red or golden dawn), and Kiran (Sanskrit, golden sunbeam). Zaria (Arabic, sunrise beauty) also carries golden sun associations in its meaning. The prefix or root or (from Latin aurum, gold) appears in names like Oriana and Aurora, connecting solar light to the color of gold.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a name that means sun?

Some of the most popular names that mean sun include Sol (Latin for sun), Soleil (French for sun), Helios (Greek sun god), Cyrus (Persian, sun), Ravi (Sanskrit, sun), Surya (Hindu sun god), Aditya (Sanskrit, sun deity), and Samson (Hebrew, sun child).

What is the Greek name for the sun?

The Greek name for the sun is Helios. Apollo is also closely associated with the sun in later Greek tradition.

What is the Latin name for the sun?

The Latin name for the sun is Sol. Sol Invictus (the unconquered sun) was one of the most important deities in the Roman Empire.

What is a Japanese name meaning sun?

Popular Japanese names meaning sun include Haruko (sun child), Hinata (sunny place), Haruki (shining sun), Amaterasu (sun goddess), and Asahi (morning sun).

What are Arabic names meaning sun?

Arabic names meaning sun include Shams (sun), Nayer (sun), Fajr (dawn), Sahar (dawn), and Nuri (my light).

What are girl names that mean sun?

Popular girl names that mean sun include Soleil (French), Solana (Spanish), Marisol (Spanish), Aurora (Latin), Kyra (Persian), Eliana (Hebrew/Latin), Haruko (Japanese), and Saulė (Lithuanian).

Conclusion

Names that mean sun connect a child to the most universal human experience there is. Every person who has ever lived has felt the sun on their face, watched it rise and set, and understood at some level that without it nothing would exist. A sun name carries that recognition into a single word, a single sound, a name someone will hear and say every day of their life.

From the Latin Sol to the Sanskrit Surya, from the Greek Helios to the Japanese Haruko, from the Arabic Shams to the French Soleil, these 250 names that mean sun represent thousands of years of human admiration for the star at the center of our solar system and the warmth it brings to every living thing on earth.