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
Asahi	Morning sun	Japanese	Male	A-sa-hi	Uncommon
Lyann	Bright, sun	English	Female	LYANN	Rare
Prabhakar	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	PRA-bha-kar	Uncommon
Louisin	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	loui-sin	Uncommon
Hinata	Sunny place, facing the sun	Japanese	Female	HI-na-ta	Uncommon
Ishan	Sun rising	Sanskrit	Male	I-shan	Uncommon
Dawn	Sunrise, first light	Old English	Male	DAWN	Very Common
Sukiyn	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	su-ki-y-n	Uncommon
Darosmir	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	da-ros-mir	Uncommon
Suraj	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	SU-raj	Uncommon
Halo	Ring of light around the sun	Greek/French	Male	HA-lo	Rare
Mirosora	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	mi-ro-so-ra	Uncommon
Vivaan	Full of life/sun	Sanskrit	Male	VI-vaan	Uncommon
Zorion	Sun, happiness	Basque	Male	ZO-rion	Rare
Ra	Sun god	Egyptian	Male	RA	Uncommon
Naseem	Morning breeze, sunlit air	Arabic	Male	NA-seem	Rare
Baskaar	The sun	Tamil	Male	BA-skaar	Rare
Helia	Sun	Greek	Female	HE-lia	Rare
Zarusara	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	za-ru-sa-ra	Uncommon
Blaze	Fire, sun	Latin	Male	BLA-ze	Uncommon
Takemikazuchia	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	ta-ke-mi-ka-zu-chi-a	Rare
Mehrnaz	Delight of the sun	Persian	Female	ME-hrnaz	Uncommon
Agim	Dawn, sunrise	Albanian	Male	A-gim	Rare
Lyanne	Bright sunlight	English	Female	LYA-nne	Rare
Valelith	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	va-le-lit	Uncommon
Delynael	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	de-ly-nael	Uncommon
Cyra	Like the sun	Persian/Greek	Female	CYRA	Rare
Rexiel	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	re-xiel	Uncommon
Solveig	Strength of the sun	Norwegian	Female	SO-lveig	Rare
Apollo	God of the sun and light	Greek	Male	A-po-llo	Very Common
Daraleth	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	da-ra-let	Rare
Eleanor	Bright sun	Greek	Female	E-lea-nor	Very Common
Sunshine	Sunshine	English	Female	SU-nshi-ne	Rare
Merlin	Sea fortress, sun-bright	Old English/Welsh	Male	ME-rlin	Rare
Leighann	Sunny meadow	English	Female	LEI-ghann	Rare
Kalinda	The sun	Sanskrit	Female	KA-li-nda	Uncommon
Kyra	Like the sun	Persian/Greek	Female	KYRA	Uncommon
Radley	Meadow of the sun	Old English	Male	RA-dley	Uncommon
Qualitaa	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	qua-li-taa	Rare
Raiden	Sun and thunder	Japanese	Male	RAI-den	Uncommon
Aarush	First ray of the sun	Sanskrit/Indian	Male	AA-rush	Rare
Mihir	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	MI-hir	Uncommon
Oriana	Golden sunrise	Latin	Female	O-ria-na	Rare
Arthit	Sun	Thai	Male	A-rthit	Rare
Sunil	Sun's brilliance	Sanskrit	Male	SU-nil	Uncommon
Eki	Sun	Basque	Male	E-ki	Rare
Harita	Sunny, green	Sanskrit	Female	HA-ri-ta	Uncommon
Haru	Sun, spring brightness	Japanese	Male	HA-ru	Uncommon
Grishma	Sunny, sunlight	Sanskrit	Female	GRI-shma	Uncommon
Aurelio	Golden sun	Italian/Spanish	Male	AU-re-lio	Rare
Suryan	Sun	Sanskrit	Male	SU-ryan	Uncommon
Tonatiuh	Sun deity	Aztec/Nahuatl	Male	TO-na-tiuh	Uncommon
Grian	Sun	Irish/Gaelic	Male	GRIAN	Rare
Weston	Western settlement, sunset town	Old English	Male	WE-ston	Uncommon
Elenwyn	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	e-len-wyn	Uncommon
Narantsetseg	Sunflower	Mongolian	Female	NA-ra-ntse-tseg	Rare
Belusyx	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	be-lu-sy-x	Rare
Eleodora	Gift of the sun	Spanish/Greek	Female	E-leo-do-ra	Rare
Dhitya	Sunshine, thought	Sanskrit	Female	DHI-tya	Uncommon
Ha-Yun	Summer, sunlight	Korean	Female	HA-yun	Rare
Oleana	Bright sun	Slavic/Greek	Female	O-lea-na	Rare
Sooriyamala	Sun garland	Sinhalese	Female	SOO-ri-ya-ma-la	Rare
Helen	Bright sun, torch	Greek	Female	HE-len	Very Common
Elinora	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	e-li-no-ra	Uncommon
Mehrab	Sun	Persian	Male	ME-hrab	Uncommon
Marisol	Sea and sun; often paired thematically with star/celestial names	Spanish	Female	mah-ree-SOL	Uncommon
Mirarar	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	mi-ra-rar	Uncommon
Vorath	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	vo-rat	Uncommon
Drake	Dragon, fire of the sun	Old English	Male	DRA-ke	Common
Gunay	Sun and moon	Turkish	Male	GNAY	Rare
Apricus	Warmed by the sun	Latin	Male	A-pri-cus	Rare
Phoebus	Bright, shining sun	Greek	Male	PHOE-bus	Rare
Aerulmir	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	ae-rul-mir	Rare
Elidor	Golden sun	Welsh/Greek	Male	E-li-dor	Rare
Eliana	My God has answered, sun	Hebrew/Latin	Female	E-lia-na	Uncommon
Amun	Hidden sun god	Egyptian	Male	A-mun	Uncommon
Cavalieroia	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	ca-va-lie-roia	Rare
Elias	My God is the sun	Greek/Hebrew	Male	E-lias	Uncommon
Leighton	Settlement in the sunny meadow	Old English	Male	LEI-ghton	Uncommon
Helaku	Full of sunshine	Native American (Miwok)	Female	HE-la-ku	Rare
Celosvel	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	ce-lo-s-ve-l	Uncommon
Helena	Bright, shining sun	Greek	Female	HE-le-na	Rare
Bhaskar	Sun (one who shines)	Sanskrit	Male	BHA-skar	Uncommon
Haleleth	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	ha-le-let	Uncommon
Finesseiel	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	fi-nes-seiel	Rare
Drewia	Radiance of the sun	English	Unisex	dre-wia	Uncommon
Akira	Bright light, sunlight	Japanese	Male	A-ki-ra	Uncommon
Tapan	The sun	Sanskrit	Male	TA-pan	Uncommon
Remiiel	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	re-miiel	Uncommon
Leyanne	Sunny	English	Female	LE-ya-nne	Rare
Kendrick	Bold power, sun-like ruler	Old English	Male	KE-ndrick	Uncommon
Altan	Red dawn, golden sun	Mongolian/Turkish	Male	A-ltan	Rare
Tapti	Sun's warmth	Sanskrit	Female	TA-pti	Uncommon
Vapeurin	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	va-peu-rin	Rare
Kayoung	Blooming, sun	Korean	Female	KA-young	Rare
Celardra	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	ce-lar-dra	Uncommon
Chaitna	Sunshine, consciousness	Sanskrit	Female	CHAI-tna	Uncommon
Hayden	Hay valley, sun-warmed field	Old English	Male	HA-yden	Uncommon
Marise	Infinite, sunny sea	French/Japanese	Female	MA-ri-se	Uncommon
Natsuko	Summer sun child	Japanese	Female	NA-tsu-ko	Uncommon
Willka	Sun	Aymara	Male	WI-llka	Rare
Progressa	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	p-ro-g-re-s-sa	Rare
Fenorith	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	fe-no-ri-t-h	Uncommon
Hanion	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	ha-nion	Uncommon
Anshula	Sunny, radiant	Sanskrit	Female	A-nshu-la	Uncommon
Tamiron	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	ta-mi-ron	Uncommon
Yang	Sun/light	Chinese	Male	YANG	Uncommon
Thalilmir	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	tha-lil-mir	Uncommon
Solaris	Of the sun, solar	Latin	Male	SO-la-ris	Rare
Udaya	Sunrise	Sanskrit	Female	U-da-ya	Uncommon
Xanthus	Yellow, golden sun	Greek	Male	XA-nthus	Rare
Oran	Light, sun	Irish	Male	O-ran	Rare
Sole	Sun	Italian	Female	SO-le	Rare
Haruin	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	ha-ru-i-n	Uncommon
Hakan	Fiery, sun-like	Turkish/Native American	Male	HA-kan	Rare
Kalynith	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	ka-ly-nit	Uncommon
Khurshid	Shining sun	Persian	Male	KHU-rshid	Uncommon
Arpiar	Sunny	Armenian	Male	A-rpiar	Rare
Luqmaniel	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	luq-ma-niel	Rare
Masaru	Victory of the sun	Japanese	Male	MA-sa-ru	Uncommon
Hina	Sun, sunlight	Japanese	Female	HI-na	Uncommon
Jishnu	Victorious sun	Sanskrit	Male	JI-shnu	Uncommon
Savidharini	Sun carrier	Sanskrit	Female	SA-vi-dha-ri-ni	Uncommon
Velarwyn	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	ve-lar-wyn	Uncommon
Odhran	Sunlit, little one	Irish	Male	O-dhran	Rare
Soleo	Bright sun	Latin	Male	SO-leo	Rare
Zoeiel	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	zoeiel	Uncommon
Oriens	Rising sun, east	Latin	Male	O-riens	Rare
Aeraneth	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	ae-ra-ne-t-h	Rare
Aruna	Reddish-brown, dawn sun	Sanskrit/Hindi	Female	A-ru-na	Uncommon
Simar	Sun remembrance	Sanskrit	Male	SI-mar	Uncommon
Nouron	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	nou-ron	Uncommon
Horus	Sky and sun	Egyptian	Male	HO-rus	Uncommon
Heller	Bright, sunny	German	Female	HE-ller	Rare
Prakash	Light of sun	Sanskrit	Male	PRA-kash	Uncommon
Vorinion	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	vo-ri-ni-o-n	Rare
Elinar	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	e-li-nar	Uncommon
Gharni	Sunbeam	Sanskrit	Female	GHA-rni	Uncommon
Iorwenel	Radiance of the sun	English	Female	ior-we-nel	Rare
Misam	Sunbeam	Arabic	Male	MI-sam	Rare
Hnub	Sun	Hmong	Female	HNUB	Rare
Samsoni	Sun-like	Hebrew/Polynesian	Male	SA-mso-ni	Rare
Iden	Prosperous, sunlit	Old English	Male	I-den	Uncommon
Taiyo	The sun	Japanese	Male	TAI-yo	Uncommon
Ombraon	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	om-braon	Rare
Savitri	Relating to the sun	Sanskrit	Female	SA-vi-tri	Uncommon
Thalosel	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	tha-lo-sel	Rare
Arka	Sun, ray of light	Sanskrit	Male	A-rka	Uncommon
Siqiniq	Sun	Inuktitut	Female	SI-qi-niq	Rare
Helael	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	he-la-e-l	Rare
Sorley	From the sun	Scottish Gaelic	Male	SO-rley	Rare
Nada	Dew at sunrise	Arabic	Female	NA-da	Rare
Elosix	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	e-lo-six	Rare
Valulia	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	va-lu-lia	Uncommon
Anshuman	Radiant as sun	Sanskrit	Male	A-nshu-man	Uncommon
Rashmi	Ray of sunlight	Sanskrit	Female	RA-shmi	Uncommon
Heliodoro	Gift of the sun	Greek	Male	HE-lio-do-ro	Rare
Garo	Brave, sun warrior	Armenian	Male	GA-ro	Rare
Beleniel	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Male	be-le-niel	Uncommon
Dragonix	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	dra-go-nix	Rare
Liana	Sun vine, light	Latin/Hebrew	Female	LIA-na	Uncommon
Leanne	Bright sun meadow	English	Female	LEA-nne	Rare
Oskar	Divine strength, sun power	Scandinavian	Male	O-skar	Rare
Uday	Sunrise	Sanskrit	Male	U-day	Uncommon
Norton	North town, bright northern sun	Old English	Male	NO-rton	Uncommon
Faisaliel	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	fai-sa-liel	Uncommon
Elios	Sun, shining	Greek	Male	E-lios	Rare
Ishaan	The sun	Sanskrit/Hindi	Male	I-shaan	Uncommon
Ravindra	Lord of the sun	Sanskrit	Male	RA-vi-ndra	Uncommon
Saulee	Sun (sun goddess)	Lithuanian	Female	SAU-lee	Uncommon
Ileana	Bright sun	Romanian/Greek	Female	I-lea-na	Rare
Phelan	Wolf-like, sun warrior	Irish	Male	PHE-lan	Rare
Valiel	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	va-liel	Rare
Busteryn	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	bus-te-ryn	Uncommon
Darereon	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	da-re-reon	Uncommon
Soraia	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	so-ra-ia	Uncommon
Cyrus	The sun, throne	Persian	Male	CYRUS	Common
Solenne	Sunshine	French	Female	SO-le-nne	Rare
Helios	Personification of the sun	Greek	Male	HE-lios	Uncommon
Heulwen	Sunshine	Welsh	Female	HEU-lwen	Rare
Shinin	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	shi-ni-n	Uncommon
Eliani	My God is sun	Hebrew/Greek	Female	E-lia-ni	Uncommon
Elalia	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	e-la-lia	Rare
Fulton	Settlement of sunlit fields	Old English	Male	FU-lton	Uncommon
Inti	Sun god	Incan/Quechua	Male	I-nti	Rare
Prestigeiel	Radiance of the sun	French	Unisex	pres-ti-geiel	Rare
Rohit	Red sun	Sanskrit	Male	RO-hit	Uncommon
Zelena	Green, sunshine	Slavic	Female	ZE-le-na	Rare
Jiyoung	Wise, young sun	Korean	Female	JI-young	Rare
Sondo	Sun	Tibetan	Female	SO-ndo	Rare
Kyrah	Sun	Persian/Greek	Female	KYRAH	Rare
Oriol	Golden, sunlit	Catalan	Male	O-riol	Rare
Darisdra	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Male	da-ris-dra	Rare
Alpenglow	Rosy light of rising/setting sun on mountains	German	Female	A-lpe-nglow	Rare
Ochieng	Born when sun shines	Luo	Male	O-chieng	Rare
Misae	Beautiful sun	Native American (Osage)	Female	MI-sae	Rare
Hefin	Summer sun	Welsh	Male	HE-fin	Rare
Tapati	Daughter of the sun	Sanskrit	Female	TA-pa-ti	Uncommon
Nantai	Chief, standing sun	Navajo	Male	NA-ntai	Rare
Kiri	Skin, sunlit	Maori	Female	KI-ri	Rare
Candro	Sunlight	Sanskrit	Male	CA-ndro	Uncommon
Ombraa	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	om-braa	Rare
Levana	White, moon/sun rising	Hebrew	Female	LE-va-na	Rare
Shelton	Settlement on the sunny ledge	Old English	Male	SHE-lton	Uncommon
Sylorael	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	sy-lo-rael	Uncommon
Sampson	Like the sun	Hebrew	Male	SA-mpson	Rare
Aaren	Bright, mountain of sun	Hebrew	Male	AA-ren	Rare
Solana	Sunshine	Spanish	Female	SO-la-na	Rare
Zenith	Highest point, sun at peak	English/Arabic	Male	ZE-nith	Rare
Camelliaeth	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	ca-mel-liaet	Rare
Alvis	Sun elf, all-knowing	Old Norse	Male	A-lvis	Rare
Vorora	Radiance of the sun	French	Male	vo-ro-ra	Rare
Elio	The sun	Italian/Spanish	Male	E-lio	Rare
Sunniva	Sun gift	Scandinavian	Female	SU-nni-va	Rare
Theron	Hunter, sun-chaser	Greek	Male	THE-ron	Rare
Aditya	The sun, son of Aditi	Sanskrit	Male	A-di-tya	Common
Haul	Sun	Welsh	Male	HAUL	Rare
Ravinder	Sun lord, great sun	Sanskrit	Female	RA-vi-nder	Uncommon
Sorath	Sun warrior	English	Male	so-rat	Rare
Merlinar	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	mer-li-nar	Uncommon
Trimaxyn	Radiance of the sun	English	Male	tri-ma-xyn	Rare
Haleth	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Female	ha-let	Rare
Asis	Sun blessing	Sanskrit	Female	A-sis	Uncommon
Aiko	Love, sunlight	Japanese	Female	AI-ko	Uncommon
Helion	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	he-lion	Rare
Zariniel	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	za-ri-ni-e-l	Rare
Mirenvel	Radiance of the sun	English	Unisex	mi-ren-vel	Uncommon
Hinazuki	Sunshine moon	Japanese	Female	—	Rare
Pranusha	Ray of sunlight	Sanskrit	Female	PRA-nu-sha	Uncommon
Dinesh	Lord of the sun	Sanskrit	Male	DI-nesh	Uncommon
Sylirvel	Radiance of the sun	French	Female	sy-lir-vel	Rare
Surya	The sun, solar deity	Sanskrit	Male	SU-rya	Common
Elora	Shining sun	Greek	Female	E-lo-ra	Rare
Delonrix	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	de-lon-rix	Uncommon
Soleil	Sun	French	Female	SO-leil	Uncommon
Haruko	Sun child	Japanese	Female	hah-ROO-koh	Uncommon
Aine	Sun and moon goddess	Celtic	Female	AWN-yeh	Uncommon
Eguzki	Sun	Basque	Male	E-gu-zki	Rare
Haruki	Shining sun, spring radiance	Japanese	Male	HA-ru-ki	Common
Langa	Sun, light, sunshine	Zulu/African	Male	LA-nga	Rare
Lea-anne	Sunlit meadow	English	Female	LEAA-nne	Rare
Tsukuyomiiel	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	tsu-ku-yo-mi-ie-l	Rare
Apolinar	Sun-inspired	Spanish/Greek	Male	A-po-li-nar	Rare
Somerset	Summer settlement, sunlit land	English	Male	SO-me-rset	Rare
Samson	Like the sun	Hebrew	Male	SA-mson	Common
Qualityia	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Unisex	qu-a-li-ty-ia	Rare
Yelena	Bright, shining sun	Russian/Greek	Female	YE-le-na	Rare
Solina	Little sun	Spanish	Female	SO-li-na	Rare
Idalia	I see the sun	Greek	Female	I-da-lia	Rare
Aurion	Golden, radiant sun	Modern/Latin	Male	AU-rion	Rare
Leontios	Sun-like lion	Greek	Male	LEO-ntios	Rare
Maxeraeth	Radiance of the sun	English	Unisex	ma-xe-raet	Rare
Summer	The sunny season	English	Female	SU-mmer	Very Common
Toraia	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Male	to-ra-ia	Uncommon
Ray	Ray of sunlight	English	Male	RAY	Common
Elouise	Sun, healthy	French/German	Female	E-loui-se	Rare
Sylasar	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	sy-la-sar	Uncommon
Etoilea	Radiance of the sun	French	Unisex	e-toi-lea	Rare
Helaine	Bright sun	French/Greek	Female	HE-lai-ne	Rare
Nicoon	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	ni-coon	Uncommon
Aeliana	Sun	Latin	Female	AE-lia-na	Rare
Kalosar	Radiance of the sun	Italian	Unisex	ka-lo-sar	Uncommon
Soren	Sun, stern, bright	Scandinavian	Male	SO-ren	Rare
Suravi	Sunbeam, melodious	Sanskrit	Female	SU-ra-vi	Uncommon
Eleadora	Gift of the sun	Greek	Female	E-lea-do-ra	Rare
Yukiia	Radiance of the sun	Japanese	Female	yu-ki-ia	Uncommon
Aurelian	Golden, like the sun	Latin	Male	AU-re-lian	Rare
Falakix	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Female	fa-la-kix	Rare
Antiman	Condor of the sun	Mapuche	Male	A-nti-man	Rare
Sylisael	Radiance of the sun	Arabic	Unisex	sy-li-sael	Uncommon

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.