Baby Names That Mean Sun: 40+ Radiant and Warm Picks

Some babies just feel like sunshine — they walk into a room (or get carried into one) and everything warms up. If that's the wish in your heart, a name that means sun is a beautiful way to capture it: bright, warm, radiant, full of life and golden energy. Where moon names are soft and mystical, sun names are bold and joyful — they blaze rather than glow, and they tend to suit children with big, warm personalities (or parents hoping for exactly that).

The sun has been worshipped, mythologized, and adored across every culture on earth, so there's a glorious spread of sun names to choose from: direct translations, radiant sun gods and goddesses, and warm sunshine-adjacent gems. As always, I've gathered the brightest of them here with origins, nicknames, and honest notes — plus a clear sense of how "sun" names differ from moon, star, and light, so you choose exactly the radiance you want. Let's chase some sunshine.

Names that mean "sun" directly

The direct hits — names that literally mean sun across different languages:

• Soleil (French — "sun") — chic, radiant, and literally sunshine; soft and lovely for a girl.
• Elio / Helios (Italian/Greek — "sun") — Elio is the gorgeous, wearable everyday form; Helios is the full sun-god drama.
• Sunny (English — "of the sun, cheerful") — playful, warm, and unisex.
• Surya (Sanskrit — "sun," the Hindu sun god) — radiant and global.
• Samson (Hebrew — "sun, like the sun") — strong and biblical, nickname Sam.
• Cyrus (Persian — "sun, lord") — vintage-cool and rising.
• Aelius / Aurelio (Latin — "sun, golden") — warm and distinctive.
• Shamsa / Shams (Arabic — "sun") — bright and uncommon.
• Hinata (Japanese — "sunny place, toward the sun") — soft and modern.

Elio and Soleil are the standouts — Elio for an easy, handsome boy name, Soleil for pure French sunshine. Cyrus is the cool, climbing pick for boys.

The sun gods and goddesses

Nearly every ancient culture had a sun deity, and their names blaze with radiant power and myth:

• Apollo (Greek — god of the sun, light, music, and poetry) — bold, mythic, and increasingly used.
• Sol / Sola (Roman/Norse — the sun itself, personified) — short, striking, and unisex.
• Ra (Egyptian — the great sun god) — tiny and powerful.
• Aurora (Latin — goddess of the dawn, the sun's first light) — beloved and beautiful.
• Áine (Irish — a sun goddess; "radiance") — lyrical, pronounced "AWN-ya."
• Amaterasu (Japanese — the sun goddess) — magnificent but a real commitment.
• Savitri (Sanskrit — a solar goddess; "of the sun") — elegant and rare.

Apollo and Aurora are the wearable powerhouses here — both mythic, both radiant, both very much on trend.

Warm, sunshine-adjacent names

If the feeling of sunshine matters more than the literal meaning, these golden, warm names capture it beautifully:

• Goldie / Aurelia (golden) — sun-warm and glowing.
• Marigold (the golden sun-flower) — cheerful and cottagecore-pretty.
• Dawn / Roxana (the sun's first light) — hopeful and soft.
• Leo / Leon (the lion — the sun's zodiac sign, ruled by the sun) — a hidden solar pick!
• Ravi (Sanskrit — "sun") — short and warm.
• Phoebe / Apollo's twin Phoebus (bright) — radiant classics.
• Eos (Greek — the dawn) — tiny and rare.

A fun bit of trivia: Leo is secretly a sun name — Leo is the zodiac sign ruled by the sun, so it carries solar warmth alongside its lion meaning. That makes it a wonderful low-key choice for sunshine without being on-the-nose.

How "sun" differs from moon, star, and light

Celestial names overlap, so here's how to pick the right radiance — each carries a distinct feeling:

• Sun (Elio, Soleil, Apollo) — warm, bold, energetic, joyful. Big personality.
• Moon (Luna, Selene) — gentle, mystical, calming. See our moon names guide.
• Star (Stella, Esther) — sparkling, aspirational. See our star names guide.
• Light (Lucia, Clara) — soft, pure, radiant in a quieter way. See our light names guide.

If you want a name that's warm, vibrant, and full of life, the sun is your light. For the whole night sky, see our celestial names guide.

A sun name is a wish for warmth — that your child will light up rooms, radiate joy, and carry a little fire of their own. It says: you are my sunshine, and the world is brighter for you in it.

Honest notes before you choose

• Apollo and Soleil are bold. Gorgeous, but they make a statement; if you want softer, Elio, Cyrus, and Aurelia give warmth with less drama.
• Aurora is climbing fast — beautiful but increasingly common; Áine, Eos, or Savitri offer rarer dawn/sun radiance.
• Sun names love a contrast. They pair beautifully with a grounded or cool-toned middle name (Apollo James, Soleil Wren) so the radiance doesn't tip into too-much.

Perfect for summer babies (and warm-hearted ones)

There's a lovely natural fit between sun names and summer babies — a child born in the long golden days of June, July, or August wears a sun name beautifully, like a little keepsake of the season they arrived in. A baby named Soleil, Sunny, or Elio born in high summer carries the warmth of that time right in their name.

But sun names aren't only for summer arrivals — they're just as lovely as a wish, regardless of the calendar. A winter baby named Apollo or Aurora brings the sun into the cold season, which is its own kind of magic. Many parents choose a sun name precisely because their little one feels like a burst of warmth in their lives, whatever the date on the birth certificate.

A small bonus for the astrologically inclined: sun names pair naturally with Leo babies (late July–August), since Leo is the one zodiac sign ruled by the sun itself. A Leo named Elio or Soleil carries a delightful double dose of solar energy — though, of course, you don't need a horoscope to love a name that simply sounds like sunshine. The warmth is the whole point, and that's something any child can grow into.

Pairings and sibling sets

Middle names that flow: Soleil Rose, Apollo James, Aurora Mae, Elio Reed, Cyrus Alexander, Sunny Claire.

Sibling sets with a celestial thread: Apollo & Selene (sun + moon — the perfect mythological pair). Elio & Luna (sun + moon, soft versions). Aurora & Orion (dawn + constellation). A sun-and-moon sibling set is one of the most beautiful pairings there is.

Frequently Asked Questions

What baby names mean sun?

Names meaning sun include Soleil (French), Elio and Helios (Greek/Italian), Apollo (sun god), Surya (Sanskrit), Cyrus (Persian), and Samson (Hebrew, "like the sun").

What girl name means sun?

Soleil, Aurora (dawn), Áine, Savitri, and Shamsa all mean sun or are tied to it, along with golden/sunshine names like Goldie, Aurelia, and Marigold.

What boy name means sun?

Elio, Apollo, Cyrus, Samson, Surya, and Ravi are all radiant sun names for boys, ranging from soft and wearable to bold and mythic.

What names mean "sun god" or "sun goddess"?

Apollo, Helios, Ra, and Sol are sun gods; Aurora, Áine, Amaterasu, and Savitri are sun or dawn goddesses — powerful, mythological choices.

Is Leo a sun name?

Yes, in a hidden way — Leo means "lion," but it's also the zodiac sign ruled by the sun, so it quietly carries solar warmth. It's a lovely low-key sun pick.

How is a sun name different from a moon or star name?

Sun names (Elio, Soleil, Apollo) feel warm, bold, and energetic; moon names (Luna) feel gentle and mystical; star names (Stella) feel sparkling and aspirational. Choose the radiance that matches the feeling you want.

🔗 More Baby Name Guides You'll Love

Ready to find your little sunshine's name?

Whether you want the chic Soleil, the mighty Apollo, or a warm hidden gem like Elio or Cyrus, there's a radiant, golden name here waiting — one as bright and warm as the little sunshine you're naming.

👉 Open the free Baby Name Builder and explore over 1,000 names by vibe, origin, and meaning. Swipe, save the ones that warm you up, and build a shortlist you love. No signup, no app — just you and a world of names. 💕

Which name felt like sunshine? Trust that warmth — start your shortlist today.