Japanese names that mean light
Japanese names meaning light, shine and brightness: 光, 輝, 煌, 明 and more, with the most popular names built from them.
光 hikari, hikaru: light輝 ki, teru: to shine明 aki, akira: bright
Light is a favourite theme in Japanese names, and there is a kanji for almost every kind of it. 光 is light itself and gives the classic names Hikari and Hikaru. 輝 means to shine or sparkle and shows up in Kōki (光輝), Daiki (大輝) and Haruki. 明 means bright or clear and gives Akira and Akari.
Newer names lean on rarer, more glittering kanji such as 煌 (to glitter), 晄 and 晃 (clear, bright) and 耀 (to shine). They look striking on paper, which is part of their appeal, though they can be harder for others to read at first sight.
On this page
The kanji behind light names
| Kanji | Readings | Meaning | In names |
|---|---|---|---|
| 光 | ひか, ひかり, こう | light | 7 ranked names |
| 輝 | かがや, き | to shine, radiance | 19 ranked names |
| 煌 | きらめ, きら, かがや, こう | to glitter | 3 ranked names |
| 晄 | あきらか, こう | clear, bright | 1 ranked name |
| 耀 | かがや, ひかり, よう | to shine | 1 ranked name |
| 明 | あ, あか, あき, めい | bright | 5 ranked names |
| 照 | て, しょう | to shine | 1 ranked name |
| 灯 | ひ, ほ, ともしび, とも | lamp, light | Rare in ranked names |
| 燈 | ひ, ほ, ともしび, とも | lamp, light | 2 ranked names |
Popular names with a light kanji
Spellings that have made Japan's yearly baby name rankings, most popular first.
Light names of real people
Given names with a light kanji carried by notable Japanese people. The number shows how many notable people share each one.
More light names
Rarer spellings found in Japanese name records. In each one the light kanji keeps its own reading, so the meaning is really there, not just the sound.
Last names with a light meaning
Questions
What Japanese name means light?
Hikari and Hikaru (光) both mean light. Akari (明 or 灯) means light or brightness, and Kōki (光輝) combines light with radiance.
Is Hikari a boy or girl name?
Hikari is mostly a girl's name and Hikaru is more often a boy's, though both are written 光 and both are used for either gender.