Jewish names that mean "Light" -Boy & Girl

I just found out my grandmother passed away (she lived in Russia and actually passed 3 years ago, my mom JUST told me 2 day ago (!) - this whole time I thought she was alive... but that's a whole 'nother story.......).

She was sweet lady but I only met her once that I can remember, when I was 12 and she visited for the summer. Her name was Sveta. I think that was her whole name, although it might be a shortened form of Svetlana.

It means "Light" in Russian.

My son is named Yeshaya, so I think naming a daughter Sveta would sound a little too odd next to such a name, too Russian (hate to say it!), even though I do like the sound of it.

I am expecting now and have not yet found out what I'm having.

So I'd love some suggestions to pretty sounding Jewish names (boy and girl) that mean "Light" - be they Hebrew, Yiddish, from Tanach, etc. A plus if it starts with an S!
Can you think of anything besides "Uri, Ora/Aura"? - cause I'm just not crazy about the sound of those names. :-/

As of right now I have a 'feeling' I'm having a boy, but we'll wait and see!

Bshaa tova

Not an S name, but Lior / Liora
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Boys:

Yair, Orel, Shraga, Ziv , Meir, Elior

Girls:

Hila, Liora/Lior, Noga, Orit/Orli, Shalhevet , Meira

So far I really like Meira and Shalhevet.

Now I need a good boy one...

Or should I not name a boy in spirit after a female relative?

Neria, Feivel...

Ask a shaila! There are various opinions on this.
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Anyone heard of the name "Neriah"? Apparently a boy name.
(Variant spelling of Hebrew Neriya, meaning "light of the Lord." In the bible, this is the name of the father of Baruch.)

For a girl, I also like Zahava. Unless the meaning "gold" is too far a stretch from "light"?

Or how about Lana? It's not really a typical Hebrew/Jewish name, I don't think - would it sound too weird in a role-call at Beis Yaakov?
It's short for Svetlana. Might be cute in a name combo, like Lana Meira or something??

Gotta try these on for size.

Thanks for the previous suggestions, and please keep them coming!

If I could find my Beider name book I would tell you if Lana was ever used. I think I remember it was. Anyone??

I do love Lana Meira.

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Another name that was not mentioned yet for a boy: Oriel (it's different thatn Orel.)

Schneur for a boy. It means "two lights" (combo of meir and yair, not directly though). It also starts with an s.

Executive Member Joined: Nov 08 2010 Posts: 337

Didn't mean for that to come up anon

Gold Member Joined: Mar 26 2006 Posts: 1626

We made a bris for good friends who named their baby Maor (ma-or). It means "light-giver"
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Diamond Member Joined: Dec 28 2005 Posts: 4663

You mentioned Neriya - yes I've heard of it. It's my nephew's middle name (DL in Israel).

For a girl you mentioned Zehava- what about Zeva. It means light like zev hashchina. Btw I knew a girl sveti. There are prob more uncommon names for girls than boys. Bshah tova!

I see like 3 people suggested Meir, but I have a good friend who has one of her sons named Shmuel Meyer and now I forever associate that name with him... Sometimes they call him just Shmuel or just Meyer. Pretty sure that's how they spell it, though it might be indeed "Meir".

Don't you just hate it how the names of your friends' rambunctious children, or the name of some weird kid you knew back in middle school, can just ruin a perfectly good name for you, forever?

Either way, I just don't love the sound of the name Meir.
But Meira, on the other hand, has a nice ring to it, for me. Weird, eh? Wink

Moderator Joined: Jun 05 2011 Posts: 3378

My son Meir Simcha (named after the Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk who wrote the Ohr Somayach sefer) is adorable and very handsome! Most of the time when I meet Meir boys, I think they have an extra special light in their eyess!
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Active Poster Joined: Jul 12 2011 Posts: 87

I know a family who has two girls, two Yael Alumit and Yara Eliana and a boy Yair.

They also had a dog named Nira Wink

Isn't Maor a celestial body?