Given name & surname
Light
“a lighthearted woman”
Light is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “a lighthearted woman.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One American interpretation is “a lighthearted woman.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is American.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2008. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Light through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 240
- 162 boys · 78 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 34 babies
- 2025
- 19
- #9,218 for girls · #9,384 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +86%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,218 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. It also appeared in 8 birth records for boys in 2025. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 223 as a first name in 2020; 16,231 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Light’s family of names
Light has a related form in Lite. Light has a related form in Lyte.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Light, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Laken
“man from the lake”
41% boys · 59% girls
Huxlee
“one who is creative”
73% boys · 27% girls
Halston
“a stylish woman”
42% boys · 58% girls
Crimson
“as rich and deep as the color”
40% boys · 60% girls
Copper
“a red-headed woman”
72% boys · 28% girls
Covey
“a brood of birds”
64% boys · 36% girls
Denim
“made of a strong cloth”
68% boys · 32% girls
Tatum
“bringer of joy; spirited”
47% boys · 53% girls