Last names that mean sun hold a special place in human culture, symbolizing our deep connection to the celestial body that sustains life on Earth. These surnames, found across diverse cultures and languages, often reflect qualities like warmth, light, and vitality—attributes universally associated with the sun.
In this blog post, we delve into the world of last names that mean sun, exploring their origins and cultural significance without revealing specific names just yet. From ancient civilizations to modern societies, people have chosen such names to honor the sun’s power, seek its protection, or celebrate its beauty.
Whether you’re researching your family history, seeking inspiration for naming, or simply curious about the stories behind names, this post offers a fascinating glimpse into how our naming conventions are intertwined with nature’s most prominent feature. Join us as we uncover the radiant world of last names that mean sun.
Sol (Latin/Spanish) – Directly means “sun” in Latin, common in Spanish-speaking regions.
Solar (Latin) – Derived from Latin “solaris,” meaning “of the sun.”
Solis (Spanish/Latin) – From Latin “sol,” meaning “sun.”
Sole (Italian/Portuguese) – Means “sun” in Italian and Portuguese.
Solano (Spanish/Italian/Portuguese) – Means “sun” or “sunny place” in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
Soleil (French) – French word for “sun,” evoking brightness and warmth.
Solaris (Latin) – Means “of the sun,” used as both a first and last name.
Solerno (Italian) – Means “sunlight” in Italian.
Soleiro (Portuguese) – Means “sunshine” in Portuguese.
Marisol (Spanish) – Combines “mar” (sea) and “sol” (sun), meaning “sea and sun.”
Aelius (Latin/Roman) – Roman surname possibly derived from Greek “helios,” meaning “sun.”
Aeliana (Latin) – Feminine form of Aelius, meaning “of the sun.”
Heliodoro (Spanish/Portuguese) – From Greek “helios” (sun) and “doron” (gift), meaning “gift of the sun.”
Hélio (Portuguese) – From Greek “Helios,” the sun god.
Eloina (Spanish) – Derived from “sol,” meaning “sun.”
Solara (Spanish) – From “sol,” meaning “sun.”
Lucero (Spanish) – Means “morning star” or “bright light,” associated with the sun.
Domingo (Spanish) – Means “Sunday,” the day of the sun.
Germanic and Scandinavian Origins
Sonnen (German) – Means “sun,” derived from “sonne.”
Sonnenberg (German) – Means “sun mountain.”
Solberg (Norwegian/Swedish) – From Old Norse “sól” (sun) and “berg” (mountain), meaning “sun mountain.”
Solheim (Norwegian) – From Old Norse “sól” (sun) and “heimr” (home), meaning “sun home.”
Solstedt (Swedish) – Means “sun’s place” in Swedish.
Solsken (Swedish) – Means “sunshine” in Swedish.
Solbakken (Norwegian) – Means “sun hill” in Norwegian.
Sundström (Swedish) – Means “sun stream.”
Sommer (German/English) – Means “summer,” associated with sunny seasons.
Sunna (Germanic) – From Norse mythology, the personification of the sun.
Sunniva (Norwegian) – Means “sun gift” in Old Norse.
Greek and Mythological Origins
Helios (Greek) – From the Greek sun god Helios, meaning “sun.”
Apollon (Greek) – Derived from Apollo, the Greek god associated with the sun.
Apollo (Greek/Italian) – From the Greek sun god Apollo.
Febo (Italian) – From Greek “Phoibos,” an epithet of Apollo, meaning “bright” or “sun.”
Helia (Greek) – Means “sun,” derived from “helios.”
Thesan (Etruscan) – Etruscan goddess of the dawn, equivalent to Greek Eos.
Elara (Greek) – Suggests brightness and light, linked to Zeus’s lover.
Asian Origins
Sun (Chinese) – Directly means “sun” in Chinese, also a common surname meaning “grandson.”
Sung (Korean) – Means “sun” based on its Chinese character.
Taiyang (Chinese) – Translates to “sun” in Chinese.
Hino (Japanese) – From “hi” (sun) and “no” (field), meaning “sun field.”
Hinode (Japanese) – Means “sunrise,” from “hi” (sun) and “de” (come out).
Hinomori (Japanese) – From “hi” (sun), “no” (field), and “mori” (forest), meaning “sun forest.”
Hita (Japanese) – From “hi” (sun) and “ta” (field), meaning “sun field.”
Kasuga (Japanese) – From “haru” (spring) and “ga” (sun/day), meaning “spring sun.”
Kawanichi (Japanese) – From “kawa” (river) and “nichi” (sun/day), meaning “river sun.”
Kohinata (Japanese) – From “ko” (small), “hi” (sun), and “na” (approach), meaning “small sun approach.”
Atsunori (Japanese) – Means “sun” in Japanese, with origins in Japan.
Hinata (Japanese) – Means “toward the sun” or “sunny place.”
Suryan (Sanskrit/Indian) – Means “son of the sun” or “sun.”
Suraj (Sanskrit/Indian) – Means “sun” or “daylight” in Sanskrit.
Arun (Sanskrit/Indian) – Means “dawn” or “sun” in Sanskrit.
Bhasin (Indian/Punjabi) – Derived from Sanskrit “bhānu,” meaning “ray of light” or “sun.”
Bhaskar (Indian) – From Sanskrit, meaning “that which radiates light” or “sun.”
Aditya (Indian) – Means “sun” or “belonging to the sun gods” in Sanskrit.
Jayasuriya (Sinhalese) – From Sanskrit “jaya” (victory) and “sūrya” (sun), meaning “victory sun.”
Kulasuriya (Sinhalese) – From Sanskrit “kula” (family) and “sūrya” (sun), meaning “family of the sun.”
Abeysuriya (Sinhalese) – From Sanskrit “abhaya” (fearless) and “sūrya” (sun), meaning “fearless sun.”
Amarasuriya (Sinhalese) – From Sanskrit “amara” (immortal) and “sūrya” (sun), meaning “immortal sun.”
Balasuriya (Sinhalese) – From Sanskrit “bāla” (young) and “sūrya” (sun), meaning “young sun.”
Aftab (Persian/Indian) – Means “sun” or “sunshine” in Persian.
Khorshid (Persian) – Means “shining sun” in Persian.
Aygun (Turkic) – From “ay” (moon) and “gün” (sun), meaning “moon and sun.”
Akgün (Turkish) – Means “white sun” or “white day” from “ak” (white) and “gün” (sun).
Suntay (Turkish) – Means “sun” in Turkish.
Slavic and Eastern European Origins
Zorya (Slavic) – Means “dawn” or “morning star,” associated with the sun.
Yaroslava (Slavic) – Means “sunlight glory” in Slavic languages.
Leta (Slavic) – Means “sun” in ancient Slavic roots.
Zohar (Hebrew) – Means “radiance” or “sunshine” in Hebrew.
Sorina (Romanian) – Derived from “soare,” meaning “sun.”
Diellza (Albanian) – Means “sunset” in Albanian.
Agim (Albanian) – Means “dawn,” poetically tied to the sun’s appearance.
African and Middle Eastern Origins
Ra (Egyptian) – Means “sun,” after the Egyptian sun god.
Rael (Egyptian/Hebrew) – Variation of Ra, symbolizing the sun.
Anyanwu (Igbo/Nigerian) – From the Igbo sun deity, meaning “sun.”
Langa (Zulu/African) – Means “sun,” “light,” or “sunshine.”
Fayruz (Arabic) – Means “turquoise,” associated with the sunlit sky.
Alla (Arabic) – Means “sunrise” in Arabic.
Samira (Arabic) – Means “companion in evening talk,” linked to the evening sun.
Celtic and Welsh Origins
Sulien (Welsh) – Means “born of the sun.”
Tesni (Welsh) – Means “warmth from the sun.”
Aine (Irish) – Means “radiance” or “brightness.”
Belenus (Celtic) – Means “bright” or “shining,” associated with a Celtic sun god.
Native American and Indigenous Origins
Chusi (Hopi) – Means “snake flower,” associated with the sun.
Tonalli (Nahuatl/Aztec) – Means “day” or “sunshine” in Nahuatl.
Xbalanque (Mayan) – From Mayan mythology, associated with the sun as one of the Hero Twins.
Antiman (Mapuche) – Means “condor of the sun” in Mapuche.
Antinanco (Mapuche) – Means “eagle of the sun” in Mapuche.
English and Anglo-Saxon Origins
Sunny (English) – Directly means “sunny,” associated with brightness.
Sunrise (English) – Refers to the moment the sun appears.
Sundown (English) – Refers to the moment the sun sets.
Sunshine (English) – Means “the light of the sun.”
Sunbeam (English) – Means “ray of sunlight.”
Dawn (English) – Refers to the time of sunrise.
Dayton (English) – Means “bright town” or “day,” linked to sunlight.
Levant (English) – From Latin/French, meaning “rising sun” or “east.”
Somerset (English) – Means “dwellers at the summer settlement,” tied to sunny seasons.
Other Cultural Origins
Saule (Baltic) – Name of the Baltic sun goddess, meaning “sun.”
Malina (Inuit) – Name of an Inuit solar deity, meaning “yellow.”
Arinna (Hittite) – From the Hittite sun goddess.
Hina (Hawaiian) – Associated with deities, including the sun.
Inti (Quechua/Inca) – Means “sun” in Quechua, from the Inca sun god.
Jóhonaaʼéí (Navajo) – Means “sun” in Navajo mythology.
Utu (Sumerian) – Sumerian sun god, meaning “sun.”
Abe (Japanese/Ainu) – Means “sun festival” in Ainu.
Soleman (Arabic/Hebrew) – Means “son of the sun.”
Solomons (English) – Derived from Solomon, associated with wisdom and the sun.
Soltau (German) – Means “sun valley” in German.
Chsol (Germanic) – From old Germanic roots related to the sun.
Günay (Turkish/Azerbaijani) – From “gün” (sun) and “ay” (moon), meaning “sun and moon.”
Günel (Azerbaijani) – From “gün” (sun) and “el” (country), meaning “sun country.”
Sienna (Italian) – Means “orange-red,” like the sun at sunset.
Yang (Chinese) – Symbolizes the sun or positive principle in yin-yang balance.
Haruko (Japanese) – Means “spring child,” associated with the spring sun.
Xia (Chinese) – Means “glow of the sunrise” in Chinese.
Arpi (Armenian) – Means “sun” or “ether” in Armenian.
Areg (Armenian) – Means “sun” or “bright” in Armenian.
Arevik (Armenian) – Means “like the sun” in Armenian.
Cira (Greek) – From “cirus,” meaning “sun” in Greek mythology.
Sorin (Romanian) – Means “sun,” simple and sophisticated.
Heulwen (Welsh) – Means “sunshine” in Welsh.
Final Thought:
As we conclude our exploration of last names that mean sun, it’s evident that these surnames are more than mere labels—they are cultural artifacts that illuminate our shared human experience under the same celestial body. These names connect us to our ancestors and their reverence for the sun, reflecting values like renewal, constancy, and light.
Whether you’ve discovered a name with personal significance or simply enjoyed learning about global naming traditions, we hope this post has been both enlightening and enjoyable. Remember, every name carries a story, and last names that mean sun are particularly luminous in their ability to convey heritage and identity.
Thank you for joining us on this journey through the world of solar-inspired surnames. We encourage you to share this post with others who might find it as fascinating as you do.