Light
A name derived from the English word for illumination or radiance.
Name Census estimates that about 220 living Americans carry the first name Light. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 69.7% of registrations being male. The average person named Light today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Light births was 2021 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Light. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
220
~ 1 in 1,557,974 Americans
Peak year
2021
34 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,554
Tracked since 2008
Gender
Gender distribution for Light
Light is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 221 total registrations, 154 (69.7%) were male and 67 (30.3%) were female.
Light as a male name
- Ranked #5,554 in 2024
- 17 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (26 births)
Light as a female name
- Ranked #14,460 in 2024
- 6 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (14 births)
Popularity
Light: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Light from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 137 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Light by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Light during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lights live
Origin
Meaning and history of Light
The name Light is believed to have originated from the Old English word "leoht," which means "brightness" or "radiance." It is derived from the Proto-Germanic root "leukhtaz," which is related to the Latin "lux" and Greek "leukos," both meaning "light."
The name Light has been used throughout history as a symbolic representation of enlightenment, knowledge, and divine illumination. In ancient texts, it was often associated with spiritual awakening and the pursuit of truth.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Light is found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, a collection of annals that documented the history of the Anglo-Saxons from the 9th century to the 12th century. The name appears as a masculine name during this period.
In the 12th century, the philosopher and theologian Peter Abélard wrote a hymn called "Lux Nova" (New Light), which celebrated the birth of Christ as the light that illuminated the world. This hymn may have contributed to the popularity of the name Light in medieval Europe.
Notable historical figures with the name Light include:
1. Light Horse Harry Lee (1756-1818), an American Revolutionary War officer and father of Robert E. Lee.
2. Light Townsend Cummins (1838-1919), an American politician who served as Governor of Iowa from 1901 to 1908.
3. Light Carrujo (1932-2020), a Filipino actor and director known for his work in the Philippine film industry.
4. Light Warlick (1940-2021), an American basketball coach who led the University of Tennessee Lady Vols to three NCAA championships.
5. Light Ngidi (born 1996), a South African cricketer who plays for the South African national team and various domestic teams.
While the name Light has been used throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon compared to other names. However, its symbolic meaning and connection to enlightenment and divine radiance have made it a meaningful and enduring choice for parents seeking a unique and meaningful name for their child.
People
Light + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Light as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Light: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Light?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 220 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Light going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,557,974 US residents.
Is Light a common name?
We classify Light as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 221 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Light most popular?
The single biggest year for Light was 2021, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Light is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Light a male name?
Yes, 69.7% of people registered as Light in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.