Every summer, meteorologists release their orange and red alert maps. The fans whir, the ice cream melts, and the maternity wards welcome babies who, without knowing it, are born under the sign of the sun. What if this sign also became that of their first name?
The Official First Names 2025 (First Éditions) lists thousands of first names with their etymology, their history and their current trends. When reading it, one thing is obvious: the first names linked to the sun, light, dawn and summer are numerous, rich in meaning – and, good news, several of them are today among the most given in France. Enough to inspire those looking for a first name as warm as their beliefs.
These first names that carry the sun within them
Alba — The dawn that illuminates the top 5
It is there big surprise of recent years. Alba, which comes from Latin albus (“white”), also translates to “dawn” in Spanish and Italian. A promise of light and a new beginning, ideal for welcoming a child. The Official First Names 2025 notes that Alba was able to focus “all the attention” on herself and rose to the top 5 national women’s rankings, leaving Louise, Jade and Ambre in her wake. Its growth is notably linked to the success of actress Alba Flores, revealed by
The House of Paper.
For parents: a short first name (4 letters), sweet, international, and whose luminous meaning is a real gift.
Elio — The Sun God on the Rise
This is a male first name that sounds like a meteor. Elio comes directly from ancient Greek heliosthe Sun. In Greek mythology, Helios was the sun god personified, represented by the famous Colossus of Rhodes — one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The Official First Names 2025
says that Elio is “flying to the French firmament” and should establish itself in the national top 20 by 2025. He is already in the top 10 in French-speaking Switzerland.
Among the famous people with this first name: Elio Germano, recognized Italian actor, and Elio Di Rupo, former Prime Minister of Belgium. A first name that is both mythological, solar and anchored in modernity.
For parents: Elio sounds Italian and chic, it is short, easy to pronounce in all languages, and its meaning leaves no doubt: your child will shine.
Aurora — The goddess of the morning, feminine and timeless
Aurora is the Roman goddess of the morning, sister of Sol (the Sun). It “punctuates the passage of time and symbolizes the cycle of the seasons”, recalls the Official First Names 2025. Etymologically, Aurore is also linked to Latin
aurum“gold” — a double promise of radiance and dawning light. The first name has 66,000 carriers in France and remains in the top 200 for women.
It is also Sleeping Beauty in its French version (and in Sleeping Beauty by Disney), a cultural heritage that continues to seduce parents in search of poetry.
For parents: a first name full of grace, which evokes the precise moment when night gives way to light. Romantic and natural at the same time.
Nour — Light in Arabic, universal and rising
Nour comes from Arabic nûrwhich simply means “light”. The Official First Names 2025 underlines this beautiful coincidence: Nour is celebrated on the same day as Lucie (from the Latin luxlight). A unisex first name, predominantly feminine in France, which “has taken a liking to the light” according to the book, and is now in the national and Parisian top 30.
Her influence is undoubtedly linked to that of Queen Noor of Jordan, this American who married King Hussein in 1978 and knew how to win “the hearts of the population through her sincere commitment”. A first name of light that crosses cultures and borders with rare elegance.
For parents: short, sweet, and universal. Nour works as well in French as in Arabic, making it a versatile first name that is profoundly beautiful in its simplicity.
Amber — The resin of golden light, number 1 in France
Ambre is today tied for 1st national female rank with Louise. It owes its name to the amber fossil resin, of which the Arabs called the yellow variant succinum.
The Official First Names 2025 recalls that the first name has its origins in Greek ambrosios (“immortal”). But in the collective imagination, Ambre is above all this warm, golden, solar light – a stone which seems to have captured a ray of sunlight.
With 63,000 first names and a dazzling trajectory since the 2000s, Ambre has established herself as one of the great figures of the current generation.
For parents: a first name that is both natural, precious and luminous. Its sweet sound and warm meaning make it a perfect choice for a summer baby.
Estelle — The star of the Pays d’Oc
From Latin stella“star”, Estelle is a feminine first name well anchored in French and Occitan tradition.
The Official First Names 2025 recalls that Saint Estelle is linked to the creation of Félibrige, the literary school which has promoted the language and culture of the langue d’oc countries since the 19th century. More contemporary, Estelle of Sweden (born 2012) is the youngest crown princess to the Swedish throne — a symbol of royal light for modern times.
For parents: a first name rich in history and poetry, which carries with it the radiance of a starry summer sky.
Leo — The lion that shines in the firmament
Leo comes from Latin Leo“lion” — the solar animal par excellence, symbol of heat, power and light in many cultures. He is undoubtedly in 1st place for men since 2021 with more than 129,000 first names in France.
The Official First Names 2025 notes that Léo “shines in the firmament” and that first names in “éo” – of which Elio follows – confirm their predominance in the current ranking.
Leo is also the astrological sign of summer (from July 23 to August 22), which makes it a doubly solar first name for babies born in the heatwave.
For parents: timeless, strong, radiant. Leo combines all the qualities of a first name that will last a lifetime.
Apolline — Daughter of Apollo, god of the Sun
In Greek mythology, Apollo is the god of the Sun, light and the arts. Apolline, its feminine form, “relates to Apolline in Greek mythology” specifies the Official First Names 2025. An elegant first name, which smells of Antiquity while sounding resolutely modern. It remains in the top 100 women with around 20,000 names.
For parents: cultured, luminous, slightly mythological. Apolline has this rare quality of being both anchored in history and perfectly contemporary.
Names that warm the heart
Whether it is a star (Estelle), the dawn (Alba, Aurore), the sun itself (Elio, Nour, Ambre) or a solar animal (Léo), first names linked to light and summer offer a remarkably varied palette. The Official First Names 2025 (First Éditions) constitutes a gold mine for future parents: each first name is dissected in its history, its etymology and its current trends, allowing an informed choice.
While the thermometers are panicking and France is rediscovering the power of the sun every year, giving your child a first name that brings light is perhaps the most beautiful way to mark their entry into the world.