Nuru

♀ Girl

Pronounced NOO-roo /ˈnuː.ruː/Medium

Meaning: From the Swahili nuru, 'light' (from the Arabic nur). A warm, luminous name of East African tradition; often given to a child born in daylight.Low

In 30 seconds: A luminous Swahili name: Nuru means 'light' (said 'NOO-roo'). Warm, bright, and simple.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumSwahili, Arabic

MeaningFrom the Swahili nuru, 'light' (from the Arabic nur). A warm, luminous name of East African tradition; often given to a child born in daylight.

U.S. rank (2022)#9500 ↗ Rising

2022 U.S. births11 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 17

History & Origin

Nuru comes from the Swahili nuru, 'light,' itself from the Arabic nur. It reads bright and warm, familiar in East African tradition and rare in the U.S. (said 'NOO-roo').

It appears rarely in the U.S. Rare, luminous, and warm.

Did you know? Nuru is Swahili for 'light' (from the Arabic nur) — a warm, luminous name of East Africa, sometimes given to a child born in daylight (said 'NOO-roo').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Nuru — Swahili 'light'; from Arabic nur

Variations

NurNoorNuria

Nicknames

RuNunu

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Nuru…

Zuri— a like Swahili girl's name

Imani— a like warm Swahili pick

Amara— a like soft African-style name

Noor— the 'light' sense it shares

Explore names like Nuru

By themeswahili light african luminous

By meaningLight Gift / Blessing

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Nuru mean?

Nuru is Swahili for 'light' (from the Arabic nur).

How do you pronounce Nuru?

It's said NOO-roo /ˈnuː.ruː/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Nuru a boy or girl name?

Nuru is used here as a girl's name; in Swahili it can be unisex.

How popular is Nuru?

Nuru is an extremely rare name in the U.S.