Dawn Baby Names
101 Dawn names with meanings, U.S. popularity, and audio pronunciation on every page.
Dawn baby names capture that first hush of light breaking over the horizon — hopeful, quiet, and full of promise. Parents drawn to this theme love names that mean literally “dawn,” “sunrise” or “first light” across cultures, from Aurora and Dawn to Sahar and Uday. They’re fitting for a baby born at daybreak, or simply for parents who want a name that feels like a fresh beginning.
What makes a name a “dawn” name?
Nearly every language has a word for the moment the sky lightens, and many became names. Zora comes from the Slavic word for dawn, Alba is simply Latin and Italian for dawn, and Aruna is Sanskrit for the reddish glow just before sunrise — proof of how universal the idea is.
Girl names that mean dawn
Aurora, named for the Roman goddess of the dawn, is the classic pick, with softer variants like Aury, Aurie and Arora. Zora and its cousins Zorah, Zaria and Zarya share that Slavic dawn meaning, while Sahar is Arabic for daybreak.
Boy names that mean dawn
Uday is Sanskrit for sunrise, and Vihaan and Vihan are beloved modern names meaning “dawn” or “morning.” Ahaan and Aahan carry that same first-light meaning with an open, gentle sound.
Light-filled variations to consider
For the feeling of dawn without the literal translation, look to light-rooted names like Lucy and Lucien, or Xia, the Chinese word for the rosy clouds that color the sky at daybreak.
Every name below links to its own page with a sourced meaning, U.S. popularity, famous bearers, and a clear audio pronunciation — so you can hear it before you choose.
Dawn Girl Names
Aurora#15 in the U.S.Dawn; the dawn goddess; morning light▶Lucy#25 in the U.S.Light; born at dawn or by daylight▶Zaria#945 in the U.S.Derived from Slavic Zarya meaning dawn, aurora, or morning glow, and also used as a name connec▶Zora#969 in the U.S.From Slavic zora meaning dawn or the glow of morning light, related to the root zor meaning lig▶Alba#1171 in the U.S.White; dawn; from Latin alba (white, dawn), or from Celtic Alba (Scotland; literally 'white lan▶Roxanne#1275 in the U.S.Bright, dawn, little star▶Ahana#1649 in the U.S.from Sanskrit, meaning 'the light of the inner self' or 'dawn'▶Dawn#1850 in the U.S.English word name meaning 'dawn, daybreak, first appearance of light', from Old English 'dagung▶Aruna#2816 in the U.S.Reddish brown, dawn▶Kiah#2939 in the U.S.Dawn▶Roxy#3204 in the U.S.Short form of Roxana or Roxanne, from Persian Roshanak or Ruxshana, meaning 'dawn', 'bright', o▶Roxanna#3313 in the U.S.Bright, shining, dawn; Latinate elaboration of Roxana, from Persian Roshanak▶Roxie#3314 in the U.S.Pet form of Roxanne/Roxana, from Persian Roshanak, 'bright, dawn'▶Sahar#3363 in the U.S.Dawn, the time just before sunrise; from Arabic sahar, beloved in Persian and Urdu as well▶Vihana#3683 in the U.S.First ray of the sun, dawn, morning; a modern Sanskrit-derived name▶Aahana#3685 in the U.S.Inner light, the first rays of the morning sun; from Sanskrit, a modern luminous name▶Zorah#4027 in the U.S.Linked to Arabic Zohra, 'dawn, brilliant star (Venus)', and to the biblical town Zorah; routes ▶Zaryah#4102 in the U.S.Linked to Slavic Zarya, 'dawn, sunrise' (a dawn goddess), in a modern -iyah/-yah styling; route▶Akemi#4279 in the U.S.From Japanese ake, 'bright, dawn', plus mi, 'beauty' — 'bright/dawn beauty'▶Zori#4455 in the U.S.Short form of Zora/Zorya — from Slavic zora, 'dawn, sunrise; aurora'▶Zarya#4647 in the U.S.From Slavic Zarya/Zorya — 'dawn, daybreak; the morning/evening star' (a dawn goddess)▶Ayelet#5027 in the U.S.From Hebrew ayelet, 'a gazelle, a doe' (from ayelet hashachar, 'the gazelle of dawn; the mornin▶Sahari#5107 in the U.S.From Arabic sahar/sahari, 'the time just before dawn; the pre-dawn hour' (also linked to 'encha▶Xia#5125 in the U.S.From Chinese xia, 'the rosy glow of clouds at dawn or sunset' (and, by another character, 'summ▶Sehrish#5257 in the U.S.From Urdu/Persian sehrish, linked to 'dawn, daybreak' (sehr) and 'enchanting, magical' (sehr, '▶Ahaana#5288 in the U.S.Spelling of Ahana — from Sanskrit, 'the first rays of the sun; dawn; inner light, radiance'▶Aurie#5956 in the U.S.A pet form of Aurora ('dawn') or Aurelia ('golden') — from Latin aurum, 'gold', and aurora, 'da▶Aarushi#6144 in the U.S.From Sanskrit aarushi/arushi, 'the first rays of the sun; the red glow of dawn; the dawn'▶Aulora#6948 in the U.S.A spelling of Aurora — from Latin aurora, 'the dawn; daybreak' (the Roman goddess of the dawn);▶Arora#7612 in the U.S.A spelling of Aurora — from Latin, 'dawn; the dawn goddess'; also matches the Indian surname Ar▶Aury#7993 in the U.S.A short form of Aurora ('dawn') and Aurelia ('golden'), from the Latin aurum, 'gold', and auror▶Zeriah#8403 in the U.S.A form linked to the Hebrew Zerah, 'a dawning; brightness; a rising of light'; also read as a Z▶Aroura#8980 in the U.S.A spelling of Aurora — from the Latin aurora, 'the dawn' (Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn); w▶Aurorah#8987 in the U.S.A spelling of Aurora — from the Latin aurora, 'the dawn' (Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn); w▶Rossana#9128 in the U.S.A form of Roxana (Persian Roshanak, 'little star; dawn; bright'), also read as an Italian/Spani▶Aurorarose#9608 in the U.S.A compound name — Aurora ('the dawn', the Roman goddess of dawn) joined with Rose ('a rose', th▶Erandi#9739 in the U.S.From the Purepecha (Michoacan, Mexico) Erandi — 'the dawn; the morning; a flower that opens at ▶Shahara#9756 in the U.S.Shahara connects to Arabic roots such as sahar, the last darkness before dawn, and shahr, month▶Savera#10120 in the U.S.From the Hindi/Urdu savera, 'the dawn; morning; daybreak' (a symbol of hope and a new beginning▶Vihaana#10187 in the U.S.From the Sanskrit vihana, 'the dawn; morning; the first ray of the sun' (a feminine form; a sym▶Zoraida#10237 in the U.S.From the Arabic-Spanish Zoraida, variously linked to 'enchanting; captivating' or 'little dawn'▶Zoriana#10238 in the U.S.From the Ukrainian Zoriana, 'dawn; of the dawn-star' (from zoria, 'dawn/star'); a lyrical Slavi▶Arushi#10328 in the U.S.From the Sanskrit Arushi, 'the first rays of the morning sun; the red sky at dawn'; a luminous ▶Illari#10555 in the U.S.to dawn, to shine brightly▶Seher#10920 in the U.S.From the Turkish/Arabic seher (sahar), 'dawn; the pre-dawn hour; daybreak' — a poetic, hopeful ▶Alaula#11108 in the U.S.From the Hawaiian alaula, 'light of early dawn; the glow of sunrise or sunset' — a poetic word ▶Fajr#11391 in the U.S.From the Arabic Fajr, 'dawn; daybreak' — also the name of the pre-sunrise prayer, the first of ▶Iola#11461 in the U.S.From the Greek Iola/Iole, 'violet; violet-colored; dawn'; also a Welsh feminine name. A soft vi▶Oriane#11855 in the U.S.Oriane is a French name from the Latin aurum ('gold') or oriens ('dawn; rising sun'), linked to▶Zerah#12108 in the U.S.From the Hebrew Zerah, 'dawn; rising; brightness; shining' — a biblical name (a son of Judah, a▶Dawne#12168 in the U.S.An -e spelling of Dawn, the English word for 'daybreak; the first light of morning.' A mid-cent▶Zorya#12173 in the U.S.From the Slavic Zorya, 'dawn; the aurora' (from zora, 'dawn'); the Slavic goddess of the dawn a▶Roxi#13156 in the U.S.Roxi is a modern spelling of Roxie, the pet form of Roxana/Roxanne — from Old Persian Roshanak,▶Sehar#13200 in the U.S.From Arabic sahar, 'the last hours before dawn,' taken into Urdu and Persian as sehar/sahar, 'd▶Zorianna#13419 in the U.S.An elaborated form built on Zoria/Zorya — a Slavic word for the dawn, and the name of dawn figu▶Zorina#13420 in the U.S.A Slavic-rooted name from zorya/zora, 'dawn; daybreak,' with the -ina ending common in Slavic g▶Auora#13634 in the U.S.A modern spelling of Aurora, Latin for 'dawn' and the name of the Roman goddess of the morning,▶Roxane#14834 in the U.S.From the Persian Roxana (Roshanak), 'dawn; bright; little star' — the name of the wife of Alexa▶Zoria#15235 in the U.S.From the Slavic zorya, 'dawn; morning star' — the Zorya are dawn-figures in Slavic folklore who▶Dawna#15752 in the U.S.An -a elaboration of Dawn, the English word name for 'daybreak; first light.' The added ending ▶Falaq#16013 in the U.S.From the Arabic al-falaq, 'the daybreak; the splitting of dawn.' Al-Falaq is also the title of ▶Fajar#16085 in the U.S.Fajar is the Indonesian and Malay form of Arabic fajr, 'dawn; daybreak'. In Islam, Fajr is also▶Sejla#16193 in the U.S.Sejla is a Bosnian girl's name, written in Bosnian with a diacritic on the S that gives an sh-s▶Avrora#16235 in the U.S.The Russian form of Aurora, from Latin aurora, 'dawn' - the Roman goddess of the morning. The A▶Auroralynn#16889 in the U.S.A modern compound of Aurora (Latin, 'dawn'; the Roman goddess of morning) and Lynn ('lake; pool▶Roxann#17150 in the U.S.A spelling of Roxanne/Roxana, from the Persian Roxana (Roshanak), 'dawn; bright; little star.' ▶Ladawn#18007 in the U.S.Ladawn is a mid-century American coinage built from the decorative La- prefix — a fashionable e▶Araciorigin of the day; dawn▶EosFrom the Greek eos, 'the dawn; daybreak'; the goddess who rose each morning to bring the light;▶Paqaridawn, new day▶SahaarFrom the Persian/Arabic Sahar, 'dawn; daybreak; the last hours of night before sunrise.' A lumi▶UshasFrom the Sanskrit Ushas, 'dawn'; the radiant Vedic goddess of the dawn, who opens the way for t▶ZoryahA name echoing the Slavic zorya, 'dawn; the morning or evening star,' a figure of Slavic folklo▶
Dawn Boy Names
Lucien#899 in the U.S.French form of Lucianus, derived from Latin Lucius and ultimately from lux/lucis (light); meani▶Vihaan#910 in the U.S.From Sanskrit viha or vihaana, related to the concept of dawn or the first light of morning; me▶Aarush#1604 in the U.S.from Sanskrit 'aarush', meaning 'first ray of the sun' or 'dawn'▶Ahaan#1726 in the U.S.Dawn▶Aahan#3206 in the U.S.Dawn, morning; the first light of day▶Ahan#4416 in the U.S.From Sanskrit ahan, 'dawn, morning; day, time'▶Vihan#5029 in the U.S.From Sanskrit vihan, 'the dawn, the morning; daybreak'▶Zoran#5876 in the U.S.From the Slavic zora, 'dawn, daybreak, the aurora'; 'of the dawn'▶Arun#5905 in the U.S.From Sanskrit aruna, 'reddish-brown, the rosy glow of dawn'; also the name of the charioteer of▶Uhtred#6414 in the U.S.From Old English uhta, 'the pre-dawn, the early morning', plus raed, 'counsel; renowned'; 'reno▶Altan#6458 in the U.S.Variously the Turkish altan, 'the red dawn, the crimson sky at sunrise', and the Mongolian alta▶Uday#7676 in the U.S.From Sanskrit udaya, 'to rise; the rising (of the sun); dawn; appearance'▶Vihaanreddy#8901 in the U.S.A compound name — Vihaan (Sanskrit, 'dawn; the first ray of the sun; morning') joined with Redd▶Akeno#8975 in the U.S.From the Japanese, variously 'a bright/dawn field' (ake, 'dawn/bright', + no, 'field'); routes ▶Zorian#9857 in the U.S.From the Slavic (Ukrainian) zorya, 'the dawn/a star', hence 'of the dawn; vigilant/watchful'▶Zorin#9858 in the U.S.Variously from the Slavic zora, 'the dawn', hence 'of the dawn', and a modern name/surname; rou▶Aurora#9980 in the U.S.From the Latin aurora, 'the dawn; daybreak'; the Roman goddess of the dawn; overwhelmingly a gi▶Aahaan#10892 in the U.S.From the Sanskrit for 'dawn; sunrise; the first ray of light' — a bright, hopeful modern Indian▶Anatole#10951 in the U.S.From the Greek anatole, 'sunrise; the East; dawn.' Borne by St Anatolius and by the character A▶Dawn#11209 in the U.S.The English word Dawn, 'daybreak; the first light of day.' It is overwhelmingly a girl's name; ▶Sahar#12047 in the U.S.From Arabic and Persian sahar, 'dawn; the hour just before daybreak.' A luminous name; note it ▶Udayveer#12124 in the U.S.A Sanskrit/Punjabi compound of Uday ('rising; dawn; sunrise') and veer ('brave; hero; warrior')▶Zora#12224 in the U.S.From the Slavic 'zora', 'dawn; daybreak'. It is usually a girl's name (borne by author Zora Nea▶Anatoliy#12422 in the U.S.Anatoliy is the Russian/Ukrainian form of Anatole/Anatolios, from Greek anatole, 'sunrise; dawn▶Pratyush#13698 in the U.S.From Sanskrit pratyusha, 'daybreak; the first light of dawn' — and by extension the sun. A lumi▶AktanFrom the Kyrgyz/Turkic, built on ak ('white; pure') and tan ('dawn') — read as 'white dawn' or ▶
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Frequently Asked
What are dawn baby names?
Dawn baby names are names that mean “dawn,” “sunrise” or “first light” in their language of origin, or that were inspired by the image of daybreak. They span many cultures, from the Latin-rooted Aurora to the Sanskrit Vihaan and the Arabic Sahar.
What are popular girl names that mean dawn?
Aurora, Dawn, Zora, Alba and Sahar are among the most recognizable girl names meaning dawn, each drawn from a different language’s word for daybreak.
What boy names mean dawn or sunrise?
Uday, Vihaan, Vihan, Ahaan and Aahan are boy names rooted in Sanskrit words for sunrise or the first light of morning.
Why do so many cultures have names that mean dawn?
Dawn is a near-universal image of hope and renewal, so most languages developed their own word for it — and many of those words, like the Slavic zora or the Italian alba, naturally became first names.
How many dawn baby names are on More4Kids?
More4Kids lists 101 dawn baby names, each with a sourced meaning, U.S. popularity, and an audio pronunciation.