Unisex name · Japanese
Hikaru
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: light, radianceHikaru is a gender-neutral name that comes from Japanese and means "light, radiance". It is used in Japanese.
- Meaning
- Light, radiance
- Origin
- Japanese
- Gender
- Unisex
- Say it
- hee-KAH-roo
Meaning and origin of Hikaru
As a gender-neutral name, Hikaru comes from Japanese and means "light, radiance". It is used in Japanese.
Say it hee-KAH-roo. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Hikaru on our names that mean light list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
How to write Hikaru in Japanese
In hiragana, Hikaru is ひかる. In kanji it can be written several ways, and each choice gives the name its own meaning. These are spellings used for the name, with what each kanji means.
| Kanji | Reading | What the kanji mean |
|---|---|---|
| 光 | ひかる | 光 light |
| 輝 | ひかる | 輝 radiance, shine |
| 暉 | ひかる | 暉 shine |
Kanji and readings from the JMnedict and KANJIDIC2 dictionaries (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), checked by our editors.
Hikaru on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Hikaru on 4 lists.
“輝: to shine. Bright and bold”
From Anime girl names, unisex Japanese names anime gives to girls
“Light, radiance; Japanese, often written 光. Say hee-KAH-roo”
From Gender neutral names, unisex names from Asia and the Pacific
“Light, to shine; used for both genders.”
From Japanese boy names, japanese boy names meaning light and sun
“Light, brightness; Japanese, often written 光”
From Names that mean light, unisex names that mean light
How popular is Hikaru?
As a girl’s name
- Recent US rank
- Fewer than 5 babies in 2025
- Best rank
- #10,887 in 1992
- 7 babies that year
- Babies since 1992
- At least 18
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 0 per million |
| 1990s | 1 per million |
| 2000s | 0 per million |
| 2010s | 0 per million |
| 2020s | 0 per million |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #10,061
- 7 babies, 4 per million boys
- Best rank
- #5,890 in 2006
- 14 babies that year
- Babies since 1992
- At least 169
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 0 per million |
| 1990s | 2 per million |
| 2000s | 3 per million |
| 2010s | 2 per million |
| 2020s | 2 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,230 | – | – | #11,280 | – | #12,824 | #11,380 | – | – | #10,061 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Hikaru
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- HikariLight, radiance (Japanese, unisex)
Names spelled like Hikaru
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- LuciaLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- LucianaLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- LucianoLight, brightness (Latin, boy)
- LucyLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- NoorLight, radiance (Arabic, unisex)
- UrielGod is my light (Hebrew, boy)
- AbnerMy father is light (Hebrew, boy)
- LuceLight (Latin, girl)
- LucilleLight (Latin, girl)
- NuriMy light (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Hikaru
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More names from Japanese
- AiLove; indigo (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- KaiSea (Japanese, boy)
- AikoBeloved child (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- AimiLove and beauty, written 愛美 (Japanese, girl)
- AkaneDeep red, madder (Japanese, girl)
- AkariLamplight (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- AkemiBright beauty (Japanese, girl)
- AkiSecond and hope, written 亜希 (Japanese, girl)
- AkihikoBright prince (depends on kanji) (Japanese, boy)
- AkihiroBright and wide (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
Hikaru: common questions
What does the name Hikaru mean?
Hikaru comes from Japanese and means "light, radiance".
Is Hikaru a boy or girl name?
Hikaru is used for both boys and girls.
Where does the name Hikaru come from?
Hikaru comes from Japanese and means "light, radiance". Today it is used in Japanese.
How do you pronounce Hikaru?
Say hee-KAH-roo. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How do you write Hikaru in Japanese?
Hikaru is written ひかる in hiragana. Kanji spellings include 光 (light), 輝 (radiance) and 暉 (shine). The kanji parents choose decide what the name means.
How popular is the name Hikaru?
Hikaru ranked #10,061 in the US in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Hikaru?
Forms of Hikaru with the same meaning and origin include Hikari (Japanese).
What middle names go with Hikaru?
Middle names that flow well with Hikaru include Alice, Grant, Lamar, Max and Mercy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.