Soleil is the French word for "sun" and is used as a bright, modern nature name rather than a traditional saint's name. Americans first heard it on the child actress Soleil Moon Frye, star of Punky Brewster in the 1980s, and it has since been picked up by parents who like Luna and Aurora but want something sunnier. Soleil entered the US top 1000 in 2021 and has climbed to number 758 in 2025, its best rank so far.