Fun Facts About the Name Nora
- Back among the favorites: Nora returned to the U.S. top 100 in 1883 and stayed there for 13 consecutive years, through 2025.
- More than 193 thousand babies named Nora: U.S. records list 193,883 babies given the name Nora from 1880 through 2025. Even 784 boys received the name Nora - about 1 boy for every 246 girls.
What Does the Name Nora Mean?
Nora is usually explained as a short form of Honora, a name taken into English from the Latin honor, meaning "honor." In Ireland the name is written Nóra, the Irish form of Honora, and this is the source of the meaning most often given for Nora.
Nora also serves as a short form of Eleanor and its relatives Eleonora and Leonora. The origin of Eleanor itself is disputed, with explanations sought in Germanic, Provençal, and Greek roots, so in that use Nora simply takes on whatever meaning is assigned to Eleanor, which is not settled.
A separate name, the Arabic Nūra (also spelled Noura, Nura, or Noora), means "light." It is occasionally transliterated as Nora, but it has a different origin and is not related to the European name.
Nora Name History & Origins
Nora developed as a shortened form of longer names rather than as a name with its own ancient root. Its two main sources are Honora and Eleanor. Honora came into English from the Latin honor and was common in Ireland, where it took the Irish form Nóra. That Irish name, sometimes written Norah in English, accounts for much of the name's use in Ireland.
Eleanor spread widely in medieval Europe in forms such as Eleonora and Alienor, and short forms like Nora grew up alongside them in several languages, including Italian and the Scandinavian languages. In Scandinavia, Nora is a common given name and is generally treated there as a shortening of Eleonora, though it is also used on its own.
Over time Nora came to be used as an independent given name and not only as a nickname. It is widely known from Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House (1879), whose central character is Nora Helmer; this is a famous literary use, not the name's origin, and the name was already in use before the play. The usual modern spellings are Nora and, in English, Norah, while the Irish form Nóra keeps the accent on the o.
How Popular is the Name Nora?
Nora ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1880 through 1905, then returned in 2013 and remained through 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #20 | 6,380 | 0.3969% |
| 2024 | #22 | 6,128 | 0.3799% |
| 2023 | #24 | 6,020 | 0.3756% |
| 2022 | #28 | 6,146 | 0.3750% |
| 2021 | #27 | 6,276 | 0.3828% |
| 2020 | #30 | 5,581 | 0.3455% |
| 2019 | #29 | 5,935 | 0.3538% |
| 2018 | #30 | 5,837 | 0.3433% |
| 2017 | #29 | 6,067 | 0.3515% |
| 2016 | #36 | 5,593 | 0.3157% |
| 2015 | #41 | 5,330 | 0.2987% |
| 2014 | #49 | 4,740 | 0.2654% |
| 2013 | #83 | 3,508 | 0.2000% |
| 2012 | #108 | 2,890 | 0.1641% |
| 2011 | #137 | 2,235 | 0.1271% |
| 2010 | #159 | 1,939 | 0.1091% |
| 2009 | #198 | 1,670 | 0.0909% |
| 2008 | #216 | 1,559 | 0.0825% |
| 2007 | #242 | 1,474 | 0.0767% |
| 2006 | #245 | 1,385 | 0.0729% |
| 2005 | #276 | 1,197 | 0.0648% |
| 2004 | #306 | 1,043 | 0.0568% |
| 2003 | #367 | 830 | 0.0454% |
| 2002 | #472 | 600 | 0.0334% |
| 2001 | #448 | 622 | 0.0345% |
| 2000 | #502 | 540 | 0.0297% |
| 1999 | #455 | 584 | 0.0329% |
| 1998 | #477 | 540 | 0.0306% |
| 1997 | #451 | 563 | 0.0323% |
| 1996 | #450 | 557 | 0.0318% |
| 1995 | #463 | 545 | 0.0310% |
| 1994 | #474 | 530 | 0.0297% |
| 1993 | #479 | 526 | 0.0291% |
| 1992 | #472 | 524 | 0.0284% |
| 1991 | #444 | 575 | 0.0307% |
| 1990 | #431 | 588 | 0.0310% |
| 1989 | #415 | 596 | 0.0323% |
| 1988 | #397 | 606 | 0.0340% |
| 1987 | #414 | 538 | 0.0309% |
| 1986 | #446 | 485 | 0.0283% |
| 1985 | #412 | 541 | 0.0314% |
| 1984 | #391 | 559 | 0.0332% |
| 1983 | #417 | 520 | 0.0311% |
| 1982 | #407 | 564 | 0.0333% |
| 1981 | #405 | 552 | 0.0331% |
| 1980 | #400 | 571 | 0.0344% |
| 1979 | #404 | 536 | 0.0334% |
| 1978 | #366 | 584 | 0.0381% |
| 1977 | #402 | 518 | 0.0338% |
| 1976 | #396 | 517 | 0.0353% |
| 1975 | #377 | 552 | 0.0379% |
| 1974 | #367 | 587 | 0.0400% |
| 1973 | #369 | 573 | 0.0393% |
| 1972 | #364 | 604 | 0.0397% |
| 1971 | #375 | 624 | 0.0375% |
| 1970 | #366 | 676 | 0.0387% |
| 1969 | #336 | 709 | 0.0420% |
| 1968 | #329 | 696 | 0.0424% |
| 1967 | #325 | 727 | 0.0440% |
| 1966 | #299 | 850 | 0.0502% |
| 1965 | #302 | 881 | 0.0499% |
| 1964 | #280 | 1,050 | 0.0554% |
| 1963 | #278 | 1,067 | 0.0554% |
| 1962 | #274 | 1,075 | 0.0547% |
| 1961 | #272 | 1,121 | 0.0555% |
| 1960 | #238 | 1,345 | 0.0665% |
| 1959 | #241 | 1,276 | 0.0631% |
| 1958 | #253 | 1,178 | 0.0586% |
| 1957 | #251 | 1,162 | 0.0568% |
| 1956 | #244 | 1,170 | 0.0583% |
| 1955 | #255 | 1,046 | 0.0535% |
| 1954 | #237 | 1,161 | 0.0598% |
| 1953 | #238 | 1,148 | 0.0610% |
| 1952 | #234 | 1,122 | 0.0605% |
| 1951 | #223 | 1,160 | 0.0644% |
| 1950 | #225 | 1,117 | 0.0652% |
| 1949 | #218 | 1,198 | 0.0700% |
| 1948 | #225 | 1,086 | 0.0640% |
| 1947 | #225 | 1,096 | 0.0618% |
| 1946 | #229 | 969 | 0.0617% |
| 1945 | #228 | 833 | 0.0637% |
| 1944 | #225 | 842 | 0.0634% |
| 1943 | #230 | 856 | 0.0613% |
| 1942 | #228 | 837 | 0.0620% |
| 1941 | #209 | 845 | 0.0699% |
| 1940 | #209 | 843 | 0.0737% |
| 1939 | #204 | 859 | 0.0783% |
| 1938 | #203 | 857 | 0.0777% |
| 1937 | #202 | 842 | 0.0791% |
| 1936 | #210 | 791 | 0.0760% |
| 1935 | #192 | 910 | 0.0868% |
| 1934 | #200 | 888 | 0.0850% |
| 1933 | #193 | 891 | 0.0884% |
| 1932 | #189 | 969 | 0.0908% |
| 1931 | #202 | 904 | 0.0849% |
| 1930 | #190 | 1,015 | 0.0901% |
| 1929 | #193 | 1,016 | 0.0910% |
| 1928 | #191 | 1,082 | 0.0938% |
| 1927 | #189 | 1,078 | 0.0904% |
| 1926 | #176 | 1,203 | 0.1015% |
| 1925 | #171 | 1,317 | 0.1082% |
| 1924 | #172 | 1,335 | 0.1069% |
| 1923 | #180 | 1,221 | 0.1012% |
| 1922 | #180 | 1,219 | 0.1015% |
| 1921 | #167 | 1,350 | 0.1095% |
| 1920 | #157 | 1,477 | 0.1233% |
| 1919 | #161 | 1,372 | 0.1214% |
| 1918 | #161 | 1,382 | 0.1194% |
| 1917 | #154 | 1,360 | 0.1258% |
| 1916 | #154 | 1,314 | 0.1258% |
| 1915 | #144 | 1,293 | 0.1314% |
| 1914 | #143 | 1,038 | 0.1363% |
| 1913 | #135 | 890 | 0.1425% |
| 1912 | #130 | 882 | 0.1580% |
| 1911 | #116 | 779 | 0.1862% |
| 1910 | #111 | 753 | 0.1899% |
| 1909 | #107 | 670 | 0.1930% |
| 1908 | #110 | 648 | 0.1938% |
| 1907 | #104 | 676 | 0.2122% |
| 1906 | #101 | 644 | 0.2181% |
| 1905 | #92 | 742 | 0.2544% |
| 1904 | #93 | 698 | 0.2535% |
| 1903 | #87 | 724 | 0.2764% |
| 1902 | #86 | 724 | 0.2742% |
| 1901 | #81 | 727 | 0.3037% |
| 1900 | #83 | 919 | 0.3066% |
| 1899 | #80 | 709 | 0.3043% |
| 1898 | #74 | 868 | 0.3354% |
| 1897 | #71 | 812 | 0.3467% |
| 1896 | #71 | 844 | 0.3547% |
| 1895 | #70 | 846 | 0.3621% |
| 1894 | #68 | 854 | 0.3831% |
| 1893 | #67 | 825 | 0.3875% |
| 1892 | #63 | 899 | 0.4234% |
| 1891 | #63 | 801 | 0.4318% |
| 1890 | #63 | 835 | 0.4386% |
| 1889 | #60 | 831 | 0.4659% |
| 1888 | #61 | 832 | 0.4658% |
| 1887 | #56 | 735 | 0.5035% |
| 1886 | #56 | 708 | 0.4899% |
| 1885 | #56 | 670 | 0.5036% |
| 1884 | #56 | 648 | 0.5023% |
| 1883 | #55 | 589 | 0.5244% |
| 1882 | #58 | 539 | 0.4998% |
| 1881 | #55 | 498 | 0.5416% |
| 1880 | #56 | 471 | 0.5176% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,617 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #11,589 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #10,429 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #13,472 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #12,208 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #9,880 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #9,096 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1989 | #5,073 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #5,307 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #7,502 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #6,294 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,788 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #6,025 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #4,398 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #5,439 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #3,585 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1967 | #4,381 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #4,357 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #3,170 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #2,994 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1963 | #3,558 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #3,042 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #2,645 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #2,979 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #3,812 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #3,853 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #3,125 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1955 | #3,772 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #2,665 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #3,034 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #2,612 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1949 | #2,952 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #2,328 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1946 | #3,871 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #2,098 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1943 | #2,895 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #2,229 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1941 | #2,294 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1940 | #3,049 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1939 | #3,827 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #2,151 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1937 | #1,968 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1936 | #2,406 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1935 | #2,212 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1934 | #2,090 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1933 | #2,185 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1932 | #2,063 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1931 | #2,295 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1930 | #2,563 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1929 | #2,072 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1928 | #3,002 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #2,266 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #2,677 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1925 | #3,073 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #2,581 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1923 | #2,888 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1922 | #2,116 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1921 | #3,412 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #2,026 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1919 | #2,468 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1918 | #3,292 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1917 | #1,959 | 16 | 0.0017% |
| 1916 | #2,361 | 12 | 0.0013% |
| 1915 | #2,567 | 10 | 0.0012% |
| 1914 | #1,938 | 12 | 0.0018% |
| 1913 | #2,216 | 8 | 0.0016% |
| 1912 | #1,404 | 13 | 0.0030% |
| 1911 | #1,259 | 9 | 0.0040% |
| 1910 | #1,097 | 10 | 0.0051% |
| 1909 | #1,135 | 8 | 0.0049% |
| 1907 | #1,174 | 7 | 0.0048% |
| 1906 | #836 | 10 | 0.0075% |
| 1905 | #777 | 11 | 0.0083% |
| 1904 | #1,346 | 5 | 0.0039% |
| 1903 | #1,093 | 6 | 0.0050% |
| 1902 | #904 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1900 | #951 | 9 | 0.0060% |
| 1898 | #1,252 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1897 | #911 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1895 | #1,045 | 6 | 0.0051% |
| 1894 | #926 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1893 | #997 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1892 | #926 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1890 | #1,111 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1888 | #890 | 7 | 0.0058% |
| 1887 | #726 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1886 | #743 | 8 | 0.0072% |
| 1885 | #746 | 8 | 0.0074% |
| 1880 | #1,022 | 5 | 0.0045% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
