Nora
Meaning: not confirmed (origin debated)
About the name Nora
The origin of Nora is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to Irish roots, with the meaning “Honor; light”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Nora we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a vintage, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Nora ranked #20 for girls in the US, with 6,380 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2025. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Nora were girls.
- US rank 2025
- #20
- In 2015
- #41
- Babies in 2025
- 6,380
Popularity of Nora, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Nora
Nora is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Nora
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.