Nora
Short form of Eleanor or, rarely, of Honora.
Every Nora since 1880 — 193,922 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nora
Nora is a top-50 name for girls in the United States, ranked #20 in 2025 with 6,380 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 193,922 American babies have been named Nora. Its peak came in 2025, when 6,386 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nora stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nora year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,380 | #20 | 6 | #11,617 |
| 2024 | 6,148 | #22 | — | — |
| 2023 | 6,027 | #24 | — | — |
| 2022 | 6,148 | #28 | — | — |
| 2021 | 6,281 | #27 | — | — |
| 2020 | 5,583 | #30 | 6 | #11,595 |
| 2019 | 5,936 | #29 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5,837 | #30 | 7 | #10,431 |
| 2017 | 6,067 | #29 | — | — |
| 2016 | 5,593 | #36 | — | — |
| 2015 | 5,330 | #41 | — | — |
| 2014 | 4,741 | #49 | 5 | #13,476 |
| 2013 | 3,508 | #83 | — | — |
| 2012 | 2,890 | #108 | — | — |
| 2011 | 2,235 | #137 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,939 | #159 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,670 | #198 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,560 | #216 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,474 | #242 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,385 | #245 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,197 | #276 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,043 | #306 | — | — |
| 2003 | 830 | #367 | 5 | #12,208 |
| 2002 | 601 | #471 | — | — |
| 2001 | 622 | #448 | — | — |
| 2000 | 540 | #502 | — | — |
| 1995 | 545 | #463 | 5 | #9,880 |
| 1990 | 588 | #431 | 5 | #9,099 |
| 1985 | 541 | #412 | 6 | #6,293 |
| 1980 | 571 | #400 | 9 | #4,397 |
| 1975 | 552 | #377 | — | — |
| 1970 | 676 | #366 | — | — |
| 1965 | 881 | #302 | 8 | #3,171 |
| 1960 | 1,345 | #238 | 11 | #2,644 |
| 1955 | 1,047 | #255 | 6 | #3,772 |
| 1950 | 1,116 | #225 | — | — |
| 1945 | 833 | #228 | 12 | #2,098 |
| 1940 | 843 | #209 | 7 | #3,050 |
| 1935 | 910 | #192 | 12 | #2,212 |
| 1930 | 1,015 | #190 | 11 | #2,563 |
| 1925 | 1,317 | #171 | 9 | #3,073 |
| 1920 | 1,477 | #157 | 17 | #2,026 |
| 1915 | 1,293 | #144 | 10 | #2,567 |
| 1910 | 753 | #111 | 10 | #1,097 |
| 1905 | 742 | #92 | 11 | #777 |
| 1900 | 919 | #83 | 9 | #951 |
| 1895 | 846 | #70 | 6 | #1,045 |
| 1890 | 835 | #63 | 5 | #1,111 |
| 1885 | 670 | #56 | 8 | #746 |
| 1880 | 471 | #56 | 5 | #1,022 |
Famous people named Nora
- Nora Roberts Writer · b. 1950
- Nora Ephron Writer · 1941–2012
- Nora Miao Actor · b. 1952
- Nora Brockstedt Singer · 1923–2015
- Nora Dunn Actor · b. 1952
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nora mean?
Short form of Eleanor or, rarely, of Honora.
How popular is the name Nora in 2025?
Nora ranked #20 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 6,380 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nora?
193,922 babies have been named Nora in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nora most popular?
Nora peaked in 2025, when 6,386 newborns received the name.
Is Nora a boy or girl name?
Nora is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nora rising or falling?
Nora is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Nora?
Well-known people named Nora include Nora Roberts (writer), Nora Ephron (writer), Nora Miao (actor).