Norah
A female given name, a pseudo-Hebrew spelling of Nora, diminutive of Eleonora or Honora.
Every Norah since 1880 — 33,998 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Norah
Norah is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #262 in 2025 with 1,191 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 33,998 American babies have been named Norah. Its peak came in 2017, when 2,156 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Norah stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Norah 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 | 1,191 | #262 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,384 | #223 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,488 | #201 | — | — |
| 2022 | 1,539 | #192 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,791 | #160 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,810 | #152 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,975 | #144 | — | — |
| 2018 | 2,013 | #140 | — | — |
| 2017 | 2,156 | #137 | — | — |
| 2016 | 2,026 | #154 | — | — |
| 2015 | 2,032 | #159 | — | — |
| 2014 | 2,007 | #163 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,725 | #188 | — | — |
| 2012 | 1,502 | #210 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,217 | #264 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,091 | #298 | — | — |
| 2009 | 959 | #343 | — | — |
| 2008 | 666 | #476 | — | — |
| 2007 | 689 | #468 | — | — |
| 2006 | 591 | #516 | — | — |
| 2005 | 558 | #524 | — | — |
| 2004 | 476 | #591 | 6 | #10,942 |
| 2003 | 303 | #818 | — | — |
| 2002 | 96 | #1,861 | — | — |
| 2001 | 64 | #2,453 | — | — |
| 2000 | 57 | #2,627 | — | — |
| 1995 | 29 | #3,748 | — | — |
| 1990 | 38 | #3,006 | — | — |
| 1985 | 28 | #3,215 | — | — |
| 1980 | 32 | #2,845 | — | — |
| 1975 | 29 | #2,661 | — | — |
| 1970 | 16 | #3,825 | — | — |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,896 | — | — |
| 1960 | 25 | #2,415 | — | — |
| 1955 | 24 | #2,262 | 6 | #3,773 |
| 1950 | 22 | #2,105 | 5 | #4,048 |
| 1945 | 26 | #1,650 | — | — |
| 1940 | 16 | #2,079 | 5 | #3,802 |
| 1935 | 12 | #2,538 | — | — |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,523 | — | — |
| 1925 | 23 | #1,835 | 8 | #3,322 |
| 1920 | 23 | #1,792 | — | — |
| 1915 | 22 | #1,605 | — | — |
| 1910 | 12 | #1,403 | — | — |
| 1905 | 10 | #1,282 | — | — |
| 1900 | 18 | #911 | — | — |
| 1895 | 18 | #761 | — | — |
| 1890 | 11 | #861 | — | — |
| 1885 | 15 | #569 | — | — |
| 1880 | 9 | #618 | — | — |
Famous people named Norah
- Norah Jones Musician · b. 1979
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Norah mean?
A female given name, a pseudo-Hebrew spelling of Nora, diminutive of Eleonora or Honora.
How popular is the name Norah in 2025?
Norah ranked #262 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,191 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Norah?
33,998 babies have been named Norah in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Norah most popular?
Norah peaked in 2017, when 2,156 newborns received the name.
Is Norah a boy or girl name?
Norah is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Norah rising or falling?
Norah is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Norah?
Well-known people named Norah include Norah Jones (musician).