Thora
Short form of Old Norse female given names beginning with Þórr (“Thor”).
Every Thora since 1883 — 2,424 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Thora
Thora is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,093 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1883, 2,424 American babies have been named Thora. Its peak came in 1916, when 72 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Thora stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Thora year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #6,093 |
| 2024 | 27 | #5,012 |
| 2023 | 33 | #4,354 |
| 2022 | 51 | #3,211 |
| 2021 | 38 | #3,932 |
| 2020 | 46 | #3,394 |
| 2019 | 27 | #5,028 |
| 2018 | 33 | #4,351 |
| 2017 | 29 | #4,797 |
| 2016 | 22 | #5,969 |
| 2015 | 22 | #6,016 |
| 2014 | 20 | #6,427 |
| 2013 | 25 | #5,469 |
| 2012 | 21 | #6,322 |
| 2011 | 19 | #6,828 |
| 2010 | 10 | #11,187 |
| 2009 | 8 | #13,590 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,747 |
| 2007 | 15 | #8,487 |
| 2006 | 8 | #13,513 |
| 2005 | 7 | #14,404 |
| 2004 | 9 | #11,542 |
| 2003 | 5 | #18,200 |
| 2002 | 5 | #17,894 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,970 |
| 2000 | 7 | #13,045 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | 7 | #7,006 |
| 1965 | 5 | #7,449 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,654 |
| 1955 | 10 | #4,038 |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,645 |
| 1945 | 10 | #3,111 |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,717 |
| 1935 | 20 | #1,775 |
| 1930 | 26 | #1,565 |
| 1925 | 37 | #1,321 |
| 1920 | 56 | #988 |
| 1915 | 67 | #808 |
| 1910 | 37 | #703 |
| 1905 | 19 | #867 |
| 1900 | 23 | #778 |
| 1895 | 13 | #924 |
| 1890 | 15 | #725 |
| 1885 | 9 | #791 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Thora
- Thora Birch Actor · b. 1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Thora mean?
Short form of Old Norse female given names beginning with Þórr (“Thor”).
How popular is the name Thora in 2025?
Thora ranked #6,093 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Thora?
2,424 babies have been named Thora in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Thora most popular?
Thora peaked in 1916, when 72 newborns received the name.
Is Thora a boy or girl name?
Thora is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Thora rising or falling?
Thora is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Thora?
Well-known people named Thora include Thora Birch (actor).