Given name & surname
Leonor
“the shining light”
Leonor is a variant of Lenore. In Greek use, Lenore carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Leonor is a variant of Lenore. In Greek use, Lenore carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Leonor connects to the Eleanor name family through Lenore. Eleanor reached English through an Old French reshaping of the Old Provençal name Alienor. Eleanor’s deeper linguistic origin is uncertain, despite the well-documented medieval route into England.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Leonor connects to the Eleanor name family through Lenore. The shared background comes through Eleanor: The clearest sequence is Alienor into an Old French form and then English Eleanor. Beyond that, the suggested Helen connection competes with a possible Germanic origin; similarity to a familiar name is not enough to resolve the question.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1885. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Leonor connects to the Eleanor name family through Lenore. The history of Eleanor gives this family its wider story. Eleanor of Aquitaine, who married Henry II, brought the name from southwestern France to England in the twelfth century. Eleanor of Provence married Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile married Edward I. This succession of royal bearers gives the name a concrete English history independent of the debate over its meaning.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Leonor through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,183
- 10 boys · 6,173 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 93 babies
- 2025
- 81
- #2,267 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +44%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 81 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,267 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 43.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (16). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 14,390 as a first name in 2020; 961 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Leonor’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Leonor has a conventional equivalent in the English form Eleanor. Leonor has a related form in Lenore. In Spanish usage, Leonor has a conventional equivalent in the German form Eleonore.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Leonor has relatives in 4 languages.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- EleanorEnglish
- Eleonoraequivalent
- Eleonorequivalent
- EleonoreGerman
- Leonoreequivalent
- Eléonoreequivalent
- Leonóraequivalent
- LéonoreFrench
Show 1 moreShow fewer
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Leonor
- Leonor, Princess of Asturias38th princess of Asturias and heiress to the Spanish throneborn 2005
- Eleanor of NavarreQueen regnant of Navarre1426–1479
- Leonor WatlingSpanish actress and singerborn 1975
- Leonor FiniArgentine painter, designer and writer (1907–1996)
- Eleanor of ToledoDuchess of Florence (1522-1562)
- Leonor AndradePortuguese singer and actorborn 1994
- Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of CastileQueen consort of Castile1358–1382
- Leonor VarelaChilean actressborn 1972
- Leonor TelesPortuguese queen (1350-1386)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leonor, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ellenor
“shining light”
>99% girls
Ellinor
“shining light”
>99% girls
Eleni
“the shining light” · “shining light”
>99% girls
Olena
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Ottilie
“a wealthy man”
>99% girls
Lareine
“the queen; one born to royalty”
>99% girls
Elena
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Malka
“a queenly woman”
>99% girls