Given name & surname
Nora
“a man from the north”·“shining light”·“surrounded by light”
Nora is a form of Honora. One Latin interpretation is “having a good name and integrity; an honorable woman.” Nora is a feminine form of Norman. One English interpretation is “a man from the north.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Nora is a form of Honora. One Latin interpretation is “having a good name and integrity; an honorable woman.” Nora is a feminine form of Norman. One English interpretation is “a man from the north.” In English use, Nora is a short form of Eleanor. Eleanor is sometimes interpreted through Helen as “shining light,” but the connection to Helen is disputed. Another proposed explanation starts with a Germanic element ali, “other” or “foreign.” Neither proposal supplies a securely established full meaning. In Dutch use, Nora has a related form in Noor. One Arabic interpretation is “surrounded by light.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
Nora is used as a form of Eleanor. In English use, Nora is a short form of Eleanor. 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.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Nora is a short form of Eleanor. 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
Nora through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 193,922
- 784 boys · 193,138 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 6,386 babies
- 2025
- 6,386
- #20 for girls · #11,617 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +7%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6,380 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 20 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 6.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 6 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (488). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 119,144 as a first name in 2020; 1,044 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.
Nora’s family of names
In English usage, Nora is a short form of Eleanor. Nora is a feminine form of Norman. Nora has a related form in Norma.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Nora has relatives in 10 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 34
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Eleanorfull form · English
- Norahdiminutive · English
- Noorvariant · Dutch
- Leonorafull form
- Normavariant
- Eleonorafull form · Swedish, Norwegian Nynorsk
- Nooravariant · Finnish
- Noreendiminutive · English
Show 26 moreShow fewer
- Norevariant · Norwegian Nynorsk
- Norrievariant
- Eleonorefull form · German
- Neorahvariant
- Norrivariant
- Norralikely variant
- Normievariant
- Norinavariant
- Norenavariant
- Norinevariant
- Norenevariant
- Norissavariant
- Norellevariant
- Noniepet form
- Norbertavariant · Slovak
- Norikadiminutive · Slovak
- Norabelvariant
- Noirinvariant
- Normivariant
- Normeevariant
- Norminavariant
- Noreenavariant
- Norryvariant
- Norellavariant
- Eleonóravariant · Slovak
- Norinkadiminutive · Czech
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Nora
- Nora EphronAmerican film director and writer (1941–2012)
- AwkwafinaAmerican actress, comedian, and rapperborn 1988
- Nora FatehiCanadian actress (1992-present)
- N. K. JemisinAmerican science fiction and fantasy writerborn 1972
- Nora GjakovaKosovo judokaborn 1992
- Nora ArnezederFrench actress and singerborn 1989
- Nora ZehetnerAmerican actressborn 1981
- Nora MørkNorwegian handball playerborn 1991
- Nora TschirnerGerman actressborn 1981
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nora, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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