Given name & surname
Tora
“thunder”
In Scandinavian use, Tora carries the interpretation “thunder.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Scandinavian use, Tora carries the interpretation “thunder.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scandinavian.
How it developed
Tora is used as a feminine counterpart of Thor.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1898. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Tora is a feminine form of Thor. The history of Thor gives this family its wider story. In mythological stories, Thor is associated with the god of thunder.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Tora through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,016
- 26 boys · 990 girls
- Most popular year
- 1976
- 53 babies
- 2025
- 9
- #10,839 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +2%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 9 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 10,839 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 1.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 53 in 1976. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 926 as a first name in 2020; 127 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.
Tora’s family of names
In Norwegian Nynorsk usage, Tora shares an earlier linguistic root with Dora. In Swedish usage, Tora has a conventional equivalent in the German form Thora. Tora is a feminine form of Thor.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Tora has relatives in 7 languages. Lines run from its Old Norse roots to each of them.
Old Norsewhere Tora comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 3
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 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Tora
- Tora BergerNorwegian biathleteborn 1981
- Tora Tejeactress (1893-1970)
- Tora AaslandNorwegian politician and civil servantborn 1942
- Tora SudiroIndonesian actorborn 1973
- Tora DahlSwedish writer (1886-1982)
- Tora Vega HolmströmSwedish artist (1880-1967)
- Tora MosterstongMistress to King of Norway Harald I895–1000
- Tora AugestadNorwegian jazz vocalist and actorborn 1979
- Tora LarssonSwedish diver1891–1919
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Tora, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tyra
Tyra is used as a given name and a surname. Tyra is connected with Tyr.
>99% girls
Inge
“ing's wolf” · “protected by the god Ing”
>99% girls
Norna
>99% girls
Tarrah
“hill”
>99% girls
Terra
“goddess of the earth; the land itself”
>99% girls
Tarah
“hill”
>99% girls
Terah
“resembling a wild goat”
3% boys · 97% girls
Tara
“hill”
>99% girls