Cora: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Meaning and Origin of: Cora

The name Cora is of Greek origin and means "maiden."

Girl name origins & meanings

French : Beloved
Greek : Heart, maiden

What does Cora mean and stand for?

The name Cora is of Greek origin and means "maiden." It is the Latinized variation of the name Kore, and wasn't used in English parts of the world until the 1820s.

Syllables: 2

Girl name variations

Family name origins & meanings

Galician : habitational name from places called Cora in Lugo and Pontevedra provinces.

Famous people with this last name

Cat Cora

Popularity

According to Social Security Administration data, Cora has only recently gained popularity, entering the top 100 in 2015 after jumping from 481 in 2000.

However, it is the 5th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Cora was at its peak popularity in January 2020.

In Greek mythology, Cora (or Kore) is the euphemistic name of Persephone, goddess of fertility and the underworld. The name Cora really gained popularity after the 1826 novel The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper was published. Popular in the 1880s, Cora saw a downhill trend before becoming popular again in modern times. Cora Brown, the first African American woman elected to a state senate, is perhaps one of the most notable carriers of the name. Other namesakes include Cora Catherine Calhoun Horne, Cora Cohen, and Cora Daniels. The name Cora has also been chosen for characters in Titanic, As I Lay Dying, Downton Abbey, Once Upon a Time, and Teen Wolf.