Girl name origins & meanings
- Latin: Dignified
- French: Nobleman
- Greek: The bright one; honor; light
What does Nora mean and stand for?
The name Nora, meaning "honor", has origins as a nickname or a shortened version of the name Honora, the Latin word for honor. It also has Italian, German, Irish, Albanian, Scandinavian, Arabic, and Baltic origins.
Syllables: 2
Discover more baby name meanings to learn what's behind every name.
Girl name variations
Family name origins & meanings
- Italian and German: from a short form of the feminine personal name (E)leonora.
- Southern Italian: perhaps a habitational name from localities named Nora in Modica and Scicli.
- Portuguese: habitational name from any of the numerous places called Nora, from nora ‘draw well’.
Popularity of the Name Nora
According to Social Security Administration data, Nora has been increasing in popularity over the last 20 years or so, rising from the 501 most popular name, to the top 100 names in 2013. 2018 is the first year it has seen a downward trend in popularity, dropping from position 28 to 30.
However, it is the 7th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.
According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Nora was at its peak popularity in March 2016.
While Nora has been in use throughout history, it has seen its more dramatic rise in popularity in the 2000s. In literature, it was used in both The Dollhouse and in the popular novel The Thinman. Its popularity today may be in part due to the popularity of the late writer Nora Ephron, and a character in HBO's The Leftovers.
Where is the Name Nora Popular?
Nora was searched for most often in the following states:
Nicknames for Nora
- Nor
- Nory
- Rah
