Updated February 8, 2024

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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

Honor

Honor

- 4% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honore

Honore

0 % this year
Neutral
Rare
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Honour

Honour

+ 52% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honora

Honora

- 58% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honoria

Honoria

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Norah

Norah

- 14% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Noria

Noria

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Norry

Norry

0 % this year
Neutral
Rare
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Honner

Honner

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honorah

Honorah

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honnor

Honnor

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honorin

Honorin

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honorine

Honorine

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Honourah

Honourah

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Norine

Norine

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Noreen

Noreen

+ 30% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Norina

Norina

- 25% this year
Feminine
Rare
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How Popular Is The Name Nora

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

Nora pairs well with these middle names: 

Appears on

People who like the name Nora also like: 

Nora meaning and origins