Nora
Girl name · #20 in 2025 · Uniqueness 33/100
In 2025, 6,380 baby girls were named Nora, placing it at #20 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #41, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 282 girls born in 2025 was named Nora.
The 145-year story
Nora first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 471 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 6,380 babies and a rank of #20. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Nora per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nora against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nora in class?
Nora scores 33 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "popular" band. A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Nora is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nora is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Noras were CA (488), TX (424), NY (359), PA (311), OH (301). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Nora
Statistically, parents drawn to Nora tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aurora, Cora, Isla, Aria, and Luna.
AuroraCoraIslaAriaLunaCamilaNovaLucy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nora | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,380 | #20 |
| 2024 | 6,148 | #22 |
| 2023 | 6,027 | #24 |
| 2022 | 6,148 | #28 |
| 2021 | 6,281 | #27 |
| 2020 | 5,583 | #30 |
| 2019 | 5,936 | #29 |
| 2018 | 5,837 | #30 |
| 2017 | 6,067 | #29 |
| 2016 | 5,593 | #36 |
| 2015 | 5,330 | #41 |
| 2014 | 4,741 | #49 |
| 2013 | 3,508 | #83 |
| 2012 | 2,890 | #108 |
| 2011 | 2,235 | #137 |
| 2010 | 1,939 | #159 |
| 2009 | 1,670 | #198 |
| 2008 | 1,560 | #216 |
| 2007 | 1,474 | #242 |
| 2006 | 1,385 | #245 |
| 2005 | 1,197 | #276 |
| 2004 | 1,043 | #306 |
| 2003 | 830 | #367 |
| 2002 | 601 | #471 |
| 2001 | 622 | #448 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nora a popular girl name?
Nora ranked #20 among girls in 2025 with 6,380 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #41.
When was the name Nora most popular?
Nora peaked in 2025, when 6,380 American girls received the name (ranked #20 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Nora?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 282 newborn American girls was named Nora. It scores 33/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "popular".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.