Zora
Girl name · #969 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Zora ranks #969 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 264 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1566, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,818 girls born in 2025 was named Zora.
The 145-year story
Zora first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 28 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 353 girls were named Zora — good for #786 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Zora per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zora against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zora in class?
Zora scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Zora is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zora is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Zoras were CA (24), TX (21), NY (19), GA (16), FL (15). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Zora
Statistically, parents drawn to Zora tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zamora, Kora, Sora, Anora, and Liora.
ZamoraKoraSoraAnoraLioraZoyaElioraEzra
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zora | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 264 | #968 |
| 2024 | 290 | #914 |
| 2023 | 313 | #853 |
| 2022 | 332 | #843 |
| 2021 | 338 | #822 |
| 2020 | 308 | #873 |
| 2019 | 353 | #786 |
| 2018 | 270 | #979 |
| 2017 | 206 | #1187 |
| 2016 | 164 | #1412 |
| 2015 | 140 | #1566 |
| 2014 | 139 | #1562 |
| 2013 | 99 | #1977 |
| 2012 | 109 | #1846 |
| 2011 | 94 | #2058 |
| 2010 | 88 | #2202 |
| 2009 | 87 | #2244 |
| 2008 | 112 | #1890 |
| 2007 | 104 | #1971 |
| 2006 | 98 | #2016 |
| 2005 | 98 | #1950 |
| 2004 | 102 | #1855 |
| 2003 | 117 | #1641 |
| 2002 | 62 | #2527 |
| 2001 | 65 | #2411 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Zora a popular girl name?
Zora ranked #969 among girls in 2025 with 264 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1566.
When was the name Zora most popular?
Zora peaked in 2019, when 353 American girls received the name (ranked #786 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zora?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,818 newborn American girls was named Zora. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.