Entry № 0937 · Irish, Latin origin

Norah Norah — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ NOR-ah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Irish, Latin
Meaning
"Honour, light"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 95
First recorded
Medieval (Irish)

A name that means "honour, light".

Norah is the Irish form of Eleanor — itself ultimately from the Latin honor, meaning "honour," or the Greek helene, meaning "light" or "sun's ray." The H spelling is the older Irish form; Nora (without the H) is the simpler modern variant.

Norah has been continuously used in Ireland for centuries and in the U.S. for a hundred years. The American singer Norah Jones (born 1979) brought the H spelling renewed visibility. Today Norah sits in the U.S. top 100 and is climbing fast.

Honour. Light. The Irish form of Eleanor, with the H kept.

Where Norah stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 95 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 95 in 2025
Babies named Norah · last year
2,987 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1880
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · №95 NOW · №95

Norahs before her.

Real people
Norah Jones
American singer and pianist. Nine Grammy Awards.
born 1979
In fiction
Nora Helmer
Heroine of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.
1879 play

Names connected to Norah.

The number behind Norah.

7

The Seeker

Norah reduces to seven — the number of quiet honour.

Why families chose this name.

"The H feels Irish. Nora felt flat next to it. We kept it."
Aoife · Mother of one · Dublin