Cora Girl

Popularity: #110 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KOR-uh //ˈkɔːrə//

Origin: Greek; Latin

Meaning: Greek: maiden; Latin: heart

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Cora has its roots in ancient Greek, derived from the word 'kore,' which means 'maiden' or 'daughter.' This term was often used in reference to Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring and the queen of the underworld, who was also known as Kore. The name entered the Latin language as 'Cora,' maintaining its association with youth and femininity.

It was later adopted into English during the 18th century, influenced by the Romantic movement's fascination with classical themes and figures. Historically, Cora has been associated with various figures and texts.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence through literature, notably in James Fenimore Cooper's novel "The Last of the Mohicans" (1826), where Cora Munro is a central character. This literary reference contributed to the name's resonance in American culture.

Additionally, the name appears in various forms in classical literature and mythology, reinforcing its connection to themes of beauty and purity. Culturally, Cora has been embraced in various traditions and has often been linked to notions of innocence and grace.

The name has also been associated with the idea of spring and renewal, echoing its mythological roots with Persephone. In some contexts, diminutive forms such as Cori or Cora Lee have emerged, reflecting affectionate or familial ties.

Overall, Cora's enduring appeal can be attributed to its rich historical background and the timeless qualities it embodies.

Famous people named Cora

In this section, you will find notable people named Cora. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Cora who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Cora who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Cora Pearl was a courtesan best known for her influence in Parisian society and her relationships with notable figures of the 19th century.

Cora Munro is a fictional character best known for her role in The Last of the Mohicans.

Cora L. V. Smith is a writer best known for her contributions to children's literature.

Fictional characters named Cora

The following list of fictional characters named Cora is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Cora is a fictional character from the TV series Once Upon a Time. She is the Queen of Hearts and a major antagonist known for her cunning and manipulative nature.

Cora is a fictional character from the novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She is the mother of the protagonist, Mary Lennox, and her absence significantly impacts the story's emotional depth.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Cora, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

ClaraNoraLauraMiraLilaTessa

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Cora. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

CaraZoraCeliaCarmenCeciliaCorinneCindyCleo

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Cora was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Cora has ranked as high as #180 nationally, which occurred in 2019, and has been most popular in Texas, North Carolina, California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Cora has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Cora is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Cora was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Cora.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 2,428 0 2,428
2024 2,580 0 2,580
2023 2,751 0 2,751
2022 3,076 0 3,076
2021 3,008 0 3,008
2020 3,036 0 3,036
2019 3,602 0 3,602
2018 3,596 0 3,596
2017 3,446 0 3,446
2016 3,374 0 3,374
2015 3,409 6 3,403
2014 2,972 5 2,967
2013 2,586 0 2,586
2012 2,081 0 2,081
2011 1,555 0 1,555
2010 1,206 0 1,206
2009 1,100 0 1,100
2008 1,041 0 1,041
2007 918 0 918
2006 844 0 844
2005 673 0 673
2004 698 0 698
2003 695 0 695
2002 608 0 608
2001 604 0 604
2000 564 0 564
1999 529 0 529
1998 468 0 468
1997 325 0 325
1996 327 0 327
1995 313 0 313
1994 329 0 329
1993 297 0 297
1992 250 0 250
1991 255 0 255
1990 230 0 230
1989 247 0 247
1988 201 0 201
1987 195 0 195
1986 237 0 237
1985 221 0 221
1984 224 0 224
1983 225 0 225
1982 239 0 239
1981 221 0 221
1980 214 0 214
1979 194 0 194
1978 225 0 225
1977 223 0 223
1976 211 0 211
1975 182 0 182
1974 206 0 206
1973 195 0 195
1972 201 0 201
1971 227 5 222
1970 234 0 234
1969 210 9 201
1968 235 0 235
1967 235 0 235
1966 312 0 312
1965 373 0 373
1964 351 0 351
1963 403 0 403
1962 410 0 410
1961 419 0 419
1960 454 0 454
1959 454 0 454
1958 435 0 435
1957 516 0 516
1956 554 0 554
1955 576 0 576
1954 614 0 614
1953 647 0 647
1952 667 0 667
1951 672 0 672
1950 734 0 734
1949 854 6 848
1948 837 0 837
1947 848 0 848
1946 800 0 800
1945 757 5 752
1944 816 0 816
1943 874 0 874
1942 1,010 8 1,002
1941 1,012 5 1,007
1940 975 10 965
1939 1,040 0 1,040
1938 1,142 11 1,131
1937 1,141 0 1,141
1936 1,019 11 1,008
1935 1,082 11 1,071
1934 1,117 5 1,112
1933 1,170 13 1,157
1932 1,142 6 1,136
1931 1,195 10 1,185
1930 1,280 8 1,272
1929 1,397 8 1,389
1928 1,407 14 1,393
1927 1,500 7 1,493
1926 1,477 0 1,477
1925 1,685 6 1,679
1924 1,638 8 1,630
1923 1,698 7 1,691
1922 1,768 6 1,762
1921 1,833 5 1,828
1920 1,819 0 1,819
1919 1,947 7 1,940
1918 1,926 10 1,916
1917 1,754 17 1,737
1916 1,910 11 1,899
1915 1,691 8 1,683
1914 1,505 5 1,500
1913 1,288 0 1,288
1912 1,258 5 1,253
1911 1,022 0 1,022
1910 1,084 5 1,079
1909 969 0 969
1908 969 7 962
1907 977 8 969
1906 959 7 952
1905 1,044 0 1,044
1904 993 0 993
1903 995 9 986
1902 1,081 0 1,081
1901 1,027 0 1,027
1900 1,397 8 1,389
1899 1,056 0 1,056
1898 1,304 0 1,304
1897 1,246 0 1,246
1896 1,204 0 1,204
1895 1,304 9 1,295
1894 1,326 7 1,319
1893 1,308 0 1,308
1892 1,424 5 1,419
1891 1,349 6 1,343
1890 1,395 9 1,386
1889 1,372 7 1,365
1888 1,442 9 1,433
1887 1,257 0 1,257
1886 1,237 6 1,231
1885 1,258 5 1,253
1884 1,253 9 1,244
1883 1,081 0 1,081
1882 1,076 0 1,076
1881 976 7 969
1880 1,051 6 1,045

Top States for Cora (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 176
7%
TX 174
7%
PA 140
5%
OH 131
5%
NY 129
5%
FL 121
5%
NC 96
4%
IL 93
4%
VA 90
4%
IN 84
3%
WA 80
3%
MA 79
3%
MN 76
3%
MO 75
3%
MI 71
3%
WI 69
3%
NJ 64
2%
GA 56
2%
MD 52
2%
CO 52
2%
TN 48
2%
IA 45
2%
CT 45
2%
AZ 43
2%
UT 40
2%
KY 39
2%
OR 35
1%
KS 33
1%
AL 32
1%
SC 30
1%
LA 28
1%
AR 25
1%
OK 24
1%
NE 24
1%
SD 19
1%
ID 16
1%
NV 16
1%
NH 16
1%
ND 13
1%
WV 13
1%
MT 11
0%
ME 10
0%
DC 9
0%
RI 8
0%
AK 7
0%
NM 7
0%
HI 6
0%
MS 6
0%
DE 5
0%