Honor Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ON-er //ˈɒnər//
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Latin: honor; English: respect
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Honor derives from the Latin word "honor," which translates to "honor" or "esteem." This Latin term has its roots in the Proto-Indo-European word "*h₁on-", meaning "to be worth" or "to honor." The transition of the name into English occurred through Old French, where it was adopted as "onor" before entering Middle English as "honour." The spelling "Honor" emerged as a variant, particularly in American English, where the 'u' is often omitted in various words. Historically, the concept of honor has been significant in various cultures, often associated with nobility and virtue.
In medieval Europe, the notion of chivalry was closely linked to honor, influencing the behavior of knights and nobles. The name has been borne by several notable figures throughout history, including Honoré de Balzac, a prominent French novelist of the 19th century, whose works explored themes of society and morality.
Additionally, the name appears in various religious contexts, with honor being a virtue extolled in many traditions, including Christianity, where it is often associated with the respect due to God and to one's parents. Culturally, the name Honor resonates with ideals of integrity and moral uprightness.
It has been used in literature and art to symbolize virtue and ethical conduct. The name's enduring appeal can be attributed to its strong connotations of respect and dignity, making it a timeless choice across generations.
Diminutive forms such as "Nora" have also emerged, though they carry distinct meanings and associations. Overall, the name Honor encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic, historical, and cultural significance.
Famous people named Honor
In this section, you will find notable people named Honor. 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 Honor who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Honor 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.
Honor Blackman is an actress best known for The Avengers, Goldfinger, and The Cat and the Canary.
Honor Swinton Byrne is an actress best known for The Souvenir and The Souvenir Part II.
Fictional characters named Honor
The following list of fictional characters named Honor 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.
Honor Harrington is a fictional character from the science fiction series Honorverse. She is a starship captain and a key figure in the interstellar military and political conflicts of her universe.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Honor, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Honor. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Honor was first seen in the United States in 1888.
Honor has ranked as high as #1927 nationally, which occurred in 2021, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Honor has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Honor 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 Honor 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 Honor.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 163 | 88 | 75 |
| 2024 | 200 | 109 | 91 |
| 2023 | 212 | 112 | 100 |
| 2022 | 236 | 116 | 120 |
| 2021 | 247 | 130 | 117 |
| 2020 | 198 | 103 | 95 |
| 2019 | 211 | 104 | 107 |
| 2018 | 200 | 95 | 105 |
| 2017 | 204 | 98 | 106 |
| 2016 | 179 | 73 | 106 |
| 2015 | 170 | 46 | 124 |
| 2014 | 160 | 51 | 109 |
| 2013 | 199 | 65 | 134 |
| 2012 | 197 | 63 | 134 |
| 2011 | 147 | 48 | 99 |
| 2010 | 131 | 44 | 87 |
| 2009 | 139 | 36 | 103 |
| 2008 | 68 | 28 | 40 |
| 2007 | 39 | 11 | 28 |
| 2006 | 49 | 15 | 34 |
| 2005 | 35 | 7 | 28 |
| 2004 | 42 | 6 | 36 |
| 2003 | 54 | 9 | 45 |
| 2002 | 49 | 7 | 42 |
| 2001 | 33 | 0 | 33 |
| 2000 | 45 | 5 | 40 |
| 1999 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 1998 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| 1997 | 23 | 0 | 23 |
| 1996 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 1995 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1994 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1993 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1992 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1991 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1990 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1989 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1988 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1987 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1986 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1985 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1984 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1983 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1981 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1980 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1979 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1978 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 1977 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1976 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1975 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1974 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1973 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1972 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1971 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1970 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1969 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1968 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1967 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 1966 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1965 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1964 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1963 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1962 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1960 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1958 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1957 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1956 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1955 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1954 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1953 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1952 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
| 1951 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1950 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1949 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1948 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1947 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1946 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1945 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1944 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1943 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1942 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1940 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1939 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1938 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1937 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1936 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1934 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1933 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1932 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1931 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1930 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1929 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1928 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1927 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1926 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1925 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1924 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1923 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 1922 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1921 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1920 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1919 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1918 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 1917 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1916 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1915 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1914 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1913 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1910 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1908 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1907 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1906 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1905 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1904 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1903 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1902 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1900 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1897 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1896 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1895 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1893 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1892 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1888 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Top States for Honor (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 |
|---|---|---|
| NC | 16 | |
| TX | 15 | |
| CA | 14 | |
| PA | 12 | |
| OH | 10 | |
| GA | 9 | |
| FL | 8 | |
| NY | 5 |