Leora Girl

Popularity: #810 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: lee-OR-ah /liˈɔːrə/

Origin: Hebrew; Greek

Meaning: Hebrew: light; Greek: compassion

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Leora has its roots in Hebrew, derived from the elements 'le' meaning 'to' or 'for' and 'or' meaning 'light.' Thus, the literal translation of Leora is often interpreted as 'light unto me' or 'my light.' This name entered the English language through the transliteration of Hebrew, particularly during the 19th and 20th centuries when Hebrew names began to gain recognition in English-speaking communities, especially among Jewish populations. Historically, the name Leora does not have a significant presence in ancient texts or notable figures, but it aligns with a broader tradition of Hebrew names that emphasize light and illumination, which are common themes in Jewish culture and scripture.

The concept of light is prevalent in various religious texts, including the Hebrew Bible, where light symbolizes divine presence and guidance. The name's association with light resonates with many cultural and spiritual beliefs, making it a meaningful choice for families.

In terms of cultural significance, names that convey the idea of light often carry connotations of hope, clarity, and enlightenment. Leora, while not as widely documented as some other names, fits within this tradition and reflects a positive and uplifting sentiment.

The name may also have diminutive forms or variations, such as Leora's potential short form, Liora, which similarly conveys the meaning of light. Overall, Leora embodies a rich linguistic heritage and cultural resonance that underscores its enduring appeal.

Famous people named Leora

In this section, you will find notable people named Leora. 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 Leora who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Leora 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.

Leora Tanenbaum is an author best known for Slut! Growing Up Female with a Bad Reputation, and Taking Back God.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Leora, 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 Leora. 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 Leora was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Leora has ranked as high as #641 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in New York, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Leora has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Leora 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 Leora was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Leora (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
NY 29
35%
NJ 13
15%
FL 12
14%
TX 7
8%
CA 6
7%
GA 6
7%
NC 6
7%
PA 5
6%

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 Leora.

YearBirths
2024140
2023134
2022111
2021118
2020109
201982
2018124
2017106
201696
201586
201482
201373
201271
201166
201076
200963
200851
200768
200653
200541
200455
200358
200245
200133
200056
199941
199850
199738
199632
199536
199438
199330
199237
199135
199042
198928
198835
198746
198636
198536
198432
198344
198233
198168
198044
197924
197840
197735
197631
197535
197430
197335
197232
197137
197034
196942
196833
196737
196636
196556
196448
196349
196256
196149
196062
195956
195863
195770
195665
195567
195447
195355
195271
195166
195088
194969
194868
194788
194674
194569
194485
194384
1942107
194190
194094
1939117
1938120
1937120
1936120
1935120
1934122
1933131
1932146
1931154
1930154
1929172
1928171
1927212
1926211
1925218
1924252
1923215
1922245
1921255
1920214
1919247
1918235
1917227
1916243
1915223
1914162
1913150
1912134
1911121
1910104
190999
190881
190764
190688
190562
190485
190380
190269
190170
190071
189959
189858
189761
189649
189556
189462
189351
189247
189134
189051
188931
188840
188730
188633
188521
188426
188327
188229
188123
188028