Norah Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NOR-uh //ˈnɔːrə//
Origin: Hebrew; Irish
Meaning: Hebrew: light; Irish: honor
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Norah has its roots in the Hebrew name נוֹעָה (No'ah), which means "to be pleasant" or "delightful." This name was later adapted into the Greek form Νωά (Noa) and subsequently entered Latin as Noa. The transition into English occurred through various channels, including the influence of biblical texts and translations, particularly the King James Bible in the early 17th century, which helped popularize many Hebrew names in English-speaking cultures.
Historically, the name Norah is often associated with the biblical figure Noah, who is a significant character in the Book of Genesis. While Noah is traditionally male, the feminine form Noa appears in the Hebrew Bible as one of the five daughters of Zelophehad, who successfully petitioned for their inheritance rights.
This story, which dates back to the 13th century BCE, underscores themes of justice and equity, contributing to the name's enduring significance in Jewish tradition. Culturally, Norah has been embraced in various forms across different societies, often symbolizing grace and charm.
The name has also been linked to various saints and historical figures, enhancing its resonance in Christian contexts. In addition to Norah, the diminutive form Nora has emerged, which has been used in literature and folklore, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry.
Overall, Norah embodies a blend of historical depth and cultural significance, making it a name with a rich legacy.
Famous people named Norah
In this section, you will find notable people named Norah. 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 Norah who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Norah 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.
Norah Jones is a singer and songwriter best known for Come Away With Me, Don't Know Why, and Sunrise.
Norah Ephron was a screenwriter and director best known for When Harry Met Sally..., Sleepless in Seattle, and Julie & Julia.
Norah Fatehi is a dancer, actress, and model best known for Dilbar, Saki Saki, and Garmi.
Fictional characters named Norah
The following list of fictional characters named Norah 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.
Norah is a fictional character from the novel and film adaptation Norah's Will. She is a determined woman who seeks to fulfill her deceased husband's final wishes, navigating complex family dynamics along the way.
Norah is a fictional character from the TV series The 100. She is a member of the group known as the Delinquents, contributing to their survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Norah, 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 Norah. 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 Norah was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Norah has ranked as high as #312 nationally, which occurred in 2017, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Ohio, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Norah has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Norah 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 Norah was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Norah (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 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 103 | |
| TX | 99 | |
| OH | 65 | |
| NY | 63 | |
| FL | 60 | |
| PA | 59 | |
| NC | 57 | |
| MN | 51 | |
| IL | 48 | |
| GA | 45 | |
| TN | 42 | |
| MA | 38 | |
| VA | 37 | |
| IN | 37 | |
| MO | 36 |
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 Norah.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,374 |
| 2023 | 1,487 |
| 2022 | 1,536 |
| 2021 | 1,790 |
| 2020 | 1,810 |
| 2019 | 1,974 |
| 2018 | 2,013 |
| 2017 | 2,156 |
| 2016 | 2,026 |
| 2015 | 2,031 |
| 2014 | 2,007 |
| 2013 | 1,725 |
| 2012 | 1,502 |
| 2011 | 1,217 |
| 2010 | 1,091 |
| 2009 | 959 |
| 2008 | 666 |
| 2007 | 689 |
| 2006 | 591 |
| 2005 | 558 |
| 2004 | 476 |
| 2003 | 303 |
| 2002 | 96 |
| 2001 | 64 |
| 2000 | 57 |
| 1999 | 44 |
| 1998 | 42 |
| 1997 | 24 |
| 1996 | 36 |
| 1995 | 29 |
| 1994 | 31 |
| 1993 | 35 |
| 1992 | 39 |
| 1991 | 39 |
| 1990 | 38 |
| 1989 | 42 |
| 1988 | 38 |
| 1987 | 27 |
| 1986 | 29 |
| 1985 | 28 |
| 1984 | 37 |
| 1983 | 31 |
| 1982 | 27 |
| 1981 | 35 |
| 1980 | 32 |
| 1979 | 32 |
| 1978 | 23 |
| 1977 | 20 |
| 1976 | 30 |
| 1975 | 29 |
| 1974 | 23 |
| 1973 | 25 |
| 1972 | 22 |
| 1971 | 18 |
| 1970 | 16 |
| 1969 | 14 |
| 1968 | 17 |
| 1967 | 21 |
| 1966 | 19 |
| 1965 | 19 |
| 1964 | 21 |
| 1963 | 25 |
| 1962 | 24 |
| 1961 | 28 |
| 1960 | 25 |
| 1959 | 16 |
| 1958 | 36 |
| 1957 | 21 |
| 1956 | 13 |
| 1955 | 24 |
| 1954 | 19 |
| 1953 | 32 |
| 1952 | 16 |
| 1951 | 36 |
| 1950 | 22 |
| 1949 | 29 |
| 1948 | 22 |
| 1947 | 24 |
| 1946 | 21 |
| 1945 | 26 |
| 1944 | 15 |
| 1943 | 19 |
| 1942 | 23 |
| 1941 | 11 |
| 1940 | 16 |
| 1939 | 12 |
| 1938 | 15 |
| 1937 | 11 |
| 1936 | 7 |
| 1935 | 12 |
| 1934 | 15 |
| 1933 | 14 |
| 1932 | 13 |
| 1931 | 17 |
| 1930 | 13 |
| 1929 | 18 |
| 1928 | 20 |
| 1927 | 23 |
| 1926 | 11 |
| 1925 | 23 |
| 1924 | 27 |
| 1923 | 18 |
| 1922 | 20 |
| 1921 | 14 |
| 1920 | 23 |
| 1919 | 24 |
| 1918 | 22 |
| 1917 | 25 |
| 1916 | 14 |
| 1915 | 22 |
| 1914 | 21 |
| 1913 | 18 |
| 1912 | 10 |
| 1911 | 9 |
| 1910 | 12 |
| 1909 | 9 |
| 1908 | 11 |
| 1907 | 9 |
| 1906 | 12 |
| 1905 | 10 |
| 1904 | 7 |
| 1903 | 11 |
| 1902 | 16 |
| 1901 | 11 |
| 1900 | 18 |
| 1899 | 10 |
| 1898 | 11 |
| 1897 | 22 |
| 1896 | 18 |
| 1895 | 18 |
| 1894 | 13 |
| 1893 | 16 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1891 | 16 |
| 1890 | 11 |
| 1889 | 7 |
| 1888 | 15 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1886 | 12 |
| 1885 | 15 |
| 1884 | 12 |
| 1883 | 20 |
| 1882 | 13 |
| 1881 | 13 |
| 1880 | 9 |