Norah Girl

Popularity: #249 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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.

ClaraLilaMayaEllaSophieLucy

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.

NoraCoraLauraMiraZaraToraNinaLora

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Norah has ranked as high as #333 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.

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 Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,191 0 1,191
2024 1,384 0 1,384
2023 1,488 0 1,488
2022 1,539 0 1,539
2021 1,791 0 1,791
2020 1,810 0 1,810
2019 1,975 0 1,975
2018 2,013 0 2,013
2017 2,156 0 2,156
2016 2,026 0 2,026
2015 2,032 0 2,032
2014 2,007 0 2,007
2013 1,725 0 1,725
2012 1,502 0 1,502
2011 1,217 0 1,217
2010 1,091 0 1,091
2009 959 0 959
2008 666 0 666
2007 689 0 689
2006 591 0 591
2005 558 0 558
2004 482 6 476
2003 303 0 303
2002 96 0 96
2001 64 0 64
2000 57 0 57
1999 44 0 44
1998 42 0 42
1997 24 0 24
1996 36 0 36
1995 29 0 29
1994 31 0 31
1993 35 0 35
1992 39 0 39
1991 39 0 39
1990 38 0 38
1989 42 0 42
1988 38 0 38
1987 27 0 27
1986 30 0 30
1985 28 0 28
1984 37 0 37
1983 31 0 31
1982 27 0 27
1981 35 0 35
1980 32 0 32
1979 33 0 33
1978 23 0 23
1977 20 0 20
1976 30 0 30
1975 29 0 29
1974 23 0 23
1973 24 0 24
1972 22 0 22
1971 18 0 18
1970 16 0 16
1969 14 0 14
1968 17 0 17
1967 21 0 21
1966 19 0 19
1965 19 0 19
1964 21 0 21
1963 25 0 25
1962 24 0 24
1961 28 0 28
1960 25 0 25
1959 16 0 16
1958 35 0 35
1957 21 0 21
1956 13 0 13
1955 30 6 24
1954 19 0 19
1953 37 5 32
1952 22 6 16
1951 36 0 36
1950 27 5 22
1949 34 5 29
1948 29 7 22
1947 24 0 24
1946 26 5 21
1945 26 0 26
1944 15 0 15
1943 24 5 19
1942 23 0 23
1941 16 5 11
1940 21 5 16
1939 17 5 12
1938 15 0 15
1937 11 0 11
1936 7 0 7
1935 12 0 12
1934 21 6 15
1933 24 10 14
1932 21 8 13
1931 17 0 17
1930 13 0 13
1929 18 0 18
1928 20 0 20
1927 23 0 23
1926 16 5 11
1925 31 8 23
1924 33 6 27
1923 27 9 18
1922 20 0 20
1921 19 5 14
1920 23 0 23
1919 31 7 24
1918 22 0 22
1917 25 0 25
1916 14 0 14
1915 22 0 22
1914 21 0 21
1913 18 0 18
1912 10 0 10
1911 9 0 9
1910 12 0 12
1909 9 0 9
1908 11 0 11
1907 9 0 9
1906 12 0 12
1905 10 0 10
1904 7 0 7
1903 11 0 11
1902 16 0 16
1901 11 0 11
1900 18 0 18
1899 10 0 10
1898 11 0 11
1897 22 0 22
1896 18 0 18
1895 18 0 18
1894 13 0 13
1893 16 0 16
1892 11 0 11
1891 16 0 16
1890 11 0 11
1889 7 0 7
1888 15 0 15
1887 9 0 9
1886 12 0 12
1885 15 0 15
1884 12 0 12
1883 20 0 20
1882 13 0 13
1881 13 0 13
1880 9 0 9

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. 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 103
8%
TX 99
7%
OH 65
5%
NY 63
5%
FL 60
4%
PA 59
4%
NC 57
4%
MI 56
4%
MN 51
4%
IL 48
4%
GA 45
3%
TN 42
3%
MA 38
3%
VA 37
3%
IN 37
3%
MO 36
3%
WI 35
3%
WA 34
3%
NJ 29
2%
CO 28
2%
AZ 26
2%
AL 24
2%
SC 23
2%
KS 22
2%
KY 21
2%
UT 21
2%
OR 20
1%
LA 18
1%
AR 18
1%
IA 16
1%
OK 16
1%
NE 15
1%
MD 13
1%
CT 12
1%
RI 12
1%
ID 10
1%
MS 10
1%
NH 8
1%
WV 7
1%
ND 5
0%
ME 5
0%
NV 5
0%
SD 5
0%