Norah
How to say it: NOR-uh · /ˈnɔrə/
Irish short form of Honora (Latin 'honor'); also used as an Arabic name meaning 'light'.
Norah was the 20th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,191 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are steady over ten years, and it is projected to slip to #22 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #20 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,191 |
| Share of births | 1 in 437 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | +3% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #22 |
| In France, 2025 | #73 among girls’ names, 245 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Past its high in the 2010s, Norah remains well used. Hovering close to that peak, a gentle slip seems likely from here.
What goes with it
Gentle in tone, Norah sounds soft and travels well. Hannah belongs in the same style.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Norah is about 1 in 19.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, English, French, Irish.
In France: #73 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #240. Ireland: #318.
Famous people named Norah
- Norah Jones (born 1979)American musician
- Norah Jeruto (born 1995)Kenyan female steeplechase runner
- Norah Al Faiz (born 1954)Saudi deputy education minister
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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