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Norah as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Norah

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The baby name Norah is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced NOR-ə (IPA: /ˈnɔːrə/ or /ˈnɔːrɑː/).

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Pronunciation: NOR-ə (IPA: /ˈnɔːrə/ or /ˈnɔːrɑː/)

What is the meaning of the name Norah ?

The baby name Norah is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced NOR-ə (IPA: /ˈnɔːrə/ or /ˈnɔːrɑː/).

Norah is in Origin.

Norah is the H-final spelling of Nora, an English and Irish given name with dual roots. Most directly it derives from Honora/Honoria (Latin “honor”), adopted into Anglo-Norman and Gaelic as Onóra and later Nóra, hence the sense “honor” or “esteem.” It also serves as a short form of Eleanora/Eleanor (from Old French Aliénor), a lineage with debated etymology; some link it to the phrase “other Aenor,” and folk usage sometimes associates it with “light.”

In use in Ireland since the medieval period, Norah/Nora spread through Britain and North America in the 18th-19th centuries, saw Victorian popularity, and has revived strongly in the 21st century, aided by cultural references from Ibsen’s Nora Helmer to singer Norah Jones. Variants and related forms include Nora, Nóra, Noora (Finnish), Honora, Onóra, Eleanora, and Leonora; cognate but distinct are Arabic Nura/Noura from nur, “light.”

Norah has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Norah

Norah Jones Actor · Born 1979 · United States Norah Jones is a well-known American singer and songwriter, famous for her debut album 'Come Away with Me' which includes hits like 'Don't Know Why'. She has won multiple Grammy Awards and is known for her soothing voice and blend of jazz, pop, and country music.

Celebrity babies named Norah

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Norah Jones Ravi Shankar film director ★★★★★

Norah – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 — 874
BW 0 #18 2 960
MV 0 #19 1 644
NA 0 #32 2 2,537
SA Girls 0 #71 3,375 25,931
Canada Girls 2024 #89 258 2,795
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
BN Girls 0 #106 9 5,459
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
BW Girls 0 #109 40 4,216
Switzerland Girls 2024 #117 19 1,786
KW 0 #117 5 5,216
Norway Girls 2025 #121 6 453
CY Girls 0 #125 1 3,755
Belgium Girls 2024 #136 50 424
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
EE Girls 0 #141 2 1,888
MT Girls 0 #152 2 3,773
BW Boys 0 #154 1 4,685
France Girls 2021 #159 326 3,185
PR Girls 0 #162 6 3,171
Sweden Girls 2022 #168 12 1,568
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
AE 0 #185 3 10,220
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
United States Girls 2024 #202 1,374 8,487
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
BO Girls 0 #211 701 9,488
PL 0 #212 1 2,600
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
NA Girls 0 #230 8 7,146
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
SA 0 #236 60 10,560
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
GH 0 #246 3 5,396
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
MO Girls 0 #262 2 7,056
NG 0 #265 8 5,926
JM Girls 0 #276 3 7,507
SG 0 #280 3 11,010
QA Girls 0 #281 36 15,378
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
TW Girls 0 #287 3 8,139
HR Girls 0 #293 2 3,687
BO 0 #312 70 6,868
GH Girls 0 #313 12 6,973
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
JO Girls 0 #333 7 7,570
SD Girls 0 #333 13 7,678
CN Girls 0 #337 13 8,829
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
MY 0 #350 5 12,352
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
OM Girls 0 #353 44 15,987
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
MU Girls 0 #359 4 8,539
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
KW Girls 0 #368 148 19,177
YE 0 #369 13 8,639
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
BD Girls 0 #405 2 8,413
EG 0 #407 6 6,387
ZA 0 #415 33 14,421
PH Girls 0 #424 6 13,098
ZA Girls 0 #428 1,256 25,928
MX 0 #440 6 8,339
AE Girls 0 #485 69 20,968
IQ Girls 0 #487 18 11,303
NG Girls 0 #490 340 15,093
CO 0 #508 3 7,768
PS Girls 0 #514 10 10,981
PA Girls 0 #516 3 9,861
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
CM Girls 0 #531 10 11,671
BH 0 #533 21 17,937
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
GT Girls 0 #541 1 7,500
SG Girls 0 #541 46 18,916
IR Girls 0 #544 2 8,334
LY 0 #551 9 12,703
HK Boys 0 #557 1 12,905
CR Girls 0 #565 9 11,342
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
AR Girls 0 #575 25 8,289
HK Girls 0 #604 12 16,104
BO Boys 0 #616 7 9,244
IL Girls 0 #637 9 11,648
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
LB 0 #682 9 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
Finland Girls 2026 #698 41 3,895
SY 0 #715 14 11,684
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
MY Girls 0 #797 198 24,821
KW Boys 0 #800 7 18,755
TN 0 #819 11 13,765
United States Boys 2004 #827 6 7,246
Germany Girls 0 #828 11 4,949
CL Girls 0 #829 23 14,098
EG Girls 0 #840 120 14,742
NL Girls 0 #844 112 5,933
PE Girls 0 #901 43 14,861
Spain Girls 0 #903 81 5,561
OM Boys 0 #916 3 17,948
EG Boys 0 #923 3 15,035
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
CO Boys 0 #981 1 15,656
BR Girls 0 #988 5 12,708
NG Boys 0 #994 8 16,906
IN Boys 0 #1,038 2 16,750
CO Girls 0 #1,056 23 16,140
MA 0 #1,095 34 20,986
MX Girls 0 #1,116 68 17,781
ZA Boys 0 #1,142 37 25,619
AE Boys 0 #1,143 1 22,615
DZ 0 #1,154 23 20,130
MY Boys 0 #1,181 2 25,439
TR 0 #1,252 3 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,407 40 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,449 166 28,008

Norah is popular in 76 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Ireland
Canada
Norway
United States

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Norah

Norah is predominantly a girl's name.
Norah is a 2 syllable name, pronounced NOR-ə (IPA: /ˈnɔːrə/ or /ˈnɔːrɑː/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Nora, Nóra, Norie and Nor.
Yes, very popular — Norah ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 10 countries.
Norah ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Norah's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 1 notable people named Norah are in our database, including Norah Jones (Actor).
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Norah for their child, including Ravi Shankar.