Kora
Girl name · #490 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Kora? In official American birth records, Kora has been tracked continuously since 1942, giving it 83 years of documented American history.
Kora ranks #490 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 603 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #622, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,985 girls born in 2025 was named Kora.
Babies named Kora per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 83-year story
Kora first appears in the Social Security records in 1942, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 682 babies and a rank of #465. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kora against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kora in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kora is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kora is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kora is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Kora is most common in NE (1.6 per 1,000), IA (1 per 1,000), WI (1 per 1,000), IN (1 per 1,000), KS (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kora is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kora
Statistically, parents drawn to Kora tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Elora, Zora, Yara, Lyra, and Amora.
EloraZoraYaraLyraAmoraZahraLioraAnora
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kora | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 603 | #490 |
| 2024 | 625 | #489 |
| 2023 | 571 | #532 |
| 2022 | 682 | #465 |
| 2021 | 620 | #504 |
| 2020 | 624 | #488 |
| 2019 | 662 | #472 |
| 2018 | 599 | #522 |
| 2017 | 506 | #592 |
| 2016 | 433 | #675 |
| 2015 | 462 | #622 |
| 2014 | 409 | #692 |
| 2013 | 356 | #765 |
| 2012 | 261 | #972 |
| 2011 | 226 | #1086 |
| 2010 | 178 | #1317 |
| 2009 | 152 | #1502 |
| 2008 | 128 | #1732 |
| 2007 | 123 | #1752 |
| 2006 | 122 | #1709 |
| 2005 | 101 | #1911 |
| 2004 | 91 | #2020 |
| 2003 | 116 | #1652 |
| 2002 | 100 | #1791 |
| 2001 | 92 | #1887 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kora?
In official American birth records, the name Kora first appeared in 1942 (over 83 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 83 years.
Is Kora a popular girl name?
Kora ranked #490 among girls in 2025 with 603 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #622.
When was the name Kora most popular?
Kora peaked in 2022, when 682 American girls received the name (ranked #465 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kora?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,985 newborn American girls was named Kora. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.