Norah
Girl name · #262 in 2025 · Uniqueness 60/100
Norah is currently the #262 girl name in the United States — 1,191 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #159, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,511 girls born in 2025 was named Norah.
The 145-year story
Norah first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 2,156 girls were named Norah — good for #136 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Norah per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Norah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Norah in class?
Norah scores 60 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Norah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Norah is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Norahs were CA (111), TX (107), IL (48), PA (48), NY (47). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Norah
Statistically, parents drawn to Norah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nylah, Amirah, Selah, Lilah, and Alayah.
NylahAmirahSelahLilahAlayahAriahAliyahAmiyah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Norah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,191 | #262 |
| 2024 | 1,384 | #223 |
| 2023 | 1,488 | #201 |
| 2022 | 1,539 | #192 |
| 2021 | 1,791 | #160 |
| 2020 | 1,810 | #152 |
| 2019 | 1,975 | #144 |
| 2018 | 2,013 | #140 |
| 2017 | 2,156 | #136 |
| 2016 | 2,026 | #154 |
| 2015 | 2,032 | #159 |
| 2014 | 2,007 | #163 |
| 2013 | 1,725 | #188 |
| 2012 | 1,502 | #210 |
| 2011 | 1,217 | #263 |
| 2010 | 1,091 | #298 |
| 2009 | 959 | #343 |
| 2008 | 666 | #476 |
| 2007 | 689 | #468 |
| 2006 | 591 | #515 |
| 2005 | 558 | #523 |
| 2004 | 476 | #590 |
| 2003 | 303 | #815 |
| 2002 | 96 | #1853 |
| 2001 | 64 | #2438 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Norah a popular girl name?
Norah ranked #262 among girls in 2025 with 1,191 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #159.
When was the name Norah most popular?
Norah peaked in 2017, when 2,156 American girls received the name (ranked #136 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Norah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,511 newborn American girls was named Norah. It scores 60/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.