Zora
Girl name · #969 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Zora? In official American birth records, Zora has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Zora ranks #969 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 264 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1566, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,818 girls born in 2025 was named Zora.
The 145-year story
Zora first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 28 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 353 girls were named Zora — good for #786 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 Zora per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zora against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zora in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zora is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zora will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zora is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zora is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Zora is most common in MD (0.6 per 1,000), GA (0.4 per 1,000), MI (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.3 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Zora is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Zora
Statistically, parents drawn to Zora tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zamora, Kora, Sora, Anora, and Liora.
ZamoraKoraSoraAnoraLioraZoyaElioraEzra
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zora | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 264 | #968 |
| 2024 | 290 | #914 |
| 2023 | 313 | #853 |
| 2022 | 332 | #843 |
| 2021 | 338 | #822 |
| 2020 | 308 | #873 |
| 2019 | 353 | #786 |
| 2018 | 270 | #979 |
| 2017 | 206 | #1187 |
| 2016 | 164 | #1412 |
| 2015 | 140 | #1566 |
| 2014 | 139 | #1562 |
| 2013 | 99 | #1977 |
| 2012 | 109 | #1846 |
| 2011 | 94 | #2058 |
| 2010 | 88 | #2202 |
| 2009 | 87 | #2244 |
| 2008 | 112 | #1890 |
| 2007 | 104 | #1971 |
| 2006 | 98 | #2016 |
| 2005 | 98 | #1950 |
| 2004 | 102 | #1855 |
| 2003 | 117 | #1641 |
| 2002 | 62 | #2527 |
| 2001 | 65 | #2411 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zora?
In official American birth records, the name Zora first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 28 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Zora a popular girl name?
Zora ranked #969 among girls in 2025 with 264 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1566.
When was the name Zora most popular?
Zora peaked in 2019, when 353 American girls received the name (ranked #786 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zora?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,818 newborn American girls was named Zora. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.