Girl · #1,496 in 2026

Eleanore

Eleanor is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name Aliénor. It was the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages. The name was introduced to England by Eleanor of Aquitaine, who came to marry King Henry II.

  • English
Current Rank
#1,496
Peak Rank
#225 (1921)
Total Babies
19K
5-Yr Trend
+30%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1921
Peak Year
#225
Peak Rank
19K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Eleanore

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Eleanor is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name Aliénor. It was the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages. The name was introduced to England by Eleanor of Aquitaine, who came to marry King Henry II.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
Origin & history
Further information: Aenor The name derives from the Provençal name Aliénor, which became Éléonore in Langue d'oïl , i.e., French, and from there Eleanor in English. The origin of the name is somewhat unclear; one of the earliest bearers appears to have been Eleanor of Aquitaine (1120s–1204). She was the daughter of Aénor de Châtellerault , and it has been suggested that having been baptized Aenor after her mother, she was called alia Aenor , i.e. "the other Aenor" or Aliénor in childhood and would have kept that name in adult life. Some sources say that the name Aénor itself may be a Latiniza

The Story of Eleanore

The earliest SSA record of Eleanore as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 13 babies received it. 1921 was its biggest year on record, with 768 newborns named Eleanore — #235 in the national rankings. About 34% of every Eleanore on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Eleanore ranks #1,496 for baby girls with 145 births, rising sharply (+30% over the past five years). All told, over 19K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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Variants & Related Forms of Eleanore

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Eleanore. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Eleanore

Phonetically similar names — useful when Eleanore is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Eleanore

What does the name Eleanore mean?
Eleanor is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name Aliénor. It was the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages. The name was introduced to England by Eleanor of Aquitaine, who came to marry King Henry II.
What is the origin of the name Eleanore?
Eleanore has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Eleanore in 2026?
In 2026, Eleanore ranks #1,496 among girls' names in the U.S., with 145 babies given the name that year.
When was Eleanore most popular?
Eleanore reached its peak popularity in 1921, ranking #225 that year with 768 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Eleanore most popular?
Eleanore has historically been most popular in Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Eleanore.
Is Eleanore a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Eleanore is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Eleanore?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Eleanore include Lynette, Collins, Amie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Eleanore?
Common variants and related forms of Eleanore include Elea, Eleanor, Eleanora, Elenora, Elinor, Ella. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Eleanore

Eleanore is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 19K births in the dataset. Eleanore's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #225. Use the chart and map above to compare Eleanore's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.