ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1880

First Year

2026

Last Year

2017

Peak Year

#136

Peak Rank

35K

Total Count

147

Years Active

📖

## The Story of Norah

Norah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 2,156 Norahs were born — ranking #136 that year. As of 2026, Norah ranks #248 for baby girls with 1,270 births, falling sharply (-28%). In total, more than 35K Norahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

🎶

## Names that sound like Norah

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

* [Nora](/nora)
* [Norra](/norra)
* [Nara](/nara)
* Nowra
* [Naarah](/naarah)
* [Nori](/nori)
* [Naira](/naira)
* [Nera](/nera)
* Nauru
* [Nira](/nira)
* Noro
* [Norrie](/norrie)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Norah

What does the name Norah mean?

Norah is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1880\. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Norah in 2026?

In 2026, Norah ranks #248 among girls' names in the U.S., with 1,270 babies given the name that year.

When was Norah most popular?

Norah reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #136 that year with 2,156 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Norah most popular?

Norah has historically been most popular in Vermont, Wyoming, New Hampshire. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Norah.

Is Norah a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Norah is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Norah?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Norah include Jan, Sheri, Yesenia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧JanPeak #136](/jan)[👧SheriPeak #136](/sheri)[👧YeseniaPeak #136](/yesenia)[👧AltaPeak #137](/alta)[👧HalliePeak #135](/hallie)[👧CassiePeak #137](/cassie)[👧IrmaPeak #137](/irma)[👧MaryannPeak #135](/maryann)

## About the name Norah 

Norah is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 35K births in the dataset. Norah's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #136\. Use the chart and map above to compare Norah's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2017 → ](/year/2017)
* [ Names of the 2010s → ](/decade/2010s)
* [ Names starting with "N" → ](/letter/n)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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.