Nora is a feminine personal name. It mainly originates as a short form of Honora (also Honoria), a common Anglo-Norman name, ultimately derived from the Latin word Honor (with that meaning).[1] In Hungary, the name Nóra originates as a short form of Eleonóra.[2]

Nora
Pronunciation/ˈnɔːrə/ NOR
GenderFemale
Origin
Word/namefrom Norman, in turn from Latin
Meaning"honor"
Region of originEurope
Other names
Related namesNorah, Noora, Noorah, Norma, Eleonora, Eleanor, Norabelle, Nura, Leonora

The Irish Nóra is likewise probably an Irish form of Honora. A diminutive form of Nóra is Nóirín; this name has numerous anglicised forms, such as: Norene and Norine.[3]

Nora has been among the most popular girl names in Norway in the 2000s, topping the list of most popular girl names in 2012.[4]

In Finnish and Arabic there is a given name Noora.

"Bloody Nora", "ruddy Nora" or "flaming Nora" is a British minced oath.[5]

People

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Notable people with the name include:

Fictional characters

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Animals

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  • Nora (2004–2024), a cat known for playing piano
  • Nora (born 2015), a polar bear at the Oregon Zoo

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Withycombe, E. G. (1976). The Concise Dictionary of English Christian Names. Omega Books.
  2. ^ Drosdowski, Günther (1974). Lexikon der Vornamen. Duden.
  3. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 353, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.
  4. ^ Rodum, Elisabeth (23 January 2013). "Nora og Lucas mest populære". Aftenposten (in Norwegian).
  5. ^ Either derived from Cockney pronunciation of "horror" or using "Nora" as a generic name; "flaming Ada" also occurs. Thorpe, J. R. (3 February 2015). "9 Obscure Swear Words We Should Bring Back". Bustle. Dent, Susie (2009). What Made The Crocodile Cry?: 101 Questions about the English Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 132–33. ISBN 978-0-19-957415-5.