Fun Facts About the Name Onora
- 99 babies named Onora: U.S. records list 99 babies given the name Onora from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Onora Mean?
Onora is an Irish feminine name meaning "honor." It is the Irish form of Honora, from Latin Honoria, the feminine of the Roman name Honorius. That name is based on Latin honor (also honos), "honor, esteem, public office." The standard Irish spelling is Onóra, with an accent on the second o; Onora is an English spelling without the accent. Irish has the word onóir, "honor," but that word is itself a Latin borrowing, and the personal name is best explained through Latin Honoria. The similar names Eleanora and Leonora are not its source; they have separate origins.
Onora Name History & Origins
The Latin name Honoria comes from the Roman name Honorius, which was borne by a Roman emperor in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. In the same imperial family, Justa Grata Honoria was the sister of the Western emperor Valentinian III. Because the name's root meant "honor," it was also used by Christians and appears in medieval European records. In Ireland the name was adopted as Onóra; Irish-language sources use that spelling, while English-language records from Ireland usually render it as Honora and sometimes as Onora. The short form Nora developed in Ireland from Honora/Onóra and later spread in the English-speaking world, where it also became a short form of other names. Onora itself is the anglicized spelling of Onóra, used without the Irish accent; it has remained less common than Honora or Nora, and is the form borne by the philosopher Onora O'Neill.
How Popular is the Name Onora?
Onora has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2020. Its best rank was #8,808 in 2020.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,667 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #10,046 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #17,134 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #14,801 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #8,808 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #12,154 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #15,182 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #15,454 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #9,925 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #9,987 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #18,594 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #18,859 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #16,948 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Onora Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are patient, persevering and strong willed. You are a good student, absorbing knowledge easily and retaining it well. You are either a saint or a sinner. You tend to hold things inside and suffer in silence. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Onora's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Onora's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.