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Ora Name Meaning, Origins & History

Ora

Pronunciation: OR-uh

Meaning Shore, seacoast Origin Latin Gender Unisex
GIRLS RANK
#3,760
TREND
286
Peak Years
1919, 1920, 1917
Lowest Years
1990, 2003, 1995
Energy Archetype
Patient & Strong-Willed

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Ora in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Ora

  • More than 44 thousand babies named Ora: U.S. records list 44,892 babies given the name Ora from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 5,616 boys received the name Ora - about 1 boy for every 7 girls.

What Does the Name Ora Mean?

Ora is best known as a Hebrew feminine name meaning "light." It is built on the Hebrew word אוֹר (or), meaning "light," with a feminine ending. The masculine Hebrew name Or and the ordinary Hebrew noun for light are closely related to it. In English, Ora has also been used as a given name for both women and men, but its route into English is not clearly documented; in some cases it may have been a short form of a longer name beginning with Or-, such as Orinda, rather than a direct borrowing of the Hebrew name.

Latin ora, meaning "shore" or "coast," and Italian ora, meaning "hour" or "now," are separate words. They resemble the name but are not its established source.

Ora Name History & Origins

Ora appears as a given name in English-speaking countries by the 19th century, where it was given to both boys and girls. Its use in English does not seem to come from a single source; it may have been chosen for its sound or as a short form of names such as Orinda.

In Hebrew, the word אוֹר (or), "light," is old and appears in the Bible, as in the creation account's "Let there be light." The feminine given name Ora, however, belongs to modern Hebrew, formed from that word as Hebrew was revived as a spoken language in the late 19th and 20th centuries. It is a familiar feminine name in Israel.

How Popular is the Name Ora?

Ora recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1919. Its best rank was #104 in 1881.

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.

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 Ora 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 are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.

✦ Ora's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ora's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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