Fun Facts About the Name Zora
- More than 10 thousand babies named Zora: U.S. records list 10,245 babies given the name Zora from 1880 through 2025. Even 46 boys received the name Zora - about 1 boy for every 222 girls.
What Does the Name Zora Mean?
Zora is a feminine given name meaning "dawn" or "aurora" in Slavic languages. It comes from the common Slavic noun zora (Cyrillic: зора), the ordinary word for daybreak or the first light of morning. Related words in other Slavic languages include Russian zarya (заря) and Polish zorza, both referring to dawn or a glow in the sky. The name is a literal use of that natural image rather than a compound or a diminutive. It is distinct from the Hebrew place name Zorah (Tzora), which appears in the Bible and has a separate, uncertain etymology.
Zora Name History & Origins
Zora came into use as a given name in Slavic-speaking regions, where it was taken directly from the everyday noun for dawn. It is found in Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, and Slovenian naming traditions. During the 19th century, when several Slavic peoples were promoting their languages and folk culture, names drawn from native vocabulary became more common; Zora belongs to that broader group, along with related names such as Zorica and the masculine Zoran.
In English, Zora is used as a feminine given name. The American writer and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston (1891 - 1960) is a well-known bearer; her name reflects the name's established use rather than being its origin. The name is sometimes confused with the biblical place name Zorah, but the two have different backgrounds. Zorah is a place name in the territory of Judah associated with Samson, and its meaning is not the same as the Slavic word for dawn.
How Popular is the Name Zora?
Zora recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2019. Its best rank was #258 in 1884.
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 | #969 | 264 | 0.0164% |
| 2024 | #918 | 289 | 0.0179% |
| 2023 | #860 | 311 | 0.0194% |
| 2022 | #847 | 332 | 0.0203% |
| 2021 | #823 | 338 | 0.0206% |
| 2020 | #875 | 308 | 0.0191% |
| 2019 | #788 | 353 | 0.0210% |
| 2018 | #979 | 270 | 0.0159% |
| 2017 | #1,189 | 206 | 0.0119% |
| 2016 | #1,419 | 164 | 0.0093% |
| 2015 | #1,575 | 140 | 0.0078% |
| 2014 | #1,568 | 139 | 0.0078% |
| 2013 | #1,989 | 99 | 0.0056% |
| 2012 | #1,857 | 109 | 0.0062% |
| 2011 | #2,072 | 94 | 0.0053% |
| 2010 | #2,219 | 88 | 0.0050% |
| 2009 | #2,269 | 87 | 0.0047% |
| 2008 | #1,901 | 112 | 0.0059% |
| 2007 | #1,987 | 104 | 0.0054% |
| 2006 | #2,030 | 98 | 0.0052% |
| 2005 | #1,968 | 98 | 0.0053% |
| 2004 | #1,870 | 102 | 0.0056% |
| 2003 | #1,651 | 117 | 0.0064% |
| 2002 | #2,553 | 62 | 0.0035% |
| 2001 | #2,437 | 65 | 0.0036% |
| 2000 | #3,981 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1999 | #4,444 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1998 | #5,361 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1997 | #4,368 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1996 | #6,063 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1995 | #4,348 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1994 | #6,318 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #5,953 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1992 | #6,651 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #7,429 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #10,192 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #8,036 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #9,822 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #7,748 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #9,304 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #6,888 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #9,108 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #5,542 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #7,313 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #7,649 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #6,891 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1976 | #8,155 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #5,514 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #4,457 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1973 | #6,078 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #4,791 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1971 | #4,309 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1969 | #5,056 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #4,489 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1967 | #3,483 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #5,807 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #3,400 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1964 | #6,007 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #3,634 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1962 | #3,593 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1961 | #2,837 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1960 | #2,903 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1959 | #4,030 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1958 | #2,755 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1957 | #2,026 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1956 | #2,320 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1955 | #1,838 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 1954 | #2,238 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1953 | #1,438 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 1952 | #1,679 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1951 | #1,636 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1950 | #1,719 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1949 | #1,602 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1948 | #1,326 | 49 | 0.0029% |
| 1947 | #1,601 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1946 | #1,438 | 38 | 0.0024% |
| 1945 | #1,260 | 41 | 0.0031% |
| 1944 | #1,103 | 51 | 0.0038% |
| 1943 | #1,211 | 45 | 0.0032% |
| 1942 | #1,299 | 39 | 0.0029% |
| 1941 | #1,019 | 52 | 0.0043% |
| 1940 | #1,034 | 49 | 0.0043% |
| 1939 | #959 | 55 | 0.0050% |
| 1938 | #913 | 61 | 0.0055% |
| 1937 | #1,017 | 49 | 0.0046% |
| 1936 | #893 | 59 | 0.0057% |
| 1935 | #883 | 62 | 0.0059% |
| 1934 | #793 | 72 | 0.0069% |
| 1933 | #903 | 57 | 0.0057% |
| 1932 | #825 | 70 | 0.0066% |
| 1931 | #796 | 73 | 0.0069% |
| 1930 | #731 | 93 | 0.0083% |
| 1929 | #841 | 72 | 0.0064% |
| 1928 | #799 | 81 | 0.0070% |
| 1927 | #756 | 92 | 0.0077% |
| 1926 | #747 | 93 | 0.0078% |
| 1925 | #692 | 114 | 0.0094% |
| 1924 | #675 | 122 | 0.0098% |
| 1923 | #648 | 130 | 0.0108% |
| 1922 | #650 | 128 | 0.0107% |
| 1921 | #635 | 136 | 0.0110% |
| 1920 | #616 | 135 | 0.0113% |
| 1919 | #644 | 117 | 0.0104% |
| 1918 | #611 | 134 | 0.0116% |
| 1917 | #590 | 135 | 0.0125% |
| 1916 | #540 | 152 | 0.0146% |
| 1915 | #475 | 169 | 0.0172% |
| 1914 | #510 | 120 | 0.0158% |
| 1913 | #537 | 90 | 0.0144% |
| 1912 | #482 | 99 | 0.0177% |
| 1911 | #455 | 82 | 0.0196% |
| 1910 | #542 | 57 | 0.0144% |
| 1909 | #499 | 57 | 0.0164% |
| 1908 | #473 | 59 | 0.0176% |
| 1907 | #368 | 92 | 0.0289% |
| 1906 | #434 | 64 | 0.0217% |
| 1905 | #457 | 55 | 0.0189% |
| 1904 | #444 | 54 | 0.0196% |
| 1903 | #350 | 83 | 0.0317% |
| 1902 | #407 | 58 | 0.0220% |
| 1901 | #388 | 58 | 0.0242% |
| 1900 | #338 | 99 | 0.0330% |
| 1899 | #388 | 56 | 0.0240% |
| 1898 | #388 | 65 | 0.0251% |
| 1897 | #361 | 67 | 0.0286% |
| 1896 | #346 | 72 | 0.0303% |
| 1895 | #377 | 55 | 0.0235% |
| 1894 | #342 | 66 | 0.0296% |
| 1893 | #331 | 67 | 0.0315% |
| 1892 | #329 | 66 | 0.0311% |
| 1891 | #348 | 52 | 0.0280% |
| 1890 | #328 | 60 | 0.0315% |
| 1889 | #345 | 53 | 0.0297% |
| 1888 | #373 | 42 | 0.0235% |
| 1887 | #318 | 46 | 0.0315% |
| 1886 | #288 | 52 | 0.0360% |
| 1885 | #293 | 48 | 0.0361% |
| 1884 | #258 | 58 | 0.0450% |
| 1883 | #299 | 35 | 0.0312% |
| 1882 | #316 | 32 | 0.0297% |
| 1881 | #373 | 21 | 0.0228% |
| 1880 | #304 | 28 | 0.0308% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,906 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #12,224 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #8,290 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1963 | #4,620 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1919 | #4,167 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1915 | #4,389 | 5 | 0.0006% |
| 1893 | #1,179 | 5 | 0.0045% |
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.
Explore More Lists with Name Zora
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with Z
Short Girl Names That Start with Z
How the Name Zora Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have aspiration and inspiration, hope and guidance. Since you are intuitive and perceptive and you understand human nature. You have the power to achieve. Diplomacy and discretion make you a good mediator. You are inspired, introspective, and have a good understanding of the human heart. You can have the ability to commercialize your artistic talents successfully. You are often a mystery to others and to yourself. You are always reaching for something higher, without exactly knowing what that "higher" is. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Zora's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Zora's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.