Spelling comparison
Nora vs Norah
2025 US records for these exact spellings: Nora 6,386 and Norah 1,191. Nora’s share of that pair is 84.3%. The multiple is about 5.4 times the published count of Norah.
US national data through 2025 · Source retrieved
Data updated
A reviewed spelling override keeps this pair together. Nora profile · Norah profile
Nora and Norah name the same child-name in two spellings. The tables below never merge those rows into a single total. Norah is the longer of the two spellings, and Nora is the shorter. Norah writes “h” after “Nora”, and Nora leaves that spot out.
From 1880 through 2025, every year in which both spellings were published had the same leader on the combined count. There is no crossover in that overlap.
Nora is first published in these national files in 1880, and Norah in 1880. Nora’s larger 2025 category is female. Norah’s larger 2025 category is female. Nora led 15 decades among decades in which both spellings have a published total.
Inside 2016–2025, the widest combined gap was 5,195 records in 2025, and the closest year was 2016 (a gap of 3,567). Of the combined 2025 records for this pair (7,577), Nora is 84.3% and Norah is 15.7%.
2016–2025, count and rank
2016 belongs to Nora. Nora had 5,593 female records (rank #36); Norah had 2,026 female records (rank #154). The gap that year was 3,567 records. For 2017, compare the categories separately: Nora had 6,067 female records (rank #29); Norah had 2,156 female records (rank #137). Nora led 2017 by 3,911 published records (6,067 to 2,156), and the smaller spelling is Norah. Nora was the higher published spelling in 2018, with 5,837 female records (rank #30) and 7 male records (rank #10,431) against 2,013 female records (rank #140) for Norah. The 2019 national file shows Nora led 2019 by 3,961 published records (5,936 to 1,975). Read as exact spellings: Nora had 5,936 female records (rank #29); Norah had 1,975 female records (rank #144). 2020: Nora led 2020 by 3,779 published records (5,589 to 1,810). Nora and Norah stay separate rows; 5,589 and 1,810 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2021, Nora had 6,281 female records (rank #27); Norah had 1,791 female records (rank #160). Nora led 2021 by 4,490 published records (6,281 to 1,791). 2022 belongs to Nora. Nora had 6,148 female records (rank #28); Norah had 1,539 female records (rank #192). The gap that year was 4,609 records. For 2023, compare the categories separately: Nora had 6,027 female records (rank #24); Norah had 1,488 female records (rank #201). Nora led 2023 by 4,539 published records (6,027 to 1,488), and the smaller spelling is Norah. Nora was the higher published spelling in 2024, with 6,148 female records (rank #22) against 1,384 female records (rank #223) for Norah. The 2025 national file shows Nora led 2025 by 5,195 published records (6,386 to 1,191). Read as exact spellings: Nora had 6,380 female records (rank #20) and 6 male records (rank #11,617); Norah had 1,191 female records (rank #262).
| Year | Nora female count | Nora female rank | Nora male count | Nora male rank | Norah female count | Norah female rank | Norah male count | Norah male rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5,593 | 36 | — | — | 2,026 | 154 | — | — |
| 2017 | 6,067 | 29 | — | — | 2,156 | 137 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5,837 | 30 | 7 | 10,431 | 2,013 | 140 | — | — |
| 2019 | 5,936 | 29 | — | — | 1,975 | 144 | — | — |
| 2020 | 5,583 | 30 | 6 | 11,595 | 1,810 | 152 | — | — |
| 2021 | 6,281 | 27 | — | — | 1,791 | 160 | — | — |
| 2022 | 6,148 | 28 | — | — | 1,539 | 192 | — | — |
| 2023 | 6,027 | 24 | — | — | 1,488 | 201 | — | — |
| 2024 | 6,148 | 22 | — | — | 1,384 | 223 | — | — |
| 2025 | 6,380 | 20 | 6 | 11,617 | 1,191 | 262 | — | — |
Combined counts, 1880–2025
Each line adds the published female and male counts for that spelling. A gap is a year with no published observation, not a zero. Nora is the warm line and Norah is the cool line.
Which spelling led each decade
Nora was the 1880s leader, 6,557 published records against 125 for Norah. The 1890s files give 8,336 published records to Nora and 146 to Norah, so Nora led the decade. Nora was the 1900s leader, 7,236 published records against 114 for Norah. The 1910s files give 11,173 published records to Nora and 184 to Norah, so Nora led the decade. Nora was the 1920s leader, 12,419 published records against 230 for Norah. The 1930s files give 9,041 published records to Nora and 158 to Norah, so Nora led the decade. Nora was the 1940s leader, 9,480 published records against 238 for Norah. The 1950s files give 11,603 published records to Nora and 256 to Norah, so Nora led the decade. Nora was the 1960s leader, 9,582 published records against 213 for Norah. The 1970s files give 5,775 published records to Nora and 238 to Norah, so Nora led the decade. Nora was the 1980s leader, 5,584 published records against 327 for Norah. The 1990s files give 5,542 published records to Nora and 357 to Norah, so Nora led the decade. Nora was the 2000s leader, 10,927 published records against 4,465 for Norah. The 2010s files give 44,088 published records to Nora and 17,744 to Norah, so Nora led the decade. Nora was the 2020s leader, 36,579 published records against 9,203 for Norah.
Top states in 2025
Nora’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are California (488), Texas (424), New York (359), Pennsylvania (311), Ohio (301). Norah’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are California (111), Texas (107), Illinois (48), Pennsylvania (48), New York (47). California, Texas, New York are in the top states for both spellings. A state can rank differently for each spelling because the counts are not merged.