NameChart

Eleanor

Girl name

Eleanor has been given to 337,323 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1920 and currently ranks #12 for girls (2025).

Meaning & origin /ˈɛləˌnoɹ/

The first known bearer was Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122–1204), Provençal Aliénor, perhaps from Latin alia (“other”) and her mother's name Aenor, its meaning thereby said to be “the other Aenor”. This Aenor seems to come from earlier Adenordis, which might be some corruption of Adamardis, feminine form of Ademar or Adamarus, from Proto-West Germanic *Audamār, from the Proto-Germanic elements *audaz (“riches”) + *mēraz (“fame”). An Arabic origin from نُور (nūr, “light”) has also been suggested. Eleanor has often been erroneously interpreted as a variant of Helen. More at

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

02.124k4.249k6.373k8.497k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

337,323

Peak year

1920 (8,507 babies)

Rank in 2025

#12 for girls

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▲ +72%

Gender split

100% girls / 0% boys

Famous people named Eleanor

Margaret Atwood

Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, pépiniériste and inventor (born 193

Rosalynn Carter

First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Queen consort of France; Queen consort of England; suo jure Duchess of Aquitaine; patroness

Nora Roberts

American romance writer

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Eleanor.

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