Nora
NO-ruh
A graceful name most often linked to honor, with Irish roots and a possible English link to Leonora.
Meaning
In the provided sources, Nora is described as an Irish female name corrupted from Onora, from the English name Honora, so its core sense is tied to “honour.” The same excerpt notes that in English usage Nora may sometimes be a shortened form of Leonora. Overall, the name carries a refined, dignified feel and can have either an Irish-Honora origin or an English diminutive origin depending on use.
Origin
IrishLatinEnglishfeminine
Fun fact
19th-century name books already noted that Nora can have more than one origin story, including Irish Honora and English Leonora.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.