Anorah
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "light bearer" or "ray of light".
Name Census estimates that about 233 living Americans carry the first name Anorah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Anorah today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Anorah births was 2023 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Anorah. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Anorah with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
233
~ 1 in 1,471,049 Americans
Peak year
2023
22 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,638
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Anorah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Anorah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 141 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Anorah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anorah by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Anorah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Anorahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Anorah
The name Anorah originates from the Irish language and culture. It is derived from the Gaelic word "anraidh," which means "patient" or "persevering." The name has been in use since the 8th century AD, during the early medieval period in Ireland.
Anorah is believed to have first appeared in ancient Irish texts and manuscripts, although the exact references are not well documented. It was a name primarily given to girls born into noble or wealthy families in Ireland, as it was considered a name of strength and resilience.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Anorah can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, an Anorah is mentioned as the daughter of a prominent Irish chieftain in the 10th century.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Anorah. One of the earliest was Anorah O'Brien (1025-1092), a noblewoman from County Clare, Ireland, who was known for her philanthropic work and patronage of the arts.
Another prominent figure was Anorah MacCarthy (1450-1518), a Irish chieftain's daughter who played a significant role in negotiating peace treaties between warring clans in the 16th century.
In the 17th century, Anorah O'Donnell (1620-1694) was a renowned Irish poet and storyteller, whose works were widely celebrated for their lyrical beauty and preservation of Irish folklore.
During the 19th century, Anorah O'Connor (1810-1887) was a prominent Irish educator who established several schools for underprivileged children in Dublin.
More recently, Anorah Kennedy (1923-2008) was a highly respected Irish historian and author, known for her extensive research on the lives of women in medieval Ireland.
While the name Anorah has its roots in Irish culture, it has gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries, due to its unique and melodic sound. However, the name's rich historical significance and connections to Ireland's past continue to make it a cherished choice for many parents seeking to honor their Irish heritage.
People
Anorah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Anorah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Anorah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Anorah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 233 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Anorah going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,471,049 US residents.
Is Anorah a common name?
We classify Anorah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 235 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Anorah most popular?
The single biggest year for Anorah was 2023, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Anorah is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Anorah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Anorah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Anorah in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Anorah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Anorah in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Anorah can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Anorah?
See how many Americans are named Anorah on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.