Find out how popular the first name Eleanor has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Eleanor by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Eleanor is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Eleanor being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 6,739 female babies and 6 male babies born with the name Eleanor.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 6 baby boys were named Eleanor in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Eleanor

The name Eleanor has its roots in the Provençal language, which was spoken in southern France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Germanic elements "alli" meaning "other" and "nard" meaning "hardy" or "vigor." The name was introduced to England by Eleanor of Aquitaine, the powerful and influential Queen consort of King Henry II.

Eleanor of Aquitaine, born around 1122, was one of the most prominent figures of the 12th century. Her patronage of literature and the arts helped popularize the name throughout Europe. Other notable historical figures named Eleanor include Eleanor of Castile, the wife of King Edward I of England, who lived from 1241 to 1290.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, further cementing its place in English literature and culture. Eleanor of Aragon, born in 1182, was the Queen consort of King Alfonso VIII of Castile and León, and her namesake helped spread the name across the Iberian Peninsula.

The name gained further prominence in the 16th century with Eleanor of Austria, born in 1498, who was the Queen consort of Portugal and later the Queen consort of France. Eleanor of Toledo, born in 1519, was the wife of Cosimo I de' Medici, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany.

In more recent history, Eleanor Roosevelt, born in 1884 and died in 1962, was a prominent political figure and the longest-serving First Lady of the United States. Her advocacy for human rights and social justice helped solidify the name's association with strength and resilience.

Other notable Eleanors include Eleanor Farjeon, a British author and poet born in 1881, and Eleanor Glueck, an American criminologist born in 1898. The name has maintained its popularity throughout the centuries, with many women bearing this name leaving an indelible mark on various fields.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Eleanor was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Eleanor, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!