Genora
Feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly of English origin.
Name Census estimates that about 204 living Americans carry the first name Genora. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Genora today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Genora births was 1932 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Genora. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Genora is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Genoras were born before 1968.
People living today
204
~ 1 in 1,680,168 Americans
Peak year
1932
17 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
2021 SSA rank
#16,069
Tracked since 1895
Popularity
Genora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Genora from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 111 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Genora 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 Genora during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Genoras live
Origin
Meaning and history of Genora
The name Genora originates from the Greek language and can be traced back to ancient times. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "genos," which means "race" or "family," and the suffix "-ora," which signifies "watchful" or "vigilant." Thus, the name Genora could be interpreted as "one who watches over the family" or "protector of the race."
In ancient Greek mythology, there are references to a minor goddess named Genora, who was associated with fertility and the protection of households. However, the historical records about this deity are scarce, and her significance in Greek mythology remains relatively obscure.
The earliest recorded use of the name Genora can be found in ancient Greek texts dating back to the 5th century BCE. One notable individual from this era was Genora of Corinth, a renowned poet and philosopher who was praised for her wisdom and literary works, though few of her writings have survived to modern times.
During the Byzantine Empire, the name Genora gained some popularity among the aristocracy. A notable figure from this period was Genora Kantakouzene, a noblewoman and influential figure at the court of Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos in the 14th century.
In the Renaissance period, the name Genora was occasionally used in Italy and other parts of Europe. One notable figure from this era was Genora Benci, an Italian noblewoman who was the subject of a famous portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 15th century.
In the 19th century, the name Genora was revived in some English-speaking countries. One notable bearer of this name was Genora Johnson Dollinger (1848-1924), an American author and educator who wrote several books on etiquette and social graces.
Another historical figure with the name Genora was Genora Hamline Bierce (1859-1935), an American writer and journalist who was the wife of the famous author Ambrose Bierce. She wrote several novels and short stories, some of which were published posthumously.
People
Genora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Genora as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Genora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Genora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 204 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Genora 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 1,680,168 US residents.
Is Genora a common name?
We classify Genora as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 578 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Genora most popular?
The single biggest year for Genora was 1932, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Genora is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Genora a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Genora 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.
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.