Leonore
A feminine name of German origin meaning "lioness" or "shining light".
Name Census estimates that about 552 living Americans carry the first name Leonore. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Leonore today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leonore births was 1928 (70 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leonore. 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.
People living today
552
~ 1 in 620,932 Americans
Peak year
1928
70 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,671
Tracked since 1881
Popularity
Leonore: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leonore from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 595 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leonore 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 Leonore during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Leonores live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois recorded the most babies named Leonore, while New Jersey, Massachusetts, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 136 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leonore
Leonore is a feminine given name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German name Lionnord or Leonhard, which is composed of the elements "lewo" (lion) and "hard" (brave or hardy). The name was initially associated with strength, courage, and nobility, qualities symbolized by the lion.
The name Leonore gained widespread popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions such as Germany, France, and the Low Countries. It was often bestowed upon women of noble birth or those with a strong and independent spirit. The variant spellings Leonora and Eleonore were also common during this period.
One of the earliest known references to the name Leonore can be found in the 8th century poem "Nibelungenlied," which tells the story of a brave and loyal woman named Leonore. Additionally, the name appears in various religious texts and medieval chronicles, further solidifying its significance during that era.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Leonore. One of the most renowned was Leonore of Aquitaine (1122-1199), a powerful and influential figure in the court of King Henry II of England. Another notable Leonore was Leonore of Portugal (1458-1525), a Portuguese princess who served as the Queen of Portugal and later as the Queen of Aragon and Sicily.
In the realm of literature, the name Leonore is perhaps best known through the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His play "Torquato Tasso" features a character named Leonore d'Este, while his famous poem "Faust" includes the character of Gretchen, whose full name is Margarethe Leonore.
Other notable Leonores include Leonore Tawney (1876-1964), an American teacher and social activist, and Leonore Annenberg (1918-2009), a renowned American philanthropist and diplomat.
The name Leonore has endured throughout the centuries, carrying with it a sense of strength, nobility, and resilience. Its rich history and cultural significance have ensured its continued popularity across various regions and cultures, making it a timeless and iconic name.
People
Leonore + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leonore as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leonore: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leonore?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 552 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leonore 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 620,932 US residents.
Is Leonore a common name?
We classify Leonore as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,306 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leonore most popular?
The single biggest year for Leonore was 1928, when 70 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leonore is about 62 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Leonore a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leonore 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.