Ora
An Italian feminine name derived from the Latin hora, meaning "time" or "hour".
Name Census estimates that about 7,681 living Americans carry the first name Ora. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 87.5% of registrations being female. The average person named Ora today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ora births was 1919 (1,078 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ora. 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 Ora is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Oras were born before 1968.
People living today
7.7K
~ 1 in 44,624 Americans
Peak year
1919
1,078 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,474
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Ora
Ora leans heavily female at 87.5% of total registrations, but 5,616 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Ora as a male name
- Ranked #13,661 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1919 (158 births)
Ora as a female name
- Ranked #3,474 in 2024
- 45 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1919 (920 births)
Popularity
Ora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ora from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 9,070 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
Ora 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 Ora during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Oras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 40 states and territories. Mississippi, Texas, Alabama recorded the most babies named Ora, while Rhode Island, Arizona, Oregon recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 679 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ora
The name Ora finds its origins in several languages and cultures across the globe. In Latin, it means "prayer" or "utterance," derived from the verb "orare," meaning "to speak" or "to pray." This connection to prayer and speech suggests the name's historical significance in religious and literary contexts.
Greek roots also play a role in the name's etymology. The word "hora" in Greek means "hour" or "time," indicating a potential association with temporal concepts or specific moments in history. Additionally, the name Ora bears resemblance to the Greek word "oros," meaning "mountain" or "boundary," possibly linking it to geographical or territorial references.
In Italian, the name Ora carries the meaning of "now" or "at present," reflecting a sense of immediacy and presence. This interpretation aligns with the name's potential use as a representation of a particular moment or period in time.
Historical references to the name Ora can be found in various ancient texts and scriptures. In the Bible, the name appears in the Book of Joshua, referring to a town in the territory of Judah. This biblical mention highlights the name's antiquity and potential religious connotations.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Ora was Ora Nazhuri, an Albanian author and poet who lived in the 16th century. She is renowned for her contributions to Albanian literature and for being one of the first known female writers in the region.
Another notable figure was Ora Pronobis (1902-1976), a Swedish author and journalist who wrote extensively about social issues and feminism. Her works shed light on the experiences of women in the early 20th century and played a significant role in promoting gender equality.
In the realm of music, Ora Burian (1859-1923) was a celebrated Romanian operatic soprano known for her powerful voice and dramatic performances. She graced the stages of renowned opera houses across Europe and left an indelible mark on the world of classical music.
The name Ora also holds historical significance in the realm of art. Ora Cogan (1914-2009) was an American painter and sculptor whose abstract works were widely exhibited and celebrated throughout her career. Her vibrant and expressive pieces continue to influence contemporary artists to this day.
Finally, Ora Wills (1882-1957) was a British archaeologist and Egyptologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Egyptian civilization. Her meticulous excavations and research shed light on the rich history and culture of the Nile Valley, expanding our understanding of this remarkable era.
People
Ora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ora as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7,681 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ora 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 44,624 US residents.
Is Ora a common name?
We classify Ora as "Rare". It ranks above 97.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 44,852 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ora most popular?
The single biggest year for Ora was 1919, when 1,078 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ora is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ora a female name?
Yes, 87.5% of people registered as Ora 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.