Vora
Of Turkish origin, a surname suggesting wilderness or forestry.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Vora. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Vora today is around 94 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vora births was 1915 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vora. 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 Vora is about 94 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Voras were born before 1942.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Vora. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1915
8 babies that year
Average age
94
years old
1949 SSA rank
#6,040
Tracked since 1899
Popularity
Vora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vora from the 1890s through to the 1940s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 32 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
Vora 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 Vora during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vora
The name Vora has its origins rooted in ancient Sanskrit, the classical language of the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Vara," which means "excellent," "distinguished," or "superior." The name's earliest recorded use dates back to the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 600 BCE.
In the Vedas, one of the oldest and most revered scriptures of Hinduism, the word "Vara" appears several times, often in reference to deities or individuals of high esteem. For instance, in the Rig Veda, the term "Varadah" is used to describe Lord Indra, the king of the gods, highlighting his exceptional qualities and powers.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Vora was Vora Deva, a prominent Hindu philosopher and scholar who lived in the 8th century CE. He is renowned for his contributions to the philosophical school of Advaita Vedanta and his influential works on Hindu metaphysics.
Another noteworthy historical figure with the name Vora was Vora Pandit, a renowned astrologer and mathematician who lived in the 12th century CE. He is credited with authoring several treatises on astronomy and astrological calculations, which were widely studied and revered during his time.
In the realm of Indian classical music, Vora Dhanammal, born in 1867, was a celebrated Carnatic vocalist and composer. She is renowned for her contributions to the Devara Nama tradition and her numerous compositions, which are still widely performed and cherished by musicians and connoisseurs alike.
During the Indian independence struggle, Vora Savarkar, born in 1883 and died in 1966, was a prominent revolutionary and political leader. He played a pivotal role in the Indian nationalist movement and was a staunch advocate for Hindu nationalism and the concept of Hindutva.
Lastly, in more recent times, Vora Venkat, born in 1953, is a renowned Indian mathematician and computer scientist. He is best known for his groundbreaking work in the field of computational geometry and his numerous contributions to algorithms and data structures.
Throughout its rich history, the name Vora has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, encompassing scholars, philosophers, musicians, freedom fighters, and intellectuals. Its Sanskrit roots and associations with excellence and distinction have undoubtedly contributed to its enduring presence and significance across various spheres of human endeavor.
People
Vora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vora as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Vora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vora 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Vora a common name?
We classify Vora as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 77 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vora most popular?
The single biggest year for Vora was 1915, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vora is about 94 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 Vora in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Vora a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vora 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 Vora still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Vora 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 Vora 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 many people have Vora as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.