Rising since 1998, #5,861 for boys today.
Popularity of Bora since 1981
Babies named Bora per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7 | 47 |
| 1990s | 6 | 41 |
| 2000s | 28 | 136 |
| 2010s | 84 | 139 |
| 2020s | 89 | 59 |
Meaning & origin
Bora is a unisex name with roots in both Turkish and Korean cultures. It first recorded in U.S. data in 1981 and has been steadily rising in usage since 1998, reflecting a broader trend toward multicultural names. In 2025 it ranked #5861, with an incidence of about 1 in 113,872 births. Its peak popularity occurred in 2005, though it remains uncommon. The name's dual meanings of 'snow' in Turkish and 'purple' in Korean give it a natural and colorful appeal. Bora has not yet appeared in top state rankings, indicating its niche status. Its rise may be influenced by global influences and the appeal of short, vowel-ending names.
Bora has multiple possible origins. In Turkish, it is derived from the word 'bora' meaning 'snow' or 'snowstorm', and is used as a unisex given name. In Korean, 보라 (Bora) means 'purple' and is more common for girls. The name has also seen use in other cultures, possibly as a short form of names like Boraq or as a variant of the Slavic name Borya. It gained some international recognition in the late 20th century.
“Bora” around the world
Where Bora lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bori
Variants: Boraq
Sibling names for Bora
Names that share Bora's style, for a brother or sister.
