A 1900s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Lenore since 1880
Babies named Lenore per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1926, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Lenore's real moment was 1906.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 218 |
| 1890s | 544 |
| 1900s | 937 |
| 1910s | 2,778 |
| 1920s | 4,254 |
| 1930s | 3,602 |
| 1940s | 3,266 |
| 1950s | 2,775 |
| 1960s | 1,927 |
| 1970s | 1,030 |
| 1980s | 352 |
| 1990s | 157 |
| 2000s | 161 |
| 2010s | 511 |
| 2020s | 456 |
Meaning & origin
Lenore is a name that has never disappeared from use but remains a quiet choice, never reaching the top 1000 in recent decades. It peaked at rank 122 in 1906, with 1 in 685 girls named Lenore that year. After a mid-century decline, the name has been rising again since 2002, reflecting a broader revival of vintage names from the 1900s. Today, it is given to about 1 in 16,401 girls, admired for its literary associations and elegant sound. Its strongest following has historically been in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio.
Lenore is a poetic variant of Eleanor, which originated from the Provençal name Alienor, possibly meaning 'the other Aenor' or derived from the Greek Helenē, meaning 'light' or 'torch'. The name was popularized in English literature by Edgar Allan Poe's 1845 poem 'The Raven', in which the narrator mourns his lost love, Lenore. It has been used in English-speaking countries since the 18th century, often as a variant of Helen or Eleanor.
Where Lenore is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Len, Leni, Nora, Nell
Sibling names for Lenore
Names that share Lenore's style, for a brother or sister.
