Rising since 1985, #1,525 for girls today.
Popularity of Nour since 1981
Babies named Nour per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 80 | 8 |
| 1990s | 462 | 97 |
| 2000s | 870 | 191 |
| 2010s | 823 | 176 |
| 2020s | 642 | 113 |
Meaning & origin
Nour, an Arabic name meaning 'light,' has been used in the United States since at least 1981, when it was first recorded. Since the mid-1980s, its popularity has shown a steady upward trajectory, with a notable acceleration in recent decades. In 2025, it ranked 1525 for girls, with approximately 1 in 11,563 newborn girls receiving the name, and it reached its peak rank that same year. The name is most frequently used in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Virginia, reflecting communities with significant Arab American populations. Nour's appeal spans cultures as a unisex name, maintaining a consistent presence that blends spiritual meaning with modern simplicity.
Nour derives from the Arabic noun nūr (نور) meaning 'light' or 'illumination.' It is a unisex name in the Arab world, used both for boys and girls. The concept of light holds profound significance in Islamic theology, where God is described as 'the Light of the heavens and the earth' (Quran 24:35). Nour has been a common given name across Arabic-speaking countries for centuries.
Where Nour is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Nour” around the world
Where Nour lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
#25
in 2024
Quebec
38
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Noura, Nono, Nori
Sibling names for Nour
Names that share Nour's style, for a brother or sister.
