Declining since 2021, #5,917 for girls today.
Popularity of Thora since 1883
Babies named Thora per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1916, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Thora's real moment was 1894.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 47 |
| 1890s | 160 |
| 1900s | 201 |
| 1910s | 519 |
| 1920s | 434 |
| 1930s | 204 |
| 1940s | 138 |
| 1950s | 101 |
| 1960s | 42 |
| 1970s | 35 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 83 |
| 2010s | 228 |
| 2020s | 215 |
Meaning & origin
Thora is a distinctly rare Scandinavian name with deep mythological roots. It originated as the feminine form of Thor, the Norse thunder god, and was historically used in Iceland, Norway, and Denmark. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1883 and reached its peak popularity in 1894, though it never became common. In recent decades, Thora has been in steady decline, with usage falling since 2021 and a current ranking of 5,917th in 2025, making it one of the more obscure Norse imports. Its sound aligns with other Scandinavian names like Freya and Astrid, but it remains a rarity even among that group. The name has not been revived, and its top states are not recorded due to low numbers. Thora carries a strong, ancient feel and direct mythological resonance.
Thora is derived from the Old Norse name Þóra, which is a feminine form of Þórr, the name of the Norse god of thunder. The name was common in medieval Scandinavia and Iceland, and it experienced a revival in the 19th century, particularly in Norway and Denmark, before spreading to other English-speaking countries.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Tora, Thori
Variants: Tora, Þóra
Sibling names for Thora
Names that share Thora's style, for a brother or sister.
