Eleanor is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Eleanor means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Eleanor across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Eleanor has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Eleanor is a girl name of Old French origin meaning “of uncertain meaning”. introduced to England by Eleanor of Aquitaine.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 337,323 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 40,437 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,831 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 217 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 2,762 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 517 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Eleanor per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1920 (8,507/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (2,747/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1968 (74/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1982 (56/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2021 (17/yr).
Eleanor has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1920, when it ranked #48 nationally (given to 8,507 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Eleanore · Elinor · Elnora · Elenora · Elinore · Elenore · Eleanora · Elenor
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