UK name, mostly girls
Bora
A Turkish name meaning "storm" or "blizzard".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 72 boys.
Bora is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Bora popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 11 births.
This profile covers 73 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 45% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 73 living people in the UK are called Bora. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Bora ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 11 girls were registered as Bora.
- • Bora is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 73 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bora as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 50.3% of Bora registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4192
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2022
11 births
Estimated living
73
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Bora
In England and Wales birth records, Bora has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 49.7% of registrations are for boys and 50.3% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Bora registered for boys
- Ranked #2,546 in 2023
- 8 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2016 (10 births)
Bora registered for girls
- Ranked #4,192 in 2024
- 5 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Bora mean?
The name Bora has its origins in several cultures and languages around the world. In Turkish, it means "storm" or "blizzard," reflecting the powerful forces of nature. This connection can be traced back to the Turkic nomadic tribes of Central Asia, who revered the elements and often named their children after natural phenomena.
In Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language, the word "bora" means "great" or "large," signifying strength and grandeur. This usage can be found in Hindu scriptures and texts dating back thousands of years, suggesting the name's deep-rooted historical significance in the Indian subcontinent.
Bora is also a name found in various Slavic languages, such as Serbian and Croatian, where it is believed to have derived from the Slavic root "bor," meaning "pine tree." This connection to the natural world and the resilience of evergreen trees has made the name popular in these regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bora can be found in the ancient Serbian epic poem "The Mountain Wreath" by Petar Petrović Njegoš (1813-1851), where a character named Bora plays a significant role.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bora. In the 16th century, Bora Hussain was a renowned Mughal general and military commander who served under Emperor Akbar (1542-1605) in India. Bora Milutinović (1920-2012) was a Serbian football player and manager who represented Yugoslavia in the 1950 FIFA World Cup.
In more recent times, Bora Ćosić (1932-2012) was a Serbian basketball player and coach, regarded as one of the greatest European players of all time. He led Yugoslavia to the gold medal in the 1970 FIBA World Championship. Bora Dagtekin (born 1981) is a German film director and screenwriter of Turkish descent, known for his critically acclaimed comedies.
Bora Aksu (born 1974) is a Turkish fashion designer based in London, renowned for her romantic and feminine collections that blend traditional craftsmanship with modern silhouettes.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Bora over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Bora in England and Wales, from 2001 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Bora, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bora by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bora was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3015 | 41 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4440 | 29 | 6 |
| 2000s | #4598 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Bora
- Bethany 43,226
- Brooke 18,370
- Bella 14,112
- Bonnie 12,149
- Beatrice 11,306
- Bethan 7,968
- Beth 6,440
- Betsy 5,065
- Beatrix 4,317
- Billie 4,220
- Beau 3,231
- Bryony 3,167
FAQ
Bora: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bora in the UK right now?
In 2024, Bora was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Bora most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 11 babies registered as Bora in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bora?
A Turkish name meaning "storm" or "blizzard".
How many people are called Bora in the UK?
A total of 73 babies have been registered as Bora across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.