NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Eleanore

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "shining light" or "bright one".

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.

Eleanore is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Eleanore popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 20 births.

This profile covers 144 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1996 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 30% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 143 living people in the UK are called Eleanore. 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

  • Eleanore ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 20 girls were registered as Eleanore.
  • About 143 living people in the UK are estimated to have Eleanore as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3695

2024

Births in 2024

6

Latest year

Peak year

1996

20 births

Estimated living

143

2026

Meaning

What does Eleanore mean?

The name Eleanore has its origins in the Provençal French form of the Occitan word "Alienor", which itself derives from the Germanic elements "ali" meaning "other" and "nor" meaning "nobility". The name was popularized by Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful and influential figures of the Middle Ages.

Eleanore first appeared in written records during the 12th century, when Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) became one of the most prominent women of her era. As the Duchess of Aquitaine and later Queen of France and England, she played a vital role in the politics and culture of medieval Europe.

Another notable Eleanore was Eleanor of Castile (1241-1290), the first wife of Edward I of England. She accompanied her husband on the Eighth Crusade and was renowned for her piety and charitable works.

In the 14th century, Eleanor of Woodstock (1318-1349) was a daughter of King Edward II of England and a prominent figure at the court of her nephew, Edward III.

During the Renaissance, Eleanor of Austria (1498-1558) was a Queen of Portugal and later Queen of France as the wife of King Francis I. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her interest in religious reform.

The name also has a notable literary connection through Eleanor Tilney, a character in Jane Austen's novel "Northanger Abbey", which was published in 1817.

Other historical figures with the name Eleanore include Eleanor of Provence (1223-1291), who was the Queen of England as the wife of King Henry III, and Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204), who was one of the most powerful and influential figures of the Middle Ages.

While the name fell out of fashion for a time, it experienced a resurgence in popularity during the 20th century, particularly in the United States and parts of Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Eleanore over time

The chart below shows babies named Eleanore registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Eleanore, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Eleanore
05101520199620102024

Decades

Eleanore by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Eleanore 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 #3583 24 4
2010s #4365 33 7
2000s #3488 41 8
1990s #1836 46 4

Related

Names similar to Eleanore

FAQ

Eleanore: questions and answers

How popular is the name Eleanore in the UK right now?

In 2024, Eleanore was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Eleanore most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 20 babies registered as Eleanore in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Eleanore?

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "shining light" or "bright one".

How many people are called Eleanore in the UK?

A total of 144 babies have been registered as Eleanore across the 23 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.