UK girl's name
Kora
A feminine name meaning "child" in Lakota Native American language.
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.
Kora is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kora popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1160, with 29 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 29 births.
This profile covers 291 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.
Kora is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 323 living people in the UK are called Kora. 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
- • Kora ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 29 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 29 girls were registered as Kora.
- • Kora ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #418 in 2022.
- • About 323 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kora as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1160
2024
Births in 2024
29
Latest year
Peak year
2024
29 births
Estimated living
323
2026
Meaning
What does Kora mean?
The name Kora has its origins in various cultures and languages around the world. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Kora," which means "delightful" or "beautiful." This name was popular among ancient Hindu communities in India and was often given to girls as a symbol of their beauty and grace.
In ancient Greece, the name Kora was associated with the goddess Persephone, who was also known as Kore, meaning "maiden" or "young girl." This name was commonly used by Greek families to honor the goddess and her role as the bringer of spring and the renewal of life.
The name Kora also has roots in the Arabic language, where it is spelled "Kora" or "Qura." In this context, the name is derived from the word "Qur'an," which is the holy book of Islam. It was sometimes given to girls as a way of expressing their parents' reverence for the Islamic faith.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kora can be found in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, where it was spelled "Kora" and was often associated with the goddess Isis, who was revered as the ideal mother and wife. This connection suggests that the name may have been given to girls as a symbol of femininity and nurturing qualities.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kora. One of the most famous was Kora Kadidja (1807-1857), a Senegalese princess and activist who played a significant role in the resistance against French colonial rule in West Africa. Another notable figure was Kora Tomiko (1920-1957), a Japanese artist and printmaker who was renowned for her woodblock prints depicting traditional Japanese life.
In the realm of literature, Kora Bitkova (1877-1942) was a Bulgarian writer and poet who was celebrated for her contributions to the country's literary heritage. Kora Militza (1859-1934), on the other hand, was a Russian-born American pianist and composer who was highly regarded for her virtuosity and innovative compositions.
Kora Bektashi (1867-1927) was an Albanian writer and journalist who played a crucial role in the Albanian National Awakening movement, advocating for the country's independence and cultural identity.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have carried the name Kora throughout history, each contributing to their respective fields and cultures in unique and meaningful ways.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kora over time
The chart below shows babies named Kora 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 Kora, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 29 births in 2024, compared with 29 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kora by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kora 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 | #1430 | 113 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2476 | 122 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3565 | 43 | 9 |
| 1990s | #3139 | 13 | 3 |
Geography
Where Kora is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kora. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Kora ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #418 in 2022.
Across the UK
Kora in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#749 in 2023
3 years of NRS records, 10 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#418 in 2022
7 years of NISRA records, 24 total registered
Related
Names similar to Kora
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kora: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kora in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kora was ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales, with 29 births registered.
When was Kora most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 29 babies registered as Kora in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kora?
A feminine name meaning "child" in Lakota Native American language.
How many people are called Kora in the UK?
A total of 291 babies have been registered as Kora across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 10 more in Scotland and 24 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kora most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kora ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #418 in 2022. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.