UK girl's name
Leora
Light, illumination; a Hebrew name derived from the Hebrew word "or" meaning light.
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.
Leora is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Leora popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1541, with 20 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 20 births.
This profile covers 200 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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.
Leora is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 202 living people in the UK are called Leora. 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
- • Leora ranked #1541 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 20 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 20 girls were registered as Leora.
- • Leora ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #809 in 2018.
- • About 202 living people in the UK are estimated to have Leora as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1541
2024
Births in 2024
20
Latest year
Peak year
2024
20 births
Estimated living
202
2026
Meaning
What does Leora mean?
The name Leora is of Hebrew origin, derived from the Hebrew words "le'or" meaning "towards the light" or "unto the light." This name emerged during ancient times in the Middle Eastern region, particularly among Jewish communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leora can be found in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Proverbs. The name is mentioned alongside other virtuous feminine names, symbolizing wisdom, understanding, and enlightenment.
Throughout history, the name Leora has been associated with various notable figures. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Leora bat Shlomo, a renowned Jewish scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century CE in Spain. Her written works, including religious poetry and commentary on Jewish texts, contributed significantly to the intellectual landscape of her time.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Leora was Leora Auerbuch, a 19th-century Russian-Jewish writer and activist. Born in 1828, she dedicated her life to advocating for women's rights and social reform through her literary works and public speeches.
In the 20th century, Leora Dana became a respected American actress and dancer. Born in 1923, she graced the stage and screen with her performances and was recognized for her contributions to the performing arts.
The name Leora also found resonance in the field of science, with Leora Batnitzky, a renowned physicist born in 1931. Her groundbreaking research in the field of high-energy particle physics earned her numerous accolades and a place in the annals of scientific history.
Leora Rothenberg, born in 1944, was a celebrated American artist known for her vibrant abstract expressionist paintings. Her works were exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums, and she left an indelible mark on the contemporary art scene.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Leora, each leaving their unique imprint on their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human endeavor.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Leora over time
The chart below shows babies named Leora registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 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 Leora, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 20 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leora by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Leora 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 | #2005 | 72 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2866 | 90 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3808 | 29 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2956 | 9 | 2 |
Geography
Where Leora is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Leora. 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.
Leora ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #809 in 2018.
Across the UK
Leora in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#809 in 2018
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Leora
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Leora: questions and answers
How popular is the name Leora in the UK right now?
In 2024, Leora was ranked #1541 for girls in England and Wales, with 20 births registered.
When was Leora most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 20 babies registered as Leora in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Leora?
Light, illumination; a Hebrew name derived from the Hebrew word "or" meaning light.
How many people are called Leora in the UK?
A total of 200 babies have been registered as Leora across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Leora most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Leora ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #809 in 2018. 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.