girl's name
Cora
KOR-uh
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 167,672
the United States
#113
2025 births
Cora is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "maiden," from kore. Kore was the title used for Persephone before her abduction to the underworld, and the same word names a whole class of archaic Greek statues of young women.
- Cora is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 2019, when 3,602 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,365 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Cora over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 12,003 |
| 1890s | 12,916 |
| 1900s | 10,411 |
| 1910s | 15,385 |
| 1920s | 16,222 |
| 1930s | 11,328 |
| 1940s | 8,783 |
| 1950s | 5,869 |
| 1960s | 3,402 |
| 1970s | 2,098 |
| 1980s | 2,224 |
| 1990s | 3,323 |
| 2000s | 7,745 |
| 2010s | 27,827 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 16,879 |
What Cora means
Cora means maiden or young woman, from the Greek kore. It was a title rather than a personal name in Greek — Persephone was called Kore, the maiden, in her aspect as Demeter's daughter before she became queen of the underworld.
Where Cora comes from
Cora comes from the Greek kore, meaning maiden. In Greek religion Kore was the name under which Persephone was worshipped as the daughter of Demeter, distinct from her role as queen of the dead. The word also names the kouros and kore statues of archaic Greek art — standing figures of young men and women that are among the earliest large-scale Greek sculptures. English use of Cora is often credited to James Fenimore Cooper, who gave the name to a character in The Last of the Mohicans in 1826, though the name appears earlier. It has returned strongly in recent decades alongside other short vintage names.
Cora in use
Kore was Persephone's title as Demeter's daughter, used before her abduction rather than after.
How popular is Cora?
In 2025, Cora was given to 2,428 babies in the United States, ranking #113 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Cora is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Cora is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Córa | Córa is a rare spelling of Cora, written with a fada and recorded 58 times, mostly in Ireland. | 58 |
Names that peaked alongside Cora
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Cora also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Cora over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Cora in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Latvian
- Kora
Sibling names for Cora
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Cora — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Cora
What does the name Cora mean?
Cora means "maiden," from the Greek kore.
Is Cora connected to Persephone?
Yes. Kore was Persephone's title as Demeter's daughter.
Is Cora short for Cordelia?
It is sometimes used that way, but Cora is a name in its own right from the Greek kore.
How popular is the name Cora?
In 2025, Cora was given to 2,428 babies in the United States, ranking #113 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Cora a girl's or a boy's name?
Cora is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Cora?
Cora has 2 syllables.
When was Cora most popular?
Cora peaked in 2019, when 3,602 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Cora a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Cora currently ranks #40 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.