girl's name
Noor
NOOR
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Girl
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 19,916
the United States
#659
2025 births
Noor is a name of Arabic origin meaning "light." It comes from nūr, and the Quran's twenty-fourth chapter is named for it — containing the Verse of Light, one of the most discussed passages in Islamic thought.
- Noor is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 2025, when 478 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,855 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1979.
Noor over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 2020s. Noor is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 7 |
| 1980s | 298 |
| 1990s | 1,209 |
| 2000s | 2,410 |
| 2010s | 2,995 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,434 |
What Noor means
Noor means light, in the sense of radiance or illumination. Islamic theology treats it as a divine attribute rather than a physical description, so the name carries spiritual rather than visual meaning.
Where Noor comes from
Noor comes from the Arabic nūr, light. Surat an-Nur, the twenty-fourth chapter of the Quran, contains the Verse of Light, which compares God's light to a lamp in a niche and has generated centuries of philosophical and mystical commentary. The name is used for both sexes across the Arabic-speaking world, South Asia and among Persian speakers, and appears in compounds such as Nur al-Din, light of the faith. Queen Noor of Jordan, born Lisa Halaby in Washington, took the name on her marriage in 1978.
Noor in use
Our data records Noor for both sexes and shows it peaking in 2025 and still rising, at 181 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1979. It is one of a group of very short Arabic names — with Ayah, Dua, Amal and Safa — that have climbed sharply in Britain over the last two decades.
How popular is Noor?
In 2025, Noor was given to 284 babies in England and Wales, ranking #181 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Noor is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
How Noor is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Noôr | Noôr is a rare spelling of Noor, written with a circumflex and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
| Nôor | Nôor is a rare spelling of Noor, written with a circumflex and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Noor
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Noor also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Noor over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Noor 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.
Sibling names for Noor
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Noor — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Noor
What does the name Noor mean?
Noor means "light," from the Arabic nūr.
Is Noor in the Quran?
The twenty-fourth chapter is named an-Nur and contains the Verse of Light, one of the most commented-upon passages in Islamic thought.
Is Noor a boy's or a girl's name?
Both. Our data records it as unisex, and it is used for both sexes across the Arabic-speaking world.
How popular is the name Noor?
In 2025, Noor was given to 284 babies in England and Wales, ranking #181 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
When was Noor most popular?
Noor peaked in 2025, when 478 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Noor a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Noor currently ranks #181 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.