← Back to the encyclopedia

The living name encyclopedia

Eleanor

EL-uh-nor in American English; the final vowel and r differ in British English

Return to my journey

The name story

The story carried by Eleanor

From Old French Alienòr. A traditional explanation connects the name with the phrase ‘the other Aenor,’ but records that may predate Eleanor of Aquitaine mean that this cannot be treated as the complete origin story.

2025 U.S. snapshot

How often was it recorded?

The name against itself

Its path since 2000

In your state

How likely is another child to share it?

Choose a state for SSA-recorded birth context.

Evidence and limits

What is fact—and what is not?

  • Observed: Rank, count, and trend come from U.S. Social Security card applications.
  • Estimated: State classroom likelihood uses released records and an independence assumption. It is not a school prediction.
  • Editorial: Meaning, pronunciation, nicknames, and practical notes appear only after review.
  • Never inferred: Personality, intelligence, destiny, health, class, or what a child will become.

Read SSA’s data limitations