Eleanor
The first known bearer was Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122–1204), Provençal Aliénor, perhaps from Latin alia (“other”) and her mother's name Aenor, its meaning thereby said…
Every Eleanor since 1880 — 337,323 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Eleanor
Eleanor is a top-50 name for girls in the United States, ranked #12 in 2025 with 7,649 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 337,323 American babies have been named Eleanor. Its peak came in 1920, when 8,507 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Eleanor stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Eleanor year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7,649 | #12 | 5 | #12,559 |
| 2024 | 7,147 | #14 | 10 | #7,924 |
| 2023 | 6,765 | #14 | 6 | #11,224 |
| 2022 | 6,927 | #16 | 6 | #11,258 |
| 2021 | 7,099 | #15 | 5 | #12,677 |
| 2020 | 6,379 | #22 | — | — |
| 2019 | 6,198 | #27 | 7 | #10,036 |
| 2018 | 5,728 | #32 | 5 | #12,702 |
| 2017 | 5,549 | #36 | — | — |
| 2016 | 5,140 | #41 | — | — |
| 2015 | 4,442 | #60 | — | — |
| 2014 | 3,740 | #78 | — | — |
| 2013 | 3,013 | #106 | — | — |
| 2012 | 2,383 | #134 | — | — |
| 2011 | 2,085 | #150 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,851 | #166 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,486 | #218 | 5 | #13,026 |
| 2008 | 1,343 | #255 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,272 | #266 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,221 | #270 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,237 | #264 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,063 | #301 | — | — |
| 2003 | 1,007 | #308 | — | — |
| 2002 | 961 | #319 | — | — |
| 2001 | 826 | #359 | — | — |
| 2000 | 771 | #375 | — | — |
| 1995 | 437 | #544 | — | — |
| 1990 | 378 | #599 | — | — |
| 1985 | 270 | #670 | — | — |
| 1980 | 258 | #677 | — | — |
| 1975 | 234 | #650 | — | — |
| 1970 | 366 | #522 | — | — |
| 1965 | 603 | #372 | — | — |
| 1960 | 825 | #328 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,043 | #257 | — | — |
| 1950 | 1,371 | #199 | — | — |
| 1945 | 1,876 | #130 | — | — |
| 1940 | 3,584 | #68 | 22 | #1,443 |
| 1935 | 4,166 | #48 | 21 | #1,505 |
| 1930 | 5,823 | #39 | 26 | #1,439 |
| 1925 | 7,724 | #31 | 19 | #1,825 |
| 1920 | 8,497 | #25 | 10 | #2,824 |
| 1915 | 7,036 | #28 | 15 | #1,900 |
| 1910 | 1,798 | #55 | 5 | #1,663 |
| 1905 | 1,041 | #73 | — | — |
| 1900 | 753 | #88 | — | — |
| 1895 | 544 | #98 | — | — |
| 1890 | 351 | #117 | — | — |
| 1885 | 222 | #119 | — | — |
| 1880 | 129 | #127 | — | — |
Famous people named Eleanor
- Eleanor Roosevelt Social activist · 1884–1962
- Eleanor of Aquitaine Nobleman · 1122–1204
- Eleanor of Austria Politician · 1498–1558
- Eleanor of Austria, Queen of Poland Companion · 1653–1697
- Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress Politician · 1434–1467
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Eleanor mean?
The first known bearer was Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122–1204), Provençal Aliénor, perhaps from Latin alia (“other”) and her mother's name Aenor, its meaning thereby said to be “the other Aenor”.
How popular is the name Eleanor in 2025?
Eleanor ranked #12 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7,649 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Eleanor?
337,323 babies have been named Eleanor in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Eleanor most popular?
Eleanor peaked in 1920, when 8,507 newborns received the name.
Is Eleanor a boy or girl name?
Eleanor is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Eleanor rising or falling?
Eleanor is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Eleanor?
Well-known people named Eleanor include Eleanor Roosevelt (social activist), Eleanor of Aquitaine (nobleman), Eleanor of Austria (politician).