Baby Names Eleanor Name Meaning By Shannon Day Shannon Day Shannon Day is a freelance writer specializing in parenting, lifestyle, and women's humor. She has been published in several online parenting and lifestyle sites as well as in print. Shannon is also the co-author of Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 11, 2022 Fact checked by Marley Hall Fact checked by Marley Hall LinkedIn Marley Hall is a writer and fact-checker who is certified in clinical and translational research. Her work has been published in medical journals in the field of surgery, and she has received numerous awards for publication in education. Learn about our editorial process Print ozgurcankaya / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents How Popular is the Name Eleanor? Name Variations Similar Names Common Nicknames Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Eleanor An intellectual-sounding name of French and Greek origins, Eleanor is an English variation of the Provençal name Alienor. It means "light-hearted" or "shining light" and has been associated with successful women from the Whitehouse to the silver screen, and many places in between. Eleanor (Ellie for short) just might be the perfect name for the 'shining light' in your life. Origin: The name Eleanor is of Greek and French origins meaning "light-hearted; shining light."Gender: Eleanor is a name given most often to girls.Pronunciation: eh- luh-nor Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular is the Name Eleanor? In 1908, Eleanor was in the top 1000 names for boys, ranking 968th. It has not since been seen on the charts as a boy name. But, in the past century, the name Eleanor has remained in the top 1000 names for girls. It is currently quite a popular girls' name. Over the past century, Eleanor has fluctuated in its popularity and in 2014, it reached the top 100 charts where it has continued to soar. In fact, the name Eleanor is more on-trend now than ever before, reaching its peak position at 22nd place in 2020. Name Variations The following are variations of the name Eleanor: Elenor (Greek)Elianora (Greek)Elianore (Greek)Elienora (Greek)Elienore (Greek)Elinor (Greek)Elinore (Greek)Ellenora (Greek) Similar Names Similar sounding names to Eleanor: EnoraHelenoraLeanoraLeanoreLenoreNoraNorina Other Greek names for girls: AthenaCalistaCynthiaDaphneElenaEvangelineOlympiaPenelopeThalia Other girl names that begin with E: EdenElizaElmaEmersonEmmaEsterEstelleEsmeEttaEvelyn Common Nicknames There are a few nicknames for those with the name Eleanor: EllaElleEllieNellNora Suggested Sibling Names Looking for a sibling name for Eleanor? Here are some suggestions: AdrienneBeaCoralineEdwardFayeGeorgiaHarveyIsaacHarrietIndyJadeJordanLydiaMaisyPoseyZeke Famous People Named Eleanor Eleanor Coppola, American documentary filmmaker, artist, and writer; married to director Francis Ford CoppolaEleanor Clift, American political reporter, television pundit, and authorEleanor Parker, American actress who played Baroness Elsa Schraeder in 'The Sound of Music'Eleanor Roosevelt, Former First Lady of the U.S., diplomat, and activist Eleanor Tomlinson, English actress and singer, known for her role as Princess Isabelle in 'Jack the Giant Slayer' Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: Top 1,000 Baby Names for Girls 100 Greek Baby Names 50 Vintage Baby Names 1 Source Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. SSA. Popularity of name Eleanor. By Shannon Day Shannon Day is a freelance writer specializing in parenting, lifestyle, and women's humor. She has been published in several online parenting and lifestyle sites as well as in print. Shannon is also the co-author of Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?! See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit