Cora

At a Glance

Meaning

Maiden

Origin

Greek

Gender

Girl

Pronunciation

KOR-ahListen

Cora comes from the Greek word korē, meaning 'maiden,' and has a vintage feel that fits its long history in American naming records. It's sometimes linked to the Indigenous Cora people and language of Mexico, but that's just a coincidence of spelling — the given name Cora is a 19th-century literary invention (it appears in Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans) with Greek roots, unrelated to that culture. It's pronounced KOR-ah.

Meaning & Origin of Cora

Meaning: Maiden.

Origin: Greek.

A common claim: Cora is sometimes assumed to be connected to the Indigenous Cora people and language of Mexico. Actually: That's a coincidence of spelling only. Cora the given name comes from Greek korē ('maiden'), popularized as a 19th-century literary invention in Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans, and is unrelated to the Indigenous Cora people of Mexico.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Cora

Popularity of Cora

Cora peaked at #15 in 1880, with 1,045 babies given the name that year, and has since settled to #102 in 2024 with 2,570 babies — a name that's fallen from a top-20 spot but still holds a steady, solid presence more than a century later.

Names Like Cora

These names share Cora’s style, era or origin.

• Barbara
• Catherine
• Delia
• Demetria
• Dorothy
• Eugenia

FAQ

What does the name Cora mean?

Maiden. (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Cora?

Cora is pronounced KOR-ah (IPA: /ˈkɔːrə/).

Is Cora a popular name right now?

Cora peaked at #15 in 1880 and is ranked #102 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Cora Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Cora, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.