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    The first name Norris

    A boy’s name from French meaning “a northerner”, “a migrant from the north”.

    Pronounced /ˈnɔɹɪs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    French origin

    Norris means “a northerner”, “a migrant from the north” in French.

    An Anglo-Norman surname, from Old French norreis (“a northerner, a migrant from the north”). More at French norois.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Norris last appeared in the official list in 2021, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 2009, with 3 births (#4,527).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    6
    babies named Norris, 1996–2025
    #4,789
    rank in 2021
    2009
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Norris with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Norris at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 15 boys born in the United States were named Norris, the 6,063rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 308 were.

    0200400 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    16,979
    babies named Norris since 1880
    #6,063
    rank in 2025
    1924
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Norris

    13 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Henry Norris Russell
      American astronomer (1877–1957)
    • Norris Cole
      American basketball player (born 1988)
    • Richard Norris Williams
      American tennis player (1891-1968)
    • Norris Bradbury
      American physicist, 1909–1997
    • Norris Graham
      American rower (1906-1980)
    • Norris Bowden
      Canadian figure skater (1926–1991)
    • Norris Cotton
      American politician (1900-1989)
    • Anthony Norris Groves
      British missionary (1795–1853)
    • Norris Brown
      American politician (1863–1960)
    • Norris C. Poulson
      American politician (1895-1982)
    • Norris McWhirter
      British writer, political activist and television presenter (1925—2004)
    • John N. Bahcall
      American physicist (1934–2005)

    More French boys’ names

    All 210 names of French origin

    Questions

    What does the name Norris mean?
    Norris means “a northerner”, “a migrant from the north” in French.
    What is the origin of the name Norris?
    An Anglo-Norman surname, from Old French norreis (“a northerner, a migrant from the north”). More at French norois.
    How popular is the name Norris?
    In 2021, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Norris, ranking 4,789th. Its peak was 2009, with 3 births.
    Is Norris a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 97% of the 16,979 US babies named Norris since 1880 were boys.
    When was Norris most popular?
    1924 in the United States, when 308 babies were named Norris, its highest rank at 330th.
    How do you pronounce Norris?
    Norris is /ˈnɔɹɪs/, 2 syllables.
    Is Norris also a surname?
    Yes. Norris is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.