The first name Thora
A girl’s name from Norse meaning “thor”.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Norse origin
Thora means “thor” in Norse.
Short form of Old Norse female given names beginning with Þórr (“Thor”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 10 girls were named Thora, making it the 2,605th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 20 births (#1,501).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Thora with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Thora at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 20 girls born in the United States were named Thora, the 6,093rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1916, when 72 were.
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 Thora
5 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Thora BirchAmerican actress, born 1982
- Thora HirdBritish actress (1911–2003)
- Thora DaugaardDanish women's rights activist, pacifist, editor and translator, 1874–1951
- Thora HallagerDanish photographer (1821–1884)
- Janette ScottFilm actress, born 1938
More Norse girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Thora mean?
- Thora means “thor” in Norse.
- What is the origin of the name Thora?
- Short form of Old Norse female given names beginning with Þórr (“Thor”).
- How popular is the name Thora?
- In 2025, 10 girls born in England and Wales were named Thora, ranking 2,605th. Its peak was 2022, with 20 births.
- Is Thora a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 2,424 US babies named Thora since 1880 were girls.
- When was Thora most popular?
- 1916 in the United States, when 72 babies were named Thora, its highest rank at 808th.