Elinor

Elinor - A very unique female name

Elinor appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #382. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Elinor and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Elinor? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Elinor. The baby girl name Elinor was given to 79 baby girls in 2025, ranking #1621 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 16,500 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Elinor peaked in popularity 110 years ago in 1916 on position 255.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Elinor, 1-5?

Elinor is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Elinor is currently topping the baby name charts in Alabama at position #743 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,868.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Elinor is where you live.

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Elinor origin and meaning

Variant of Eleanor

Uncertain — a variant spelling of Eleanor, whose own origin is disputed (often traced to Provençal Alienor, possibly 'the other Aenor')

Elinor is the streamlined spelling of Eleanor, familiar from Jane Austen's Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility. It peaked in the US in 1920, and while Eleanor has revived strongly, this spelling has only inched up — which keeps it comparatively rare.

Origin uncertain

Elinor is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Elinor, pop culture references for the name Elinor and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Elinor

We've found the following names that sound similar to Elinor, sorted by popularity.

Eleanor / Elnora / Eleanore / Eleanora / Elmira / Elinore / Elenora / Elenore / Elanor / Elmer /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Elinor

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Elinor a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Elinor?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

EL-ih-nor · /ˈɛlɪnɔr/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Eleanor — The standard spelling of the same name
• Eleanore — An elaborated spelling
• Ellinor — The Scandinavian spelling

Nicknames: EllieNell

Famous bearers

• Elinor Ostrom — American political economist, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (1933–2012) Contemporary

Style

LiteraryClassicVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Austen's spelling gives the Eleanor revival a quieter, more bookish twist.

Worth knowing

• Eleanor is the spelling everyone assumes — and currently the far more fashionable one.