Eleanor
Eleanor is a girls' name of French origin meaning “bright, shining one.” It ranked #14 in the United States in 2025. Eleanor has been borne by queens and first ladies, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Eleanor Roosevelt.
how do you pronounce Eleanor?
EL-eh-nor
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Eleanor mean?
The name Eleanor means “bright, shining one.” It comes from the French language tradition.
Eleanor has been borne by queens and first ladies, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Eleanor Roosevelt. Its revival from near-extinction in the 1980s to the top 15 is one of the great comeback stories in naming.
where does the name Eleanor come from?
The origin is unsettled. Eleanor reached England through the Old French Aliénor, itself probably from the Occitan, and one long-standing suggestion derives it from a Latin phrase meaning the other Aenor, used to distinguish Eleanor of Aquitaine from her mother. The bright, shining gloss comes from later association with Helen.
the history of Eleanor
Eleanor of Aquitaine, who died in 1204, was queen of France and then of England, mother of two English kings, and a political force for eight decades — few medieval figures left a longer shadow. Eleanor of Castile is remembered differently: the Eleanor Crosses were raised at each place her funeral procession rested, and Charing Cross takes its name from the last of them.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #14 |
| 2023 | #13 |
| 2022 | #13 |
| 2021 | #15 |
| 2020 | #22 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Eleanor?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Eleanor?
- Eleanor Roosevelt (US First Lady and activist)
- Eleanor of Aquitaine (medieval queen)
- Eleanor Rigby (Beatles song)
what names are similar to Eleanor?
what names go well with Eleanor?
Sibling names that share Eleanor's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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