Girl name · Old Norse
Thora
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: thunderThora is a girl's name that comes from Old Norse and means "thunder". It is used in Scandinavian and English.
- Meaning
- Thunder
- Origin
- Old Norse
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- TOR-ah (Old Norse)
Meaning and origin of Thora
As a girl's name, Thora comes from Old Norse and means "thunder". It is used in Scandinavian and English.
In Old Norse, say TOR-ah. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Thora on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Thora on 4 lists.
“Thunder; Old Norse, a feminine form of Thor. Frequent in Icelandic sagas”
From Medieval names and surnames, medieval Norse and Scandinavian names
“Thunder; Old Norse. Feminine form of the Norse thunder god's name”
From Strong female names, goddess and legendary heroine names
“Thunder; Old Norse, the feminine of Thor”
From Unique girl names, rare Norse girl names
“Thunder, feminine of Thor. Say TOR-ah”
From Viking names, norse names that honor the gods
How popular is Thora?
- US rank in 2025
- #6,093
- 20 babies, 12 per million girls
- Best rank
- #626 in 1894
- Most babies: 72 in 1916
- Babies since 1883
- At least 2,424
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 36 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 72 per million |
| 1900s | 69 per million |
| 1910s | 64 per million |
| 1920s | 36 per million |
| 1930s | 19 per million |
| 1940s | 10 per million |
| 1950s | 5 per million |
| 1960s | 2 per million |
| 1970s | 2 per million |
| 1980s | 0 per million |
| 1990s | 1 per million |
| 2000s | 4 per million |
| 2010s | 13 per million |
| 2020s | 22 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,969 | #4,797 | #4,351 | #5,028 | #3,394 | #3,932 | #3,211 | #4,354 | #5,012 | #6,093 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Thora
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- ThorThunder (Old Norse, boy)
- LeiThunder (depends on characters) (Chinese, boy)
- TorThunder, the god Thor (Old Norse, boy)
Middle names for Thora
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Old Norse
- FreyaLady, noblewoman (Old Norse, girl)
- IngaNamed for Ing, a Germanic god (Old Norse, girl)
- AstridDivinely beautiful (Old Norse, girl)
- EricaEver ruler (Old Norse, girl)
- ErikaEternal ruler (Old Norse, girl)
- GudrunGod's secret lore (Old Norse, girl)
- HelgaHoly, blessed (Old Norse, girl)
- HildBattle (Old Norse, girl)
- IngeborgIng's protection (Old Norse, girl)
- IngridIng is beautiful (Old Norse, girl)
Thora: common questions
What does the name Thora mean?
Thora comes from Old Norse and means "thunder".
Is Thora a boy or girl name?
Thora is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Thora come from?
Thora comes from Old Norse and means "thunder". Today it is used in Scandinavian and English.
How do you pronounce Thora?
In Old Norse, say TOR-ah. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Thora?
Thora ranked #6,093 in the US in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Thora?
Names spelled like Thora include Thea, Tara, Thana, Theda and Theia.
What middle names go with Thora?
Middle names that flow well with Thora include Charity, Honor, Isabel, Louise and Noelle. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.