Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Enola
GirlAmerican (modern coinage)· “possibly 'alone' spelled backward”
- Meaning
- possibly 'alone' spelled backward (origin disputed)
- Origin
- American (modern coinage)
- Pronunciation
- ih-NOH-luh
- Syllables
- 3
- US rank 2025
- #3,483
- US babies 2025
- 44
- Best rank
- #617 (1893)
- Peak year
- 1953
Meaning and origin of Enola
Enola is often said to mean “possibly 'alone' spelled backward”; the origin is uncertain, though it is usually linked to American (modern coinage) roots.
Enola has an unusual and uncertain history. It is often said to be alone spelled backward, a reading used in Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes novels, but the name was already used in the nineteenth century, and its origin may be more ordinary. Enola is also the name of a town in Pennsylvania. The best-known bearer is the Enola Gay, the aircraft named after the pilot's mother, which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. It is said ih-NOH-luh. Parents today mostly connect it with the Enola Holmes character, who gives it a lively, independent image.
Popularity over time
Enola first appears in US Social Security records in 1885. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 33 different years, starting in 1885. Its best national rank was #617 in 1893, and the most babies received it in 1953, when 99 were named Enola. In 2025, 44 babies were named Enola, and it ranked #3,483 nationally. That is 340% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #846 in 1920, #2,702 in 1950, #6,954 in 1980, #7,719 in 2000, #12,664 in 2010, and #3,483 in 2025. Of the 3,084 US girls named Enola since records began, 18% were born in the 1920s, its biggest decade. The 1910s come next, with 470 babies. Since 2010, 454 more have been named Enola.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Brinda, Denese, Kathern, Jacqulyn, and Pamelia.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Enola ranked highest in Tennessee.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | #1187 | 5 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Enola is usually pronounced ih-NOH-luh, with three syllables. It has five letters, starts with E and ends in “-la”.
Middle names for Enola
A few middle names that flow with Enola: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Enola
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Lists that include Enola
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Enola mean?
Enola is often said to mean “possibly 'alone' spelled backward”; the origin is uncertain, though it is usually linked to American (modern coinage) roots.
What is the origin of the name Enola?
Enola has modern American roots. Enola has an unusual and uncertain history.
Is Enola a popular name?
Not especially. Enola ranked #3,483 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Enola a boy or girl name?
Enola is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Enola?
Enola is usually pronounced ih-NOH-luh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings