Sophia Girl
soh-FEE-uh
“wisdom” · Greek
#5
Tora
GirlScandinavian, Old Norse· “feminine form of Thor”
- Meaning
- feminine form of Thor
- Origin
- Scandinavian, Old Norse
- Pronunciation
- TOR-uh
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #10,839
- US babies 2025
- 9
- Best rank
- #1,683 (1898)
- Peak year
- 1976
Meaning and origin of Tora
Tora is a Scandinavian and Old Norse name that is usually said to mean “feminine form of Thor”.
Tora is a Scandinavian feminine name related to Thor, the Norse god of thunder. It is a form of Thora, from the Old Norse Þóra, built on the god's name. Names built on Thor were common in Viking Age Scandinavia and remain in use in Norway and Sweden. Tora also resembles the Hebrew Torah, the name of the Five Books of Moses, and in Japanese tora means tiger, so the name reads differently to different families. It is said TOR-uh. Short and strong, it sits comfortably with Thea and Freya.
Popularity over time
Tora first appears in US Social Security records in 1898. It has never ranked in the national top 1,000, which keeps it genuinely uncommon. Its best national rank was #1,683 in 1898, and the most babies received it in 1976, when 53 were named Tora. In 2025, 9 babies were named Tora, and it ranked #10,839 nationally.
Its national rank moved from #3,943 in 1950, #5,527 in 1980, #10,690 in 2000, #7,855 in 2010, and #10,839 in 2025. Of the 990 US girls named Tora since records began, 32% were born in the 1970s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 115 babies. Since 2010, 188 more have been named Tora.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Cherice, Angelene, Jerusha, Wenona, and Sakinah.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Tora is usually pronounced TOR-uh, with two syllables. It has four letters, starts with T and ends in “-ra”.
Middle names for Tora
A few middle names that flow with Tora: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Tora
Similar names
Thora Girl
THAW-ruh
“feminine of Thor, 'thunder'” · Old Norse
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IHNG-grihd
“Ing is beautiful” · Old Norse
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Inga Girl
ING-guh
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Siri Girl
SEER-ee
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Sara Girl
SEH-ruh
“princess” · Hebrew
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Sera Girl
SAIR-uh
“short for Serafina, or variant of Sarah” · English
#6,082
Kiara Girl
kee-AR-uh
“bright, clear; or dark” · Italian
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Laura Girl
LOR-uh
“laurel” · Latin
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Freya Girl
FRAY-uh
“lady” · Old Norse
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Kendra Girl
KEHN-druh
“modern; possibly feminine of Kendrick” · English
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Kara Girl
KEHR-uh
“dear, beloved” · Latin
#1,075
Astrid Girl
AS-trihd
“divinely beautiful” · Old Norse
#376
Lists that include Tora
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tora mean?
Tora is a Scandinavian and Old Norse name that is usually said to mean “feminine form of Thor”.
What is the origin of the name Tora?
Tora has Scandinavian and Old Norse roots. Tora is a Scandinavian feminine name related to Thor, the Norse god of thunder.
Is Tora a popular name?
Not especially. Tora ranked #10,839 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Tora a boy or girl name?
Tora is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Tora?
Tora is usually pronounced TOR-uh. 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