Eleanor
Eleanor is a girl name of Greek / French origin, ranked #27 in popularity, meaning Shining light.
What Eleanor means
Shining light.
Eleanor sits at 7 letters, and ends on a consonant, which gives it a firmer stop. Its 4 vowels give it a flowing rhythm.
Where Eleanor comes from
Greek / French is a blended origin: the name is claimed by more than one tradition, which usually means it travelled, or that two similar-sounding names converged. Greek names often reach back to mythology, philosophy, or the early Church. They tend to be transparently meaningful in the original: many are compounds you can still take apart into their two halves.
Eleanor is recorded as Greek / French in origin. Browse other Greek / French names.
How popular is Eleanor?
Eleanor is ranked #27. Names in this band tend to be the comfortable middle ground — recognised everywhere, but common enough to need no explanation and rare enough to still feel chosen.
The character of Eleanor
Eleanor spans light and brightness, the long-established classics and royalty and rule, which is why it can read differently depending on which association you notice first. Both threads are worth following.
Names like Eleanor
These share Eleanor's themes, origin, or both — closest first.
- Charlotte — Free; petite and feminine.
- Clara — Bright, clear, famous.
- Elizabeth — Pledged to God; God is my oath.
- Aine — Radiance; queen of the fairies.
- Augusta — Great and venerable.
- Catherine — Pure.
- Diana — Divine; goddess of the moon and hunt.
- Helen — Light; a torch.
- Helena — Bright, shining light.
- Lucy — Light.
- Nell — Bright, shining one.
- Nora — Honour; light.