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Aurora

♀ Girl

Pronounced uh-ROR-uh /əˈrɔːr.ə/High

Meaning: Dawn; the dawn goddess; morning lightHigh

In 30 seconds: Directly from Latin for 'dawn,' Aurora is the name of the Roman goddess of the morning. Ethereal and romantic, it has surged into the U.S. top 30 in the 21st century.
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Origin HighLatin
MeaningDawn; the dawn goddess; morning light
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 52,266

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201718802017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Aurora comes from the Latin aurora, meaning 'dawn.' She was the Roman goddess of the dawn, equivalent to the Greek goddess Eos, who rose each morning to open the gates of heaven for the sun. Her name poetically describes the soft light preceding sunrise.

Aurora was used as a given name in the medieval and early modern periods, particularly in southern Europe. It gained wider English-language use in the 18th and 19th centuries, though it remained somewhat uncommon. Popularized partly by the Disney fairy tale Sleeping Beauty (whose princess is Aurora), it has surged in the 21st century, entering the U.S. top 30 by 2020.

Did you know? The aurora borealis (northern lights) takes its name from Aurora, the Roman dawn goddess, and Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind. The phenomenon was named by Galileo Galilei in 1619.

Variations

AuroreAurorа

Nicknames

RoryAuraRora

Famous Bearers

  • ★Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) (fictional)
    The princess in the Disney animated film Sleeping Beauty (1959), also known as Briar Rose.

If you like Aurora…

Luna— shares the celestial, mythological radiance
Stella— equally luminous Latin name (stella = star) with the same warm beauty
Aurora
Isla— another lyrical, international two-to-three syllable name
Violet— shares the nature-based vintage revival quality

Frequently Asked

What does the name Aurora mean?

Aurora comes from the Latin word for 'dawn' and is the name of the Roman goddess of the morning, who opens the gates of heaven each day for the sun.

How do you pronounce Aurora?

Aurora is pronounced uh-ROR-uh /əˈrɔːr.ə/ (three syllables).

Is Aurora a boy or girl name?

Aurora is used almost exclusively as a girl's name.

How popular is Aurora?

Aurora entered the U.S. top 30 girls' names around 2020 after climbing steadily through the previous decade, reflecting the growing appeal of romantic, mythological names.