Cora

Today's name: Cora

Pronunciation: KOR-ah

Potential nicknames: Cor, Ora, Ra, Coco, Corey/Corie

Elaborations and variations of this name include Corabel, Corabelle, Corabella, Corabellita, Coralie, Coralee, Coralia, Corabeth, Coralin, Coralyn, Coree, Corie, Corrie, Corey, Correy, Corry, Cory, Corri, Cori, Corella, Corena, Corene, Coretta, Corilla, Corine, Corinna, Corrine, Corisa, Corrisa, Corita, Corlene, Correne, Corrella, Correlle, Correna, Correne, Correnda, Corrinna, Corinne, Corrissa, Corynna, Corynne, Coryssa, Kora, Korabell, Kore, Koreen, Koretta, Korey, Korilla, Korina, Korinne, Korrie, Korry, Koryne, Korynna, Koryssa, and Lacoria.

Origin: (1) Greek, meaning "maiden." It is most likely derived from Kore directly or from Corinna, a variation of Korinna, derived from Kore. Corinna has its own variant forms. (2) Cora, or Kore, is another name for Persephone (3) It is believed that Cora was not used as a given name until James Fenimore Cooper wrote his novel "The Last of the Mohicans," in 1826. It was later used by Langston Hughes in his short story, "Cora Unashamed."

Popularity: In 2010 there were 1,188 baby girls born in the U.S. named Cora, ranking at #276, then it went up to #204 in 2011. It has never been out of the top 1000 since records started being kept in 1880.

Fun fact: (1) Cora can also be used as a nickname for any longer name with "Cora" in it, such as Corazon or Coraline. (2) Cora is not to be confused with the name Coral, which comes from the Latin word "corallium," meaning sea coral. It can now also refer to the color coral.

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