Debora
Debora was the 2336th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 78 babies. Its best year was 1956, when it ranked 161st; the most babies were born in 1957 (2,371). Over the last ten years it has moved up 8 places. More babies were named Debora in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Deborah) bee · Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #2,336 girls, down 74 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 78girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19572,371 babies
- Total since 1880
- 30,161babies recorded
What does the name Debora mean?
Debora is a spelling of Deborah, pronounced the same way, so it shares Deborah's meaning and origin.
Deborah is from Hebrew Devorah, the ordinary word for 'bee'. In the Book of Judges (Judges 4:4) Deborah is a prophet and judge of Israel who leads the victory over the Canaanite commander Sisera; another Deborah is Rebecca's nurse in Genesis. DMNES records Debora in Dutch records from the early 1500s, and the name came into English use after the Reformation with other Old Testament names. It was very popular in the US from the 1940s to the 1970s.
דְּבוֹרָה (Devorah) (Biblical Hebrew, “bee”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Debra, Debbie, Devorah, Debora.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean an animal.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Deborah', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Deborah', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Hebrew Bible, Judges 4:4 (Sefaria, with JPS translation), Sefaria
Debora popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 28 since 1958.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,336 | 78 |
| 2020 | #2,262 | 79 |
| 2010 | #2,154 | 91 |
| 2000 | #2,436 | 63 |
| 1990 | #2,033 | 66 |
| 1980 | #1,679 | 68 |
| 1970 | #502 | 394 |
| 1960 | #215 | 1,553 |
| 1950 | #437 | 343 |
| 1940 | #2,325 | 13 |
| 1930 | #4,705 | 5 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Debora, counting every spelling?
Debora is a spelling of Deborah, a name family that ranked #724 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,336 for Debora on its own. Together these spellings went to 391 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deborah | 313 | #864 | 1,493 |
| Debora | 78 | #2,336 | 446 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Debora?
78 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Debora (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Debora born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 108 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Debora.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Debora?
About 25,400 people born in the US named Debora are alive today, with a median age of 66; half are between 59 and 70. That makes Debora a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Debora by state
How common Debora was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in North Carolina (2.0×), Florida (1.9×). In 42 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Debora: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Debora, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Debora
What does Debora mean?
Debora is a spelling of Deborah, which means “bee” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Debora?
Debora was the 2336th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 78 babies. Its best year was 1956, when it ranked 161st; the most babies were born in 1957 (2,371). Over the last ten years it has moved up 8 places. More babies were named Debora in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Debora a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Debora in the US.
Where is Debora most popular?
In 2021–2025, Debora was most common in North Carolina (0.11 per 1,000 girls), followed by Florida and Maryland.