Meaning: Its source is Eleonora, an Italian name meaning "Compassion."

Alternative Spellings: Norene and Norinne

Non-English Forms: Noirin

Popularity: The name Noreen ranked 785th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: It developed as a short form of the names Eleonora, Honora and Leonora.

Though Nora is not Gaelic in origin, it has come to be especially associated with Ireland, and in Scotland is often used as a feminine form of Norman.