Elinor is a feminine given name of Germanic origin, derived from the elements "Hel" meaning "hiding place of the sun," and "nor" meaning "north." The name Elinor has been used since medieval times and was popularized in part by Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Heart of Midlothian," published in 1818. Throughout history, notable figures with the name Elinor include Queen consort Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204), who played a significant role in the politics and culture of her time, and Elinor Wylie (1885-1928), an American poet known for her lyrical poetry.
Based on the provided statistics, we can observe the trends and fluctuations in the number of newborn girls named Elinor in the United States over time.
The earliest data point available is from the year 1880, with only 9 births recorded. This number remained relatively low throughout the late 19th century, with no more than 27 births in any given year until 1899. The turn of the century marked a significant increase in popularity for the name Elinor, as there were 52 births recorded in the year 1900 alone.
The early 20th century saw continued growth in the number of newborn girls named Elinor, with peaks occurring in 1907 (100 births) and 1912 (268 births). The years surrounding World War I also experienced higher birth rates for this name, with over 500 births each year from 1914 to 1919.
After the war, there was a slight decrease in popularity, but Elinor remained fairly common throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. However, during the Great Depression and World War II, the number of newborn girls named Elinor dropped significantly. The lowest point occurred in 1945 with only 121 births recorded.
Following the war, there was a gradual recovery in popularity for the name Elinor, although it never reached the heights of earlier decades. Between 1950 and 1973, there were fewer than 100 births each year on average.
In recent years, however, there has been renewed interest in the name Elinor. From 2008 onwards, the number of newborn girls named Elinor has consistently remained above 100 per year, with peaks occurring in 2012 (134 births) and 2021 (172 births). Overall, since 1880 until 2023, there have been a total of 21,346 newborn girls named Elinor in the United States.