Eleanor
| Eleanor |
| Pronunciation |
/ˈɛlɛnər/, US: /ˈɛlənɔr/), UK: /ˈɛlənur/ |
| Gender |
Female |
| Origin |
| Word/Name |
Greek |
| Meaning |
Unknown |
Eleanor (usually pronounced /ˈɛlənɔr/ in North America but /ˈɛlɛnə/ elsewhere, also spelled as Elinor, Elenor, Eleanore, or Elynor) is a female given name.
Etymology
The name derives from the Provencal name Aliénor which became "Eléanor" or "Eleonore" in the northern Langue d'oïl and from there also to English.[1]
The origin and meaning of Aliénor is unknown, and several possible etymologies has been proposed. It may be a Provencal variation of the italian Elena which in turn is a variation of the Greek Ἑλένη[1]. It may also derive from latin lenire, to soothe or to heal. Another suggested source may be the Germanic name Aldenor, "old north". [2]
Cognates of the name in different languages include Leonor (Portuguese pronunciation: [le.o.ˈnoɾ])(Spanish and Portuguese), Eléonore (French), Eleonora (Italian), Leonora or Leonore (German), and Lenore. The similar Hebrew name Elior means "God is light".[3] The similar-sounding Arabic Allahu Nuri also means "God is my light"; the modern version is Nurullah (Noorullah) ("light of God").
History
The first verified bearer of the name was Eleanor of Aquitaine, although Eleanor of Normandy lived a century earlier than Eleanor of Aquitaine. However, primary sources that identify her name as Eleanor have not been found.[4]
Historical bearers of the name
- Queen Eleanor (disambiguation), multiple queens named Eleanor
- Eleanor of England, multiple English princesses
- Eleanor Audley (1905–1991), American actress
- Eleanor Boardman (1898–1991), American actress
- Eleanor Bron (born 1938), British actress and author
- Eleanor Duckworth (born 1935), Canadian psychologist and educator
- Eleanor Lansing Dulles (1895–1996), American economist and diplomat
- Eleonora Dziekiewicz (born 1978), Polish volleyball player
- Elinor Fair (1903–1957), American actress
- Eleanor Friedberger (born 1976), American musician
- Elinor Glyn (1864–1943), British novelist
- Eleanor Helin (1932–2009), American astronomer
- Eleanor Marx (1855–1898), British writer and daughter of Karl Marx
- Eleanor Montgomery (born 1946), American high jumper
- Eleanor Holmes Norton (born 1937), American politician
- Elinor Joseph (born 1991), Israeli soldier
- Elinor Ostrom (born 1933), American political scientist and Nobel prize winner
- Eleanor Parker (born 1922), American actress
- Eleanor Powell (1912–1982), American tap dancer and actress
- Eleanor of Provence (1223–1291), Queen consort of England
- Eleanor Rathbone (1872–1946), British politician
- Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), First Lady of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt
- Eleanor Porter (1868–1920), American novelist
- Elinor Smith (1911–2010), American aviator
- Elinor Wilson, Canadian civil servant
Fictional characters
- Elinor Dashwood, in the 1811 novel Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
- Eleanor Iselin, in the 1959 novel The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon
- Eleanor of Tristain, fictional character in the novels and anime The Familiar of Zero
- Elanor Gardner, Samwise Gamgee's daughter in the The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Eleanor Arroway, in the 1985 novel Contact by Carl Sagan
- Eleonora, in the short story "Eleonora" by Edgar Allan Poe
- Eleanor Bramwell, heroine of the 1995 television series Bramwell
- Eleanor Nash, in Degrassi: The Next Generation
- Eleanor Butterbean, in the television series The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
- Eleanor Lamb, in the video game BioShock 2
- Eleanor Miller, fictional member of the music group The Chipettes
References