Aurora: Name Meaning, Origin, & Popularity

Girl name origins & meanings

What does Aurora mean and stand for?

Meaning:

Latin: Dawn
Greek/Roman mythology: Goddess of the dawn

Gender: Female

Syllables: 3

Pronunciation: The name Aurora is pronounced uh-RAW-ruh

The name Aurora is steeped in mythology and natural beauty, originating from the Latin word for "dawn", and is similar to the word for "gold", aurum. In Greek and Roman mythology, Aurora is the goddess of the dawn, symbolizing renewal and the promise of a new day, traveling from East to West across the sky. Her tears were also said to create morning dew.

Girl name variations

Family name origins & meanings

Indian: see Arora.

Aurora in Pop Culture

Do you know these fictional characters that share this first name?

Aurora Sinclair from Once Upon A Time - A recurring character in the fantasy series who is a nod to the classic Sleeping Beauty.
Aurora from Sleeping Beauty - The quintessential character of Aurora, the beloved Disney princess cursed to sleep until awoken by true love's kiss.
Aurora Teagarden from The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries - A librarian with a knack for solving mysteries in this series of novels and TV movies.
Aurora from Child of Light - The protagonist of the video game, a young girl who wakes up in a magical land and must reclaim her throne.
Aurora Rhapsody from The Aurora Rhapsody Series - The main character in this sci-fi book series, a starship captain on interstellar adventures.

Popularity of the Name Aurora

According to Social Security Administration data, Aurora has been a consistently popular name in the United States. It has maintained a strong presence, often ranking within the top 100 names since 2000. Notably, it broke into the top 50 names given to baby girls in the United States in 2020 and has continued to rise in popularity, as Aurora holds a significant position in American culture and beyond.

Historically, Aurora was the goddess of dawn, symbolizing new beginnings and light. This name has resonated in various contexts, including literature, with the character Aurora Leigh in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poem of the same name. In popular media, Aurora has been featured in Disney's Sleeping Beauty as Princess Aurora. The name Aurora also carries a celestial connotation, being the scientific term for the natural lights displayed in the Earth's sky known as the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis.