How to say it
au · ROR · a
əˈrɔr.ə
Feminine
Aurora
Dawn
What it means
Latin for 'dawn.' The first soft light of the sky before the sun follows.
Aurora was the Roman goddess of dawn, sister of the sun and moon, who pulled aside the curtain of night each morning. Her name passed into Latin scientific terms (aurora borealis, aurora australis) and into the Romance languages as a poetic word for first light. Disney's Sleeping Beauty in 1959 gave Aurora a princess identity that became a slow-burn revival. The name entered the US top hundred in 2015 and has kept climbing, often showing up alongside other celestial and elemental names like Stella, Luna, and Willow.
How to spell Aurora
The standard spelling is Aurora. Common variants include Auróra, Aurore, but Aurora is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #15 in 2025, currently #15 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
Two common stresses: uh-RAW-ruh and uh-ROAR-uh. Both are accepted; pick one for your household so the name isn't said two ways at home.
- Pop culture
Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1959) gave the name a princess identity, which softens or sharpens depending on whether that fits your family.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Aurora Roman goddess of dawn, sister of the sun and moon
- Princess Aurora Disney's Sleeping Beauty, 1959
- Aurora Aksnes Norwegian singer-songwriter, mononym Aurora
Spelling variants
- Auróra
- Aurore
Names with the same feeling
See Aurora from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Aurora mean?
- Latin for 'dawn.' The first soft light of the sky before the sun follows.
- What does Aurora mean in Latin?
- In Latin, Aurora means "Dawn." Aurora was the Roman goddess of dawn, sister of the sun and moon, who pulled aside the curtain of night each morning. Her name passed into Latin scientific terms (aurora borealis, aurora australis) and into the Romance languages as a poetic word for first light. Disney's Sleeping Beauty in 1959 gave Aurora a princess identity that became a slow-burn revival. The name entered the US top hundred in 2015 and has kept climbing, often showing up alongside other celestial and elemental names like Stella, Luna, and Willow.
- How do you pronounce Aurora?
- Aurora is pronounced əˈrɔr.ə. Say it as au-ROR-a, with the stress on the "ror" syllable.
- How do you spell Aurora?
- The standard spelling is Aurora. Common spelling variants include Auróra, Aurore.
- Is Aurora a boy or girl name?
- Aurora is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Aurora?
- Aurora ranked #15 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.