Eleanor (usually pronounced /ˈɛlənɔːr/ in North America but /ˈɛlənə/ elsewhere, variants Elinor, Ellinor, Elenor, Eleanore, Eleanour, Eleonor(a) among others; short form Leonor and variants) is a feminine given name. It was the name of a number of women of the high nobility in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages, originally from a Provençal name Aliénor.
In modern times, the name was popularly given in the United States in the 1910s to 1920s, peaking at rank 25 in 1920. It declined below rank 600 by the 1970s, but has again risen above rank 150 in the early 2010s.
Common hypocorisms include Ella, Ellie, Elly (etc.), Leonor, Leonora, Leonore, Leanora, Lenora, (etc.) Nell, Nella, Nellie, Nelly, Nelda, Nelle, (etc.), Nora(h), Noreen, Norene, Nonie (etc.)
The name derives from the Provençal name Aliénor which became Eléanor or Eleonore in the northern Langue d'oïl and from there also to English.
The name probably originates as that of Eleanor of Aquitaine (1120s–-1204). She was the daughter of Aénor de Châtellerault, and it has been suggested that having been baptized Aenor after her mother, she was called alia Aenor, i.e. "the other Aenor" in childhood and would have kept that name in adult life; the name Aénor itself appears to be a Latinization of a Germanic name of uncertain form.
Eleanor is a female given name.
Eleanor, Elinor, Ellinore, Elenore or variations thereof may also refer to:
Eleanor (1996) is a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt's childhood, describing her as a shy girl who goes on to do great things. A children's book written by Barbara Cooney.
With silent feet
My darling dreamer
She steps and skips around the lyre
And though I know
I cannot keep her
I sleep so gladly for a while.
Now winter nears
My darling dreamer
She dissapears into the sea
To have her here
Awake from dreaming
Some things I fear never will be.
I see a whole new way now.
I see a new beginning.
From the sky into the sea
A whole new way of living.
Winter is here
A nervous vigil
I light the lamp for her to see.
She turns to me
And her soft shadow
It streches out along the beach.
And they go again.
There is a whole new way now
From the sun and from the sea
There is a whole new way now
Such power running through me.
I see a whole new way now
A season in full flower
I see a whole new way now