Cora is a given name with multiple origins. It was used by

James Fenimore Cooper James Fenimore Cooper (September 15, 1789 – September 14, 1851) was an American writer of the first half of the 19th century, whose historical romances depicting colonial and indigenous characters from the 17th to the 19th centuries brought h ...

for a character in his 1826 novel ''

The Last of the Mohicans ''The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757'' is an 1826 historical romance novel by James Fenimore Cooper. It is the second book of the '' Leatherstocking Tales'' pentalogy and the best known to contemporary audiences. '' The Pathfinder'', ...

''. It is today most commonly viewed as a variant name derived from the Ancient Greek Κόρη (Kórē), an epithet of the Greek goddess

Persephone In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Persephone ( ; , classical pronunciation: ), also called Kore ( ; ) or Cora, is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the Greek underworld, underworld afte ...

. Alternatively, but rarely, it may be rooted in the Gaelic ''cora'', the comparative of ''cóir'', meaning just, honest, virtuous or good. Variant forms of this name include Kora and Korra.

History

The current name Cora may be derived from a variety of origins. Its most prominent antecedents, however, lie in ancient Greece.

Ancient Greece

The Greek word κόρη (korē) can mean girl, maiden or daughter. In the latter sense it came to be an alternate name given to

to denote her being the daughter of

Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...

, who accordingly carries the epithet Μήτηρ (Mētēr), mother. Κόρη was used when addressing Persephone not as queen of the underworld, but as vegetation goddess. Dionysos and Cora-Hermitage

Today's pronunciation of Cora is foreshadowed in some Greek dialects. In both Doric and Aeolic κόρη becomes κόρα (kora), in Doric it also appears as κώρα (kōra), thus phonetically resembling the current English name rather closely. The spelling κόρα is used especially in poetic writings, as in the following instance by

Aeschylus Aeschylus (, ; ; /524 – /455 BC) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek tragedy, tragedian often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek tragedy is large ...

: As pointed out by H. Weir Smith, Δίκα ("Justice") can be read as a contraction of Δι(ὸς) κ(όρ)α, "daughter of Zeus". Metaphorically, κόρη and its variants can also refer to a puppet; the pupil of the eye, because a small image is mirrored within, and hence figuratively also the apple of one's eye.

Ancient Rome

In its current spelling, Cora appears as a Latinisation of Persephone's epithet in Roman inscriptions. Fabia Aconia Paulina for example, who lived in the 4th century, was consecrated to Cora twice. Of different, namely Celtic, descent is Cora as toponym for a town and river (today ''la Cure'') in the Roman province of Gaul.

Modernity

In ''The Court of the Gentiles'' (1669), his extensive attempt to trace all ancient ideas and beliefs back to Hebrew scriptures, Theophilus Gale claims that Cora originated from the Hebrew הורה (hora). The name Cora gained prominence among a wider audience through Jean-François Marmontel's novel ''Les Incas'' of 1777, where it is given to an Inca girl consecrated as a virgin to the sun. It is thus used much in accordance with the original Greek word. In view of his subject matter – the destruction of the

Inca empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

("l'empire du Pérou") following that of the

Aztec empire The Aztec Empire, also known as the Triple Alliance (, Help:IPA/Nahuatl, �jéːʃkaːn̥ t͡ɬaʔtoːˈlóːjaːn̥ or the Tenochca Empire, was an alliance of three Nahuas, Nahua altepetl, city-states: , , and . These three city-states rul ...

– Marmontel may have found another motive in the

ethnic group An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...

of the same name, who resisted Spanish conquest until 1722,Jáuregui, Jesús (2004). ''Coras''. Mexico: Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas (CDI), Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo. p
11
/ref> some 200 years longer than their neighbours (together referred to by him as "l'empire du Mexique"). Scene-from-the-last-of-the-mohicans-cora-kneeling-at-the-feet-of-tanemund-1827

Scene-from-the-last-of-the-mohicans-cora-kneeling-at-the-feet-of-tanemund-1827

Brought to fame by Marmontel, Cora inspired a series of other works, among them an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

by the French composer

Étienne Méhul Étienne Nicolas Méhul (; 22 June 1763 – 18 October 1817) was a French composer of the late Classical period (music), classical and early Romantic period (music), romantic periods. He was known as "the most important opera composer in France ...

and a play by the German dramatist

August von Kotzebue August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue (, ; – ) was a German playwright, who had also worked as a Russian diplomat. In 1817, one of Kotzebue's books was burned during the Wartburg festival. He was murdered in 1819 by Karl Ludwig Sand, a ...

, ''Die Sonnenjungfrau'' (The Virgin of the Sun), both of 1791. Likely to have followed in this tradition,

gave the name Cora to his heroine in ''

'' of 1826.

People

Athletes

* Cora Alicto (Low) (born 1980), track and field sprint athlete who competes for Guam *

Cora Campbell Cora Campbell (born May 28, 1974) is a Canadian water polo player. She is a graduate of the University of Calgary {{Infobox university , name = University of Calgary , image = University of Calgary coat of ...

(born 1974), Canadian water polo player *

Cora Combs Beulah Mae Combs (March 17, 1927 – June 21, 2015), ...

(1923–2015), American professional wrestler *

Cora Farrell Cora Farrell (born May 23, 1999) is an American curler from Fairbanks, Alaska. She was a silver medalist at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Career Farrell has competed in eight consecutive Junior National Championships. ...

(born 1999), American curler *

Cora Huber Cora Huber (born 8 April 1981) is a Swiss bobsledder. She competed in the two woman event at the 2006 Winter Olympics The 2006 Winter Olympics (), officially the XX Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter mu ...

(born 1981), Swiss bobsledder *

Cora Livingston Cora B. Bowser (1887/1889 – April 22, 1957), better known by the ring name Cora Livingston (also spelled as Livingstone) was an American professional wrestler. She is the first women's world champion in professional wrestling history. Earl ...

(1887/1889 -1957), American professional wrestler *

Cora Mildred Maris Clark Cora Mildred Maris Clark (3 March 1885 – 30 June 1967) was a New Zealand hockey player and administrator, nurse. She was born in Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban popu ...

(1885–1967), New Zealand hockey player, administrator, and nurse * Cora Olivero (born 1978), Spanish athlete * Cora Staunton (born 1981), Irish footballer * Cora Westland (born 1962), Dutch cyclist

Academics

Cora Baggerly Older Cora Miranda Baggerly Older (1875 – September 26, 1968) was an American writer and historian known for her California-based writing and activism. She often collaborated on social issues with her husband, Fremont Older, and she is now best remem ...

(1875–1968), American writer and historian * Cora Baldock (born 1935), Australian-Dutch Sociologist * Cora Berliner (1890–1942), German economist and social scientist

Politicians

* Cora Amalia Castilla (born 1961), Mexican politician and activist * Cora Brown (1914–1972), first African-American woman elected to a U.S. state senate * Cora Etter (1924–2020), Canadian politician * Cora Louisa Burrell (1889–1962), New Zealand National Party activist * Cora Mae Bryant (1926–2008), American blues musician * Cora Reynolds Anderson (1882–1950), American politician *

Cora Taylor Casselman Cora Taylor Casselman (October 18, 1888 – September 6, 1964) was a Canadian federal politician. She was elected to represent the electoral district of Edmonton East in the House of Commons of Canada from 1941 to 1945. A member of the Liberal ...

(1888–1964), Canadian federal politician * Cora Faith Walker (1960s–2022), American lawyer and politician * Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (born 1963), Dutch politician

Writers

* Cora Almerino, Cebuano Visayan writer *

Cora Cané Cora María Bertolé de Cané, better known as Cora Cané (1923 – April 16, 2016), was an Argentine journalist, librettist, and writer. Beginning in 1957, she wrote a section for the Argentine newspaper '' Clarín'' towards the end of each is ...

(1923–2016), Argentine journalist * Cora Daniels, African-American author * Cora Lenore Williams (1865–1937), American writer and educator * Cora Linn Daniels (1852–1934), American author * Cora Minnett (born 1868), Australian author and actress * Cora Rigby (1865–1930), American journalist * Cora Rónai (born 1953), Brazilian writer, journalist, and photographer * Cora Semmes Ives (1834–1916), American writer * Cora Seton (born 1969), American author * Cora Sherlock (born 1976), Irish writer, blogger, and campaigner *

Cora Stephan Cora Stephan (born 7 April 1951 in Strang Bad Rothenfelde, West Germany) is a German-speaking writer and essayist. As an author of crime fiction she is known under the pseudonym Anne Chaplet. Stephan grew up in Osnabrück (Germany). Having stu ...

(born 1951), German writer * Cora Taylor (born 1936), Canadian writer * Cora Coralina (1889–1985), Brazilian poet

Performers

* Cora Cardigan (1860–1931), stage name of Hannah Rosetta Dinah Parks, English flautist *

Cora E. Cora E. (born ''Sylvia Macco''; 1968 in Kiel, West Germany) is a former nurse turned hip-hop artist who emerged in the early underground Germany, German hip hop culture. At the time that she came to prominence, she was not only one of the origin ...

(born 1968), German hip-hop artist * Cora Folsom Salisbury (1868–1916), American musician and composer * Cora Gordon (1879–1950), English artist, writer, and musician * Cora Green (1895-after 1949), American actress, singer, and dancer * Cora LaRedd, American singer and dancer in the 1920s and 1930s * Cora Urquhart Brown-Potter (1857–1936), American stage actress *

Cora Vander Broek Cora Vander Broek is an American actress. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2020 for her Broadway-debut performance as Jules in ''Linda Vista'' by Tracy Letts. She has appeared on television in ''Grace an ...

(born 1977), American actress * Cora Venus Lunny (born 1982), Irish violinist * Cora Waddell (born 1989), Filipino actress, fashion model, and video blogger *

Cora Witherspoon Cora Witherspoon (January 5, 1890 – November 17, 1957) was an American stage and film character actress whose career spanned nearly half a century. She began in theatre where she remained rooted even after entering motion pictures in the ...

(1890–1957), American actress * Kora Karvouni (born 1980), Greek actress

Others

* Cora Lily Woodard Aycock (1868–1952), American political hostess * Cora Ann Pair Thomas (1875–1952), American Baptist missionary * Cora Webb Bass (1906–1987), American educator, WAACs officer * Cora Belle Brewster (1859–?), American physician, surgeon, medical writer, editor * Cora Bussey Hillis (1858–1924), American child welfare advocate * Cora Amalia Castilla (born 1961), Mexican politician * Cora Catherine Calhoun Horne (1865–1932), Black suffragist, civil rights activist, and Atlanta socialite * Cora Cohen (1943–2023), American artist * Cora Alta Ray Corniea (1889–1958), American conservationist * Cora Crane (1868–1910), American businesswoman, nightclub and bordello owner, writer, and journalist *

Cora Diamond Cora Diamond (born 1937) is an American philosopher who works in the areas of moral philosophy, animal ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of language, philosophy and literature, and the thought of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Gottlob Frege, and E ...

(born 1937), American philosopher * Cora Dow (1868–1915), American pharmacist * Cora Alice Du Bois (1903–1991), American cultural anthropologist * Cora Durand (1902–1998), Picuris Pueblo potter * Cora E. Simpson (1880–1960), American nurse and nursing educator * Cora Elm (1891–1949), American nurse in World War I * Cora Emmanuel (born 1992), French fashion model * Cora Evans (1904–1957), American Mormon leader * Cora G. Burwell (1883–1982), American astronomical researcher * Cora Goffin (1902–2004), British actress * Cora Gooseberry (–1852), Aboriginal Australian Murro-ore-dial woman and cultural knowledge keeper * Cora Harrington, American writer and lingerie expert * Cora Hartshorn (1873–1958), American pioneer in the field of birth control * Cora Helena Sarle (1867–1956), American Shaker artist * Cora Hubbard (1877–?), American outlaw *

Cora Huidekoper Clarke Cora Huidekoper Clarke (February 9, 1851 – April 2, 1916) was an American amateur entomologist, science educator and botanist specializing in bryophytes. Her chief entomological studies were on galls caused by wasps ( Cynipidae) and flies (Ceci ...

(1851–1916), American amateur entomologist, science educator, and botanist * Cora Jipson Beckwith (1875–1955), American zoologist * Cora Johnstone Best (1878–1930), American mountaineer * Cora Kelley Ward (1920–1989), American painter and photographer * Cora Laparcerie (1875–1951), French comedian, poet, and director * Cora LeEthel Christian, the first native woman of the U.S. Virgin Islands to earn a medical degree * Cora Martin-Moore (1927–2005), American gospel singer * Cora Miao (born 1958), Chinese actress * Cora Millet-Robinet (1798–1890), French agricultural innovator and silk producer * Cora Nyegaard (1812–1891), Danish composer *

Cora Pearl Cora Pearl (born Eliza Emma Crouch; December 1836 – 8 July 1886) was an English courtesan or Cocotte (prostitute), cocotte of the French demimonde who became most well known during the period of the Second French Empire. Early life Eliza Emma C ...

(1835–1886), French courtesan * Cora Scott Pond Pope (1856–?), American teacher, scriptwriter, real estate developer * Cora Randolph Trimble (1871–1946), American socialite * Cora Ratto de Sadosky (1912–1981), Argentine mathematician, educator, and militant activist * Cora Sadosky de Goldstein (1940–2010), Argentine mathematician * Cora Sandel (1880–1974), Norwegian painter and writer * Cora Schumacher (born 1976), German actress, model, racing driver, and presenter * Cora L. V. Scott (1840–1923), American medium * Cora Skinner (born 1985), American glamour model and actress * Cora Slocomb di Brazza (1862–1944), American-born Italian activist and businesswoman * Cora Smalley Brooks (1885–1930), American painter * Cora Smith Eaton (1867–1939), American suffragist, physician, and mountaineer * Cora Sternberg (born 1951), American medical oncologist *

Cora Sue Collins Cora Susan Collins (April 19, 1927 – April 27, 2025) was an American child actress who appeared in films during the Golden Years of Hollywood. Although she did not make the transition to a film career in adulthood, she appeared in 47 films in ...

(born 1927), American former child actress * Cora Sutton Castle (1880–1966), American educator, Sociologist, author, and clubwoman * Cora Camoin (1930–2018), French actress * Cora Walker (1922–2006), American lawyer * Cora Walton (1928–2009), birth name of American Blues singer Koko Taylor *

Cora Stuart Wheeler Cora Stuart Wheeler (pen name, Trebor Ohl; September 6, 1852 – March 10, 1897) was a 19th-century American poet and author. She was one of the most successful short-story writers of the day. It was during the civil war, as a girl in her father' ...

(1852–1897), American poet, author * Cora Wilding (1888–1982), New Zealand physiotherapist and artist * Cora Wilson Stewart (1875–1958), American social reformer and educator

As a surname

* Alex Cora (born 1975), Puerto Rican professional baseball player and team manager * Belle Cora (1827?–1862), American Madam of the Barbary Coast * Cat Cora (born 1967), American chef on Food Network's ''

Iron Chef America ''Iron Chef America'' is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's ''Iron Chef'', and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed ''Iron Chef USA'' that aired in 2001. The show is produced by Food Network, wh ...

'' * Joey Cora (born 1965), Puerto Rican former professional baseball player * Sexy Cora or Carolin Ebert (1987–2011), German actress, model, and singer * Tayfun Cora (born 1983), Turkish footballer *

Tom Cora Thomas Henry Corra (September 14, 1953 – April 9, 1998), better known as Tom Cora, was an American cellist and composer, best known for his Free improvisation, improvisational performances in the field of Experimental music, experimental jazz ...

(1953–1998), American cellist

Fictional characters

* Cora, the main character of the 1915 film of the same name directed by

Edwin Carewe Edwin Carewe ( Chickasaw Nation, March 3, 1883 – January 22, 1940) was a Native American motion picture director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. Early life and education Jay John Fox was born on March 3, 1883, in Gainesville, Texas. H ...

* Cora Crawley, from the series ''

Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. It first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV (TV network), ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United St ...

'' * Cora Cross, from the United Kingdom soap ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

'' * Cora Dithers, from the comic strip Blondie * Cora Flange, from ''

Carry On Abroad ''Carry On Abroad'' is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Gerald Thomas, the 24th release in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). The film features series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Bernard Bresslaw, ...

'' * Cora Peterson, from the 1966 science fiction film ''

Fantastic Voyage ''Fantastic Voyage'' is a 1966 American science fiction adventure film directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Harry Kleiner, based on a story by Otto Klement and Jerome Bixby. The film is about a submarine crew who is shrunk to microsco ...

'' * Cora Mills (also known as the Queen of Hearts), from the fantasy-drama series ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...

'' * Cora Ann Milton, from ''The Ringer'', a play by

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer of crime and adventure fiction. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was ...

* Cora Munro, heroine of ''

'', by

* Cora Tannetti, from the Netflix original series '' The Sinner'' * Cora Hale, from the MTV series ''

Teen Wolf ''Teen Wolf'' is a 1985 American coming-of-age comedy film directed by Rod Daniel and written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman. Michael J. Fox stars as the title character, a high school student whose ordinary life is changed when he discover ...

'' * Cora Hamilton, from the 2017 film ''

Rip Tide A rip tide, or riptide, is a strong offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal f ...

'' * Cora Cartmell, from ''Titanic'' * Cora, protagonist of The Underground Railroad, by

Colson Whitehead Arch Colson Chipp Whitehead (born November 6, 1969) is an American novelist. He is the author of nine novels, including his 1999 in literature, 1999 debut ''The Intuitionist''; ''The Underground Railroad (novel), The Underground Railroad'' (2016) ...

* Cora, a shopkeeper in television commercials for Maxwell House coffee portrayed by Margaret Hamilton * Cora Jean Simmons, the daughter of

Madea Mabel "Madea" Earlene Simmons is a character created and portrayed by Tyler Perry. She is portrayed as a tough, street-smart elderly African-American woman. Madea is based on Perry's mother and his aunt. In Perry's own words, Madea is "exactly ...

* Cora Tull, a narrator and fictional character from Faulkner's ''

As I Lay Dying ''As I Lay Dying'' is a 1930 Southern Gothic novel by American author William Faulkner. Faulkner's fifth novel, it is consistently ranked among the best novels of the 20th century.The New Lifetime Reading Plan: The Classical Guide to World Lit ...

'' * Cora Thayer Prescott, aunt of the main character of the Netflix series '' Spirit Riding Free'' * Korra, the main character of the animated television series ''

The Legend of Korra ''The Legend of Korra'' (abbreviated as ''TLOK'' and also known as ''Avatar: The Legend of Korra'' or more rarely simply as ''Korra'') is an American animated Fantasy television, fantasy action drama television series created by Michael Dante ...

'' * Cora Seaborne, the main character of the novel and TV Series '' The Essex Serpent''

References

{{given name, type=both English feminine given names Feminine given names Surnames Greek-language given names