Leonore is of German origin, derived from the French name Léonore, which itself is a feminine form of Leo, meaning 'lion'. It gained popularity during the 19th century, influenced by works such as Beethoven's only opera, "Fidelio," where Leonore is the heroine. The name has since been used in various forms across Europe and beyond. In English-speaking countries, it is often associated with nobility due to its use among European royal families.
The name Leonore experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the given period, with peaks of up to 70 births (1928) and troughs as low as 5 births (multiple years). The name's usage peaked between 1911 and 1934, after which it steadily declined until the late 20th century. In recent years (2014-2023), Leonore has seen a slight resurgence with birth counts ranging from 5 to 10. Overall, there were 2298 births named Leonore in total across this extensive period.