Núria

Núria is a Catalan girls' name taken from the Virgin of Núria, a Marian shrine located in the eponymous valley, the Vall de Núria. The name also occurs in Spanish without the accent as Nuria, given that the Spanish name of the valley is el valle de Nuria.

Etymology and history
The placename, Núria, is believed to be of Basque origin according to Joan Coromines, and related to the word Norra, a variant of Andorra, and meaning "place between valleys."

The name Nuria (نوريّة) has also been linked to the Arabic unisex name Nur meaning light.

The name, originally Mare de Déu de Núria, derives from Marian devotion to the Virgin of Nuria (Catalan Mare de Déu de Núria). The name is very popular in Catalonia, especially in the comarques of Ripollès—where the sanctuary is located in the municipality of Queralbs—Priorat, Pallars Jussà, Osona, Noguera, Conca de Barberà, and Cerdanya.

Popularity
In 2007 it was the seventh most common female name in Catalonia, with its most recent peak of popularity recorded in the decade of the 1970s. The Saint's day is September 8, for Our Lady of Nuria.

Notable people with the name

 * Núria Añó (1973, Lleida) Spanish writer and novelist
 * Núria Aliaga-Alcalde, Spanish chemist
 * Nuria Cabanillas (1980) Spanish rhythmic gymnast and Olympic champion
 * Nuria Bages (1955, Monterrey) Mexican actress
 * Nuria Benzal (1985) Spanish handball player
 * Nuria Bermúdez (1980) Spanish football agent and actress
 * Núria Camón (1978, Terrassa) Spanish field hockey player who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
 * Nuria Domínguez (1974, Toronto) Canadian-born Spanish competition rower
 * Núria Espert (1935, Barcelona) Spanish actress
 * Nuria Fernández (1976, Lucerne, Switzerland) Spanish middle-distance runner
 * Nuria Fernández Gómez, "Nuria Fergó," (Nerja, 1979) Spanish singer and actress
 * Nuria González (1962, Málaga) Spanish actress
 * Nuria Gorrite (born 1970), Swiss-Spanish politician
 * Nuria Llagostera Vives (1980, Majorca) Spanish tennis player
 * Núria López, Spanish chemistry professor
 * Nuria Lopez Bigas, Spanish biologist
 * Núria Madruga (1980) Portuguese actress and model
 * Nuria Martínez (1984) Spanish professional basketball player in the WNBA
 * Nuria Moreno (1975, Madrid) Spanish field hockey player
 * Nuria Olivé (1968, Barcelona) Spanish field hockey player
 * Nuria Párrizas Díaz (born 1991, Spanish tennis player
 * Nuria Quevedo (born 1938), Spanish-German painter
 * Nuria Piera (born 1960), Dominican Republic investigative journalist.
 * Núria Pradas (born 1954), Spanish philologist and writer
 * Nuria Pomares (Madrid) Spanish ballet dancer
 * Núria Rial, Spanish soprano
 * Nuria Roca, Spanish TV presenter
 * Nuria Torray (1934–2004) Spanish film, television, and theatre actress
 * Nuria Zufía Spanish footballer