Are Cora And Coral The Same Name?

No, their roots are different. The name Cora was apparently unknown before 19th-century author James Fenimore Cooper gave it to the heroine of his novel "The Last of the Mohicans." There may be a connection with the Latin word for "heart" but it is more likely to be a Latin version of the ancient Greek kore (with the "e" accented" which means "maiden" – as kori means "daughter" in modern Greek. In mythology, the goddess of the underworld ws sometimes referred to as "the maiden."

Coral (as a name rather than a word) is also a fairly recent coinage. It first appeared in the late 19th century, when there was a vogue for "jewel" and "gemstone" names. The name refers to the reddish material, formed from ancient skeletons of sea animals, which is found in areas such as the Australian Barrier Reef. It comes from the Latin word corallium, though its roots may be even older.