Larry Boy

Popularity: #741 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LAIR-ee /ˈlɛri/

Origin: English; Latin

Meaning: English: crowned with laurel; Latin: from Laurentum

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Larry is derived from the Latin name Laurentius, which means "from Laurentum," a town in ancient Italy. The root of Laurentius is "laurus," meaning "laurel," a symbol of victory and honor in classical antiquity.

The name entered the English language through the Old French form Laurent, which was adopted into Middle English as Lawrence. This transition occurred during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when many Latin names were introduced into English through the influence of Norman culture and language.

Historically, the name Lawrence has been borne by several notable figures, including Saint Lawrence, a Christian martyr who was executed in the 3rd century. His feast day is celebrated on August 10, and he is recognized as one of the most important saints in the Christian tradition.

The name gained further prominence through the medieval period, particularly in England, where it was borne by various saints and scholars, contributing to its enduring legacy. The name was also popularized through the works of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century and later by the King James Bible in the early 17th century, which included references to saints and biblical figures bearing the name.

Culturally, the laurel wreath associated with the name symbolizes triumph and achievement, which has contributed to its favorable connotations throughout history. The diminutive form Larry emerged as a familiar and affectionate variant of Lawrence in the 20th century, reflecting a trend toward more casual naming practices.

Overall, the name Larry, rooted in a rich historical and linguistic tradition, carries with it connotations of honor and distinction, reflecting its origins in the ancient world.

Famous people named Larry

In this section, you will find notable people named Larry. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Larry who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Larry who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Larry Bird is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Boston Celtics, winning three NBA championships and being a two-time NBA MVP.

Larry David is a comedian, writer, and actor best known for co-creating Seinfeld and starring in Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Larry King was a television and radio host best known for his long-running show Larry King Live.

Larry Fitzgerald is a former professional American football player best known for his career with the Arizona Cardinals and being a two-time NFL receiving yards leader.

Larry Page is a computer scientist and entrepreneur best known for co-founding Google and developing its search engine technology.

Larry Niven is a science fiction author best known for his novels Ringworld, The Mote in God's Eye, and the Known Space series.

Larry Ellison is a business magnate best known for co-founding Oracle Corporation and his role in the software industry.

Larry Johnson is a former professional American football player best known for his time with the Kansas City Chiefs and being a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Larry Cohen was a filmmaker and screenwriter best known for his work on films like It's Alive, Q, and The Stuff.

Larry Wilmore is a comedian, writer, and producer best known for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore and his work on The Daily Show.

Fictional characters named Larry

The following list of fictional characters named Larry is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Larry is a fictional character from the animated television series Larry and Steve. He is a talking dog who often provides comedic commentary and support to his human friend, Steve.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Larry, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GaryTerryBarryJerryHarryMurray

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Larry. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

LarrynLorenLanceLeoLiamLloydLyleLorenzo

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Larry was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Larry has ranked as high as #14 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan.

In the past 5 years the name Larry has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Larry is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Larry was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Larry.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 198 198 0
2024 204 204 0
2023 218 218 0
2022 264 264 0
2021 270 270 0
2020 273 273 0
2019 312 312 0
2018 344 344 0
2017 413 413 0
2016 446 446 0
2015 516 516 0
2014 545 545 0
2013 581 581 0
2012 659 659 0
2011 716 716 0
2010 813 813 0
2009 783 783 0
2008 824 824 0
2007 963 963 0
2006 791 791 0
2005 828 828 0
2004 898 898 0
2003 950 950 0
2002 954 954 0
2001 1,030 1,030 0
2000 1,118 1,118 0
1999 1,255 1,255 0
1998 1,208 1,208 0
1997 1,239 1,239 0
1996 1,371 1,371 0
1995 1,409 1,401 8
1994 1,568 1,559 9
1993 1,789 1,780 9
1992 1,872 1,863 9
1991 2,089 2,076 13
1990 2,200 2,194 6
1989 2,349 2,337 12
1988 2,471 2,448 23
1987 2,521 2,503 18
1986 2,642 2,621 21
1985 2,974 2,946 28
1984 3,131 3,105 26
1983 3,411 3,381 30
1982 3,751 3,720 31
1981 3,995 3,955 40
1980 4,317 4,262 55
1979 4,431 4,393 38
1978 4,567 4,514 53
1977 4,887 4,837 50
1976 4,886 4,842 44
1975 5,351 5,307 44
1974 5,737 5,694 43
1973 6,149 6,080 69
1972 6,669 6,604 65
1971 7,814 7,763 51
1970 8,167 8,104 63
1969 8,351 8,283 68
1968 8,299 8,231 68
1967 8,386 8,332 54
1966 8,764 8,709 55
1965 9,454 9,403 51
1964 10,722 10,678 44
1963 11,713 11,667 46
1962 12,774 12,711 63
1961 14,643 14,580 63
1960 16,075 15,988 87
1959 18,520 18,434 86
1958 20,180 20,083 97
1957 22,048 21,941 107
1956 22,428 22,322 106
1955 22,936 22,819 117
1954 24,703 24,614 89
1953 25,304 25,208 96
1952 28,330 28,239 91
1951 30,658 30,558 100
1950 31,586 31,480 106
1949 31,912 31,819 93
1948 33,515 33,436 79
1947 35,027 34,946 81
1946 28,531 28,447 84
1945 22,888 22,824 64
1944 22,108 22,026 82
1943 23,047 22,978 69
1942 22,163 22,099 64
1941 20,192 20,134 58
1940 17,272 17,199 73
1939 14,577 14,532 45
1938 12,434 12,394 40
1937 10,351 10,320 31
1936 7,651 7,611 40
1935 5,995 5,975 20
1934 4,494 4,474 20
1933 3,266 3,251 15
1932 2,844 2,826 18
1931 2,159 2,147 12
1930 1,730 1,719 11
1929 1,278 1,268 10
1928 1,080 1,068 12
1927 836 836 0
1926 814 807 7
1925 734 724 10
1924 583 575 8
1923 528 519 9
1922 499 491 8
1921 491 491 0
1920 449 440 9
1919 414 405 9
1918 405 398 7
1917 330 322 8
1916 307 301 6
1915 301 301 0
1914 273 267 6
1913 212 212 0
1912 164 164 0
1911 92 92 0
1910 114 114 0
1909 87 87 0
1908 70 70 0
1907 63 63 0
1906 72 72 0
1905 72 72 0
1904 70 70 0
1903 57 57 0
1902 46 46 0
1901 35 35 0
1900 62 62 0
1899 34 34 0
1898 39 39 0
1897 33 33 0
1896 38 38 0
1895 37 37 0
1894 36 36 0
1893 22 22 0
1892 19 19 0
1891 17 17 0
1890 24 24 0
1889 13 13 0
1888 19 19 0
1887 17 17 0
1886 23 23 0
1885 19 19 0
1884 18 18 0
1883 12 12 0
1882 8 8 0
1881 8 8 0
1880 13 13 0

Top States for Larry (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 29
21%
CA 18
13%
FL 11
8%
OH 9
6%
NC 8
6%
IN 7
5%
AZ 6
4%
MI 6
4%
MO 6
4%
GA 6
4%
SC 6
4%
LA 6
4%
TN 6
4%
IL 5
4%
PA 5
4%
MD 5
4%