Laura Girl

Popularity: #327 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LOR-ah /ˈlɔːrə/

Origin: Latin; Italian

Meaning: Latin: laurel; Italian: crowned with laurel

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Laura has its roots in the Latin word "laurus," meaning "laurel," which is a symbol of victory and honor. The name evolved from the Latin into various forms, including the Italian "Laura" and the Spanish "Lora," before being adopted into English.

The laurel wreath was historically awarded to victors in ancient Rome and Greece, further embedding the name with connotations of triumph and achievement. Historically, the name Laura gained prominence in the Middle Ages, particularly through the works of the Italian poet Petrarch, who immortalized a woman named Laura in his sonnets during the 14th century.

This literary association contributed significantly to the name's popularity in Europe. Additionally, the name appears in various forms in religious texts and has been borne by saints, further enhancing its cultural significance.

The name was also included in the King James Bible, which contributed to its spread in English-speaking regions. Culturally, Laura has been associated with ideals of beauty and virtue, often linked to the imagery of the laurel tree, which symbolizes peace and accomplishment.

The name has been embraced in various artistic and literary contexts, reinforcing its enduring appeal. In some traditions, diminutive forms such as "Lori" or "Laurie" have emerged, reflecting a softer or more affectionate variant of the name.

Overall, Laura's historical and cultural resonance has allowed it to maintain a lasting presence across different societies and eras.

Famous people named Laura

In this section, you will find notable people named Laura. 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 Laura who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Laura 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.

Laura Linney is an actress best known for The Savages, Mystic River, and Ozark.

Laura Dern is an actress best known for Jurassic Park, Marriage Story, and Big Little Lies.

Laura Bush is a former First Lady of the United States best known for her role as First Lady and her advocacy for education and literacy.

Laura Pausini is a singer-songwriter best known for her albums Laura Pausini, From the Inside, and Inedito.

Laura Prepon is an actress best known for That '70s Show, Orange Is the New Black, and The Girl on the Train.

Laura Marano is an actress and singer best known for Austin & Ally, The Perfect Date, and Saving Zoe.

Laura Carmichael is an actress best known for Downton Abbey and The Spanish Princess.

Laura Whitmore is a television presenter best known for Love Island and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW!

Laura Innes is an actress best known for ER and The Event.

Laura Boushnak is a photographer and filmmaker best known for her work on women's rights in the Arab world.

Fictional characters named Laura

The following list of fictional characters named Laura 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.

Laura Palmer is a fictional character from the TV series Twin Peaks. She is a high school student whose mysterious murder serves as the central plot point of the series.

Laura Croft is a fictional character from the video game series Tomb Raider. She is an adventurous archaeologist known for her exploration of ancient ruins and her combat skills.

Sibling suggestions

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

LilyLucyLeahLenaLydiaLila

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Laura. 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.

ClaraSaraMaraNoraTaraCoraZaraKara

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Laura has ranked as high as #37 nationally, which occurred in 1964, and has been most popular in California, New York, Illinois, Texas, and Ohio.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Laura 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 Laura was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Laura (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 94
11%
CA 87
11%
FL 66
8%
MA 46
6%
PA 38
5%
NY 34
4%
NC 31
4%
TN 27
3%
NJ 27
3%
GA 24
3%
WA 23
3%
IL 23
3%
IN 22
3%
VA 21
3%
MN 20
2%

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 Laura.

YearBirths
2024868
2023845
2022873
2021805
2020868
2019951
2018946
2017948
2016968
20151,016
20141,052
20131,029
20121,146
20111,170
20101,214
20091,412
20081,593
20071,843
20062,066
20052,355
20042,556
20032,750
20023,158
20013,563
20003,740
19993,878
19984,298
19974,851
19965,227
19956,008
19946,860
19937,260
19928,311
19919,644
199010,914
198911,742
198812,127
198713,032
198614,173
198516,002
198414,818
198313,199
198213,310
198113,291
198012,917
197911,880
197811,242
197711,320
197611,251
197510,312
19749,716
197310,343
197211,777
197113,874
197016,492
196917,921
196818,741
196715,819
196615,553
196516,218
196418,967
196318,512
196217,490
196117,900
196017,060
195914,529
195813,513
195712,179
195610,570
19559,010
19548,719
19537,628
19527,188
19516,466
19505,725
19495,384
19484,901
19475,051
19464,478
19453,589
19442,244
19432,391
19422,409
19412,274
19402,350
19392,375
19382,443
19372,363
19362,255
19352,358
19342,438
19332,536
19322,748
19312,668
19302,909
19292,936
19283,146
19273,338
19263,373
19253,588
19243,829
19233,710
19223,902
19213,998
19204,171
19193,663
19184,062
19173,807
19163,744
19153,723
19143,059
19132,454
19122,413
19111,790
19101,834
19091,524
19081,558
19071,621
19061,467
19051,566
19041,508
19031,503
19021,559
19011,402
19001,824
18991,472
18981,768
18971,585
18961,665
18951,643
18941,730
18931,683
18921,744
18911,509
18901,634
18891,567
18881,624
18871,364
18861,372
18851,325
18841,246
18831,183
18821,151
1881962
18801,012