Laura Girl

Popularity: #351 · 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, Texas, Illinois, 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.

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.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 805 0 805
2024 872 0 872
2023 846 0 846
2022 874 0 874
2021 807 0 807
2020 871 0 871
2019 951 0 951
2018 947 0 947
2017 948 0 948
2016 968 0 968
2015 1,016 0 1,016
2014 1,052 0 1,052
2013 1,029 0 1,029
2012 1,146 0 1,146
2011 1,176 5 1,171
2010 1,214 0 1,214
2009 1,414 0 1,414
2008 1,595 0 1,595
2007 1,844 0 1,844
2006 2,066 0 2,066
2005 2,362 6 2,356
2004 2,568 13 2,555
2003 2,750 0 2,750
2002 3,159 0 3,159
2001 3,572 9 3,563
2000 3,751 10 3,741
1999 3,886 8 3,878
1998 4,298 0 4,298
1997 4,858 7 4,851
1996 5,239 12 5,227
1995 6,020 12 6,008
1994 6,888 28 6,860
1993 7,286 24 7,262
1992 8,337 26 8,311
1991 9,675 31 9,644
1990 10,958 44 10,914
1989 11,806 66 11,740
1988 12,184 58 12,126
1987 13,089 56 13,033
1986 14,229 57 14,172
1985 16,068 66 16,002
1984 14,881 63 14,818
1983 13,259 60 13,199
1982 13,373 63 13,310
1981 13,347 55 13,292
1980 12,971 55 12,916
1979 11,938 58 11,880
1978 11,277 37 11,240
1977 11,353 35 11,318
1976 11,298 46 11,252
1975 10,342 31 10,311
1974 9,758 42 9,716
1973 10,388 44 10,344
1972 11,819 41 11,778
1971 13,942 67 13,875
1970 16,543 53 16,490
1969 17,977 55 17,922
1968 18,798 57 18,741
1967 15,860 41 15,819
1966 15,586 33 15,553
1965 16,265 47 16,218
1964 19,008 41 18,967
1963 18,580 66 18,514
1962 17,532 42 17,490
1961 17,935 34 17,901
1960 17,093 33 17,060
1959 14,561 33 14,528
1958 13,536 23 13,513
1957 12,206 25 12,181
1956 10,591 21 10,570
1955 9,026 18 9,008
1954 8,742 23 8,719
1953 7,650 22 7,628
1952 7,206 18 7,188
1951 6,479 13 6,466
1950 5,746 21 5,725
1949 5,384 0 5,384
1948 4,916 15 4,901
1947 5,063 12 5,051
1946 4,495 17 4,478
1945 3,595 6 3,589
1944 2,251 7 2,244
1943 2,403 12 2,391
1942 2,421 12 2,409
1941 2,285 11 2,274
1940 2,363 13 2,350
1939 2,387 11 2,376
1938 2,450 8 2,442
1937 2,382 19 2,363
1936 2,269 14 2,255
1935 2,378 20 2,358
1934 2,449 11 2,438
1933 2,547 11 2,536
1932 2,772 24 2,748
1931 2,683 14 2,669
1930 2,923 15 2,908
1929 2,947 11 2,936
1928 3,159 13 3,146
1927 3,357 19 3,338
1926 3,393 20 3,373
1925 3,600 12 3,588
1924 3,844 15 3,829
1923 3,723 13 3,710
1922 3,922 20 3,902
1921 4,017 19 3,998
1920 4,179 8 4,171
1919 3,679 16 3,663
1918 4,075 13 4,062
1917 3,822 15 3,807
1916 3,753 9 3,744
1915 3,728 5 3,723
1914 3,069 10 3,059
1913 2,461 7 2,454
1912 2,422 9 2,413
1911 1,797 7 1,790
1910 1,840 6 1,834
1909 1,524 0 1,524
1908 1,565 7 1,558
1907 1,627 6 1,621
1906 1,474 7 1,467
1905 1,574 8 1,566
1904 1,513 5 1,508
1903 1,503 0 1,503
1902 1,565 6 1,559
1901 1,402 0 1,402
1900 1,831 7 1,824
1899 1,472 0 1,472
1898 1,782 14 1,768
1897 1,592 7 1,585
1896 1,665 0 1,665
1895 1,648 5 1,643
1894 1,730 0 1,730
1893 1,690 7 1,683
1892 1,749 5 1,744
1891 1,515 6 1,509
1890 1,643 9 1,634
1889 1,567 0 1,567
1888 1,635 11 1,624
1887 1,370 6 1,364
1886 1,377 5 1,372
1885 1,325 0 1,325
1884 1,246 0 1,246
1883 1,183 0 1,183
1882 1,156 5 1,151
1881 962 0 962
1880 1,012 0 1,012

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. 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 94
11%
CA 87
10%
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%
WI 20
2%
MI 18
2%
OH 17
2%
MO 15
2%
KS 15
2%
AL 15
2%
SC 14
2%
CT 14
2%
AZ 13
2%
UT 12
1%
MD 12
1%
MS 11
1%
KY 11
1%
IA 10
1%
ID 9
1%
CO 9
1%
OK 8
1%
AR 7
1%
OR 7
1%
LA 6
1%
WV 5
1%
NE 5
1%