Lawrence Boy

Popularity: #466 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LAWR-ens //ˈlɔːrəns//

Origin: Latin; English

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

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Lawrence is derived from the Latin name "Laurentius," which means "from Laurentum," a town in ancient Italy. The root of the name, "laurus," translates to "laurel," a symbol of victory and honor in ancient Rome.

The name was adopted into Old French as "Laurent," which subsequently made its way into Middle English as "Lawrence." This linguistic evolution reflects the name's journey through various cultures and languages, ultimately becoming established in English-speaking regions by the medieval period. Historically, the name Lawrence is associated with Saint Lawrence, a prominent Christian martyr who was executed in 258 AD.

His feast day is celebrated on August 10, and he is recognized as one of the seven deacons of Rome. The veneration of Saint Lawrence contributed to the name's popularity in the Christian world, particularly during the Middle Ages when many parents named their sons after saints.

The name also appears in various historical texts and documents, including the works of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, which further solidified its presence in English literature. Culturally, the name Lawrence has been linked to themes of honor and achievement, largely due to its association with the laurel wreath, which was awarded to victors in ancient athletic competitions.

The name has also been borne by several notable figures throughout history, including Lawrence of Arabia, a British officer who played a significant role in the Arab Revolt during World War I. The enduring legacy of the name is reflected in its various diminutive forms, such as Larry, which have also been used historically.

Overall, Lawrence carries a rich historical and cultural significance that has contributed to its lasting presence in various societies.

Famous people named Lawrence

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

We also feature individuals named Lawrence 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.

Lawrence Olivier is an actor and director best known for Hamlet, Rebecca, and The Entertainer.

Lawrence Fishburne is an actor best known for The Matrix, Boyz n the Hood, and Apocalypse Now.

Lawrence Welk was a bandleader and television host best known for The Lawrence Welk Show.

Lawrence Kasdan is a filmmaker and screenwriter best known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, and The Big Chill.

Lawrence Taylor is a former professional football player best known for his career with the New York Giants and being a two-time Super Bowl champion.

Lawrence Durrell was a writer best known for The Alexandria Quartet and Justine.

Lawrence Lessig is a professor and political activist best known for his work on copyright law and campaign finance reform.

Lawrence Bender is a film producer best known for Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, and An Inconvenient Truth.

Lawrence Wright is an author and journalist best known for The Looming Tower and Going Clear.

Lawrence G. Paull was a production designer best known for Blade Runner, Back to the Future, and The Thing.

Fictional characters named Lawrence

The following list of fictional characters named Lawrence 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.

Lawrence of Arabia is a fictional character from the film Lawrence of Arabia. He is a British officer who plays a crucial role in the Arab Revolt during World War I.

Sibling suggestions

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

MatthewJamesThomasEdwardCharlesHenry

Similar names

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

LaurenceLorenzoLeonardLanceLiamLucasLogan

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Lawrence has ranked as high as #71 nationally, which occurred in 1952, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Michigan.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 585 578 7
2024 611 600 11
2023 533 521 12
2022 546 541 5
2021 493 484 9
2020 508 498 10
2019 536 530 6
2018 579 579 0
2017 592 587 5
2016 614 614 0
2015 582 582 0
2014 645 639 6
2013 585 585 0
2012 601 601 0
2011 595 595 0
2010 583 583 0
2009 636 636 0
2008 676 676 0
2007 772 772 0
2006 728 728 0
2005 733 725 8
2004 768 768 0
2003 817 817 0
2002 794 794 0
2001 811 811 0
2000 889 889 0
1999 918 918 0
1998 1,040 1,040 0
1997 983 983 0
1996 1,123 1,116 7
1995 1,150 1,150 0
1994 1,274 1,268 6
1993 1,551 1,551 0
1992 1,623 1,616 7
1991 1,750 1,734 16
1990 1,791 1,780 11
1989 1,767 1,753 14
1988 1,875 1,861 14
1987 1,920 1,899 21
1986 1,812 1,789 23
1985 1,955 1,941 14
1984 1,883 1,868 15
1983 2,046 2,027 19
1982 2,151 2,134 17
1981 2,214 2,193 21
1980 2,192 2,173 19
1979 2,276 2,255 21
1978 2,271 2,245 26
1977 2,342 2,311 31
1976 2,271 2,250 21
1975 2,388 2,364 24
1974 2,564 2,543 21
1973 2,549 2,524 25
1972 2,846 2,823 23
1971 3,549 3,523 26
1970 3,854 3,824 30
1969 4,073 4,044 29
1968 4,115 4,098 17
1967 4,372 4,341 31
1966 4,673 4,644 29
1965 4,984 4,961 23
1964 5,476 5,453 23
1963 5,732 5,708 24
1962 5,648 5,619 29
1961 6,121 6,094 27
1960 6,407 6,380 27
1959 6,635 6,601 34
1958 7,567 7,539 28
1957 8,770 8,741 29
1956 8,927 8,898 29
1955 9,152 9,128 24
1954 9,632 9,606 26
1953 9,883 9,856 27
1952 10,336 10,302 34
1951 10,288 10,266 22
1950 10,196 10,173 23
1949 10,277 10,253 24
1948 9,793 9,768 25
1947 9,605 9,582 23
1946 8,538 8,517 21
1945 7,186 7,163 23
1944 7,162 7,130 32
1943 7,605 7,583 22
1942 7,672 7,639 33
1941 6,682 6,653 29
1940 6,197 6,173 24
1939 5,911 5,882 29
1938 5,898 5,873 25
1937 5,531 5,507 24
1936 5,361 5,339 22
1935 5,379 5,351 28
1934 5,349 5,324 25
1933 4,940 4,911 29
1932 5,325 5,295 30
1931 5,394 5,364 30
1930 5,670 5,639 31
1929 5,335 5,305 30
1928 5,640 5,597 43
1927 5,616 5,572 44
1926 5,621 5,582 39
1925 5,659 5,633 26
1924 5,799 5,775 24
1923 5,940 5,913 27
1922 5,808 5,786 22
1921 6,009 5,977 32
1920 5,749 5,727 22
1919 5,231 5,205 26
1918 5,405 5,372 33
1917 5,116 5,094 22
1916 4,758 4,742 16
1915 4,716 4,688 28
1914 3,723 3,703 20
1913 2,870 2,853 17
1912 2,476 2,467 9
1911 1,231 1,221 10
1910 1,017 1,009 8
1909 862 854 8
1908 821 815 6
1907 801 801 0
1906 723 717 6
1905 677 669 8
1904 667 662 5
1903 546 536 10
1902 604 598 6
1901 535 535 0
1900 659 659 0
1899 502 497 5
1898 533 533 0
1897 512 505 7
1896 506 499 7
1895 509 509 0
1894 430 430 0
1893 395 395 0
1892 468 468 0
1891 389 389 0
1890 378 372 6
1889 342 342 0
1888 343 343 0
1887 283 283 0
1886 331 331 0
1885 288 288 0
1884 262 262 0
1883 282 282 0
1882 287 287 0
1881 244 244 0
1880 257 257 0

Top States for Lawrence (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
CA 62
11%
TX 46
8%
NY 36
7%
FL 31
6%
OH 24
4%
MI 24
4%
IN 22
4%
NC 22
4%
IL 21
4%
VA 19
3%
WI 19
3%
PA 18
3%
MO 18
3%
MN 16
3%
NJ 16
3%
GA 16
3%
WA 15
3%
MD 11
2%
MS 10
2%
KS 10
2%
CO 9
2%
AZ 9
2%
UT 9
2%
MA 9
2%
AL 8
1%
TN 8
1%
IA 7
1%
OK 7
1%
SC 6
1%
LA 6
1%
NE 6
1%
CT 6
1%