Laurence Boy

Popularity: #858 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

PronunciationLAWR-ens / /ˈlɔːrəns/

Latin; French

Meaning

Latin: 'from Laurentum'; French: 'laurel'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Laurence has its roots in the Latin name Laurentius, which means 'from Laurentum', a city in ancient Italy. It became popular in medieval Europe, particularly in France and England. The laurel tree, associated with victory and honor, is a significant symbol linked to the name. Laurence has been used as both a first name and a surname throughout history.

Trend Summary

Laurence has seen fluctuating popularity in the U.S., with a notable presence in the early to mid-20th century.

Similar Names

Variants

  • Lawrence
  • Laurens

International Variants

  • Lorenzo (Italian)
  • Laurent (French)
  • Loren (Spanish)
  • Lourenço (Portuguese)

Famous people named Laurence

Laurence Olivier was a renowned English actor and director, known for his performances in Shakespearean plays and classic films.

Laurence Fishburne is an American actor and producer, recognized for his roles in 'The Matrix' series and 'Boyz n the Hood'.

Laurence Sterne was an English novelist and writer, best known for his work 'Tristram Shandy'.

Laurence J. Peter was a Canadian educator and author, famous for formulating the Peter Principle in management.

Fictional characters named Laurence

Laurence of Arabia is a character in the film 'Lawrence of Arabia', based on the life of T.E. Lawrence.

Laurence is a character in the video game 'Bloodborne', known for his tragic backstory and connection to the Healing Church.

Sibling Suggestions

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Laurence was first seen in the United States in 1880. Laurence has ranked as high as #491 nationally, which occurred in 1952, and has been most popular in New York, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Michigan. In the past 5 years the name Laurence has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Laurence (2024)

StateBirthsShare
CA 11
46%
NY 8
33%
PA 5
21%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
188025
188128
188224
188328
188424
188533
188643
188728
188838
188932
189042
189139
189245
189353
189446
189558
189659
189769
189874
189963
190081
190160
190271
190377
190473
190577
190681
190778
190891
190989
1910114
1911121
1912271
1913314
1914379
1915462
1916470
1917495
1918557
1919531
1920550
1921599
1922580
1923543
1924575
1925551
1926610
1927583
1928573
1929586
1930562
1931518
1932479
1933426
1934489
1935427
1936432
1937448
1938478
1939549
1940604
1941524
1942666
1943648
1944581
1945591
1946708
1947778
1948768
1949802
1950807
1951822
1952845
1953748
1954709
1955641
1956651
1957607
1958541
1959518
1960513
1961539
1962520
1963503
1964456
1965364
1966350
1967348
1968321
1969302
1970303
1971231
1972214
1973204
1974184
1975179
1976174
1977158
1978139
1979152
1980161
1981167
1982165
1983134
1984153
1985138
1986119
1987115
1988106
1989145
1990122
1991116
1992124
1993101
1994103
1995124
1996109
199791
199897
199986
200071
200168
200274
200381
200471
200561
200671
200755
200853
200956
201041
201148
201251
201345
201459
201560
201656
201772
201861
201961
202072
202162
202254
202368
202466