Fun Facts About the Name Laura
- A favorite of earlier generations: Laura appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 112 years. Its last run lasted 57 consecutive years, from 1945 through 2001.
- More than 804 thousand babies named Laura: U.S. records list 804,371 babies given the name Laura from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,579 boys received the name Laura - about 1 boy for every 311 girls.
What Does the Name Laura Mean?
Laura means "laurel" and comes from the Latin noun laurus, the bay tree (Laurus nobilis). The name is a feminine form built directly on that plant word rather than a compound with two parts, so it has no phrase-like meaning of the kind found in names such as Theodore or Benedict.
The laurel's link to victory and honor is a Roman cultural association with the plant, not a second layer of the name's etymology. Some older references connect Laura with the Latin town name Laurentum and the Roman family name Laurentius, the source of Lawrence, because that name was also tied to laurel in antiquity. That link is plausible but uncertain, and it is not the direct origin of Laura; the two names share a plant association rather than one descending from the other.
Laura Name History & Origins
Laura is attested as a personal name in the medieval West. Saint Laura of Córdoba, a Spanish nun put to death in 864 under Muslim rule, is an early recorded bearer, and her cult helped keep the name in use in the Iberian Peninsula. The name also appears in medieval Italy and southern France in Latin and vernacular documents.
The name's literary prominence rests mainly on Petrarch, who addressed his Italian love poems, the Canzoniere, to a woman he called Laura, traditionally identified as Laura de Noves of Avignon. Petrarch wrote in the 14th century, well after the name was already current; his poems fixed Laura as a standard figure of the European love-lyric tradition and carried the name into later poetry in other languages.
From Italian and Spanish the name passed into French as Laure, with Laurence as a related form, and into English, where it has been used since the medieval and early modern periods. Common short forms include Lauretta and Laurina in Italian and Spanish usage. The English name Laurel comes from the same Latin plant word, but it developed as a separate given name in English rather than as a variant of Laura.
How Popular is the Name Laura?
Laura ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1880 through 1934, then returned in 1945 and remained through 2001.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #379 | 805 | 0.0501% |
| 2024 | #359 | 868 | 0.0538% |
| 2023 | #362 | 845 | 0.0527% |
| 2022 | #363 | 873 | 0.0533% |
| 2021 | #389 | 805 | 0.0491% |
| 2020 | #357 | 868 | 0.0537% |
| 2019 | #337 | 951 | 0.0567% |
| 2018 | #339 | 946 | 0.0556% |
| 2017 | #339 | 948 | 0.0549% |
| 2016 | #346 | 968 | 0.0546% |
| 2015 | #320 | 1,016 | 0.0569% |
| 2014 | #315 | 1,052 | 0.0589% |
| 2013 | #314 | 1,029 | 0.0587% |
| 2012 | #279 | 1,146 | 0.0651% |
| 2011 | #273 | 1,170 | 0.0665% |
| 2010 | #271 | 1,214 | 0.0683% |
| 2009 | #234 | 1,412 | 0.0769% |
| 2008 | #215 | 1,593 | 0.0843% |
| 2007 | #183 | 1,843 | 0.0959% |
| 2006 | #172 | 2,066 | 0.1087% |
| 2005 | #146 | 2,355 | 0.1275% |
| 2004 | #129 | 2,556 | 0.1392% |
| 2003 | #124 | 2,750 | 0.1505% |
| 2002 | #105 | 3,158 | 0.1758% |
| 2001 | #86 | 3,563 | 0.1979% |
| 2000 | #85 | 3,740 | 0.2060% |
| 1999 | #81 | 3,878 | 0.2186% |
| 1998 | #74 | 4,298 | 0.2433% |
| 1997 | #66 | 4,851 | 0.2787% |
| 1996 | #66 | 5,227 | 0.2982% |
| 1995 | #56 | 6,008 | 0.3417% |
| 1994 | #46 | 6,860 | 0.3842% |
| 1993 | #43 | 7,260 | 0.4013% |
| 1992 | #38 | 8,311 | 0.4507% |
| 1991 | #35 | 9,644 | 0.5144% |
| 1990 | #29 | 10,914 | 0.5749% |
| 1989 | #25 | 11,742 | 0.6369% |
| 1988 | #23 | 12,127 | 0.6810% |
| 1987 | #22 | 13,032 | 0.7496% |
| 1986 | #20 | 14,173 | 0.8262% |
| 1985 | #14 | 16,002 | 0.9299% |
| 1984 | #19 | 14,818 | 0.8800% |
| 1983 | #23 | 13,199 | 0.7901% |
| 1982 | #22 | 13,310 | 0.7860% |
| 1981 | #21 | 13,291 | 0.7968% |
| 1980 | #21 | 12,917 | 0.7779% |
| 1979 | #20 | 11,880 | 0.7400% |
| 1978 | #19 | 11,242 | 0.7339% |
| 1977 | #20 | 11,320 | 0.7383% |
| 1976 | #20 | 11,251 | 0.7679% |
| 1975 | #20 | 10,312 | 0.7073% |
| 1974 | #21 | 9,716 | 0.6621% |
| 1973 | #19 | 10,343 | 0.7093% |
| 1972 | #17 | 11,777 | 0.7742% |
| 1971 | #16 | 13,874 | 0.8339% |
| 1970 | #13 | 16,492 | 0.9434% |
| 1969 | #10 | 17,921 | 1.0623% |
| 1968 | #11 | 18,741 | 1.1425% |
| 1967 | #15 | 15,819 | 0.9581% |
| 1966 | #19 | 15,553 | 0.9191% |
| 1965 | #17 | 16,218 | 0.9188% |
| 1964 | #14 | 18,967 | 1.0010% |
| 1963 | #16 | 18,512 | 0.9605% |
| 1962 | #21 | 17,490 | 0.8893% |
| 1961 | #21 | 17,900 | 0.8869% |
| 1960 | #25 | 17,060 | 0.8438% |
| 1959 | #30 | 14,529 | 0.7180% |
| 1958 | #29 | 13,513 | 0.6718% |
| 1957 | #31 | 12,179 | 0.5956% |
| 1956 | #34 | 10,570 | 0.5265% |
| 1955 | #41 | 9,010 | 0.4608% |
| 1954 | #45 | 8,719 | 0.4490% |
| 1953 | #51 | 7,628 | 0.4055% |
| 1952 | #53 | 7,188 | 0.3876% |
| 1951 | #60 | 6,466 | 0.3590% |
| 1950 | #63 | 5,725 | 0.3342% |
| 1949 | #65 | 5,384 | 0.3147% |
| 1948 | #73 | 4,901 | 0.2887% |
| 1947 | #74 | 5,051 | 0.2849% |
| 1946 | #75 | 4,478 | 0.2850% |
| 1945 | #77 | 3,589 | 0.2746% |
| 1944 | #119 | 2,244 | 0.1691% |
| 1943 | #117 | 2,391 | 0.1714% |
| 1942 | #115 | 2,409 | 0.1784% |
| 1941 | #115 | 2,274 | 0.1882% |
| 1940 | #108 | 2,350 | 0.2055% |
| 1939 | #107 | 2,375 | 0.2166% |
| 1938 | #108 | 2,443 | 0.2214% |
| 1937 | #105 | 2,363 | 0.2221% |
| 1936 | #106 | 2,255 | 0.2167% |
| 1935 | #101 | 2,358 | 0.2249% |
| 1934 | #96 | 2,438 | 0.2335% |
| 1933 | #91 | 2,536 | 0.2516% |
| 1932 | #88 | 2,748 | 0.2575% |
| 1931 | #89 | 2,668 | 0.2506% |
| 1930 | #89 | 2,909 | 0.2584% |
| 1929 | #90 | 2,936 | 0.2630% |
| 1928 | #83 | 3,146 | 0.2728% |
| 1927 | #82 | 3,338 | 0.2799% |
| 1926 | #81 | 3,373 | 0.2845% |
| 1925 | #75 | 3,588 | 0.2947% |
| 1924 | #72 | 3,829 | 0.3066% |
| 1923 | #73 | 3,710 | 0.3075% |
| 1922 | #68 | 3,902 | 0.3249% |
| 1921 | #71 | 3,998 | 0.3242% |
| 1920 | #63 | 4,171 | 0.3481% |
| 1919 | #71 | 3,663 | 0.3241% |
| 1918 | #64 | 4,062 | 0.3509% |
| 1917 | #65 | 3,807 | 0.3521% |
| 1916 | #64 | 3,744 | 0.3585% |
| 1915 | #61 | 3,723 | 0.3784% |
| 1914 | #59 | 3,059 | 0.4017% |
| 1913 | #62 | 2,454 | 0.3929% |
| 1912 | #57 | 2,413 | 0.4323% |
| 1911 | #57 | 1,790 | 0.4279% |
| 1910 | #53 | 1,834 | 0.4625% |
| 1909 | #55 | 1,524 | 0.4389% |
| 1908 | #52 | 1,558 | 0.4660% |
| 1907 | #51 | 1,621 | 0.5088% |
| 1906 | #52 | 1,467 | 0.4968% |
| 1905 | #49 | 1,566 | 0.5370% |
| 1904 | #47 | 1,508 | 0.5476% |
| 1903 | #43 | 1,503 | 0.5737% |
| 1902 | #43 | 1,559 | 0.5904% |
| 1901 | #44 | 1,402 | 0.5858% |
| 1900 | #45 | 1,824 | 0.6084% |
| 1899 | #43 | 1,472 | 0.6317% |
| 1898 | #38 | 1,768 | 0.6832% |
| 1897 | #39 | 1,585 | 0.6768% |
| 1896 | #37 | 1,665 | 0.6998% |
| 1895 | #36 | 1,643 | 0.7033% |
| 1894 | #32 | 1,730 | 0.7761% |
| 1893 | #31 | 1,683 | 0.7905% |
| 1892 | #29 | 1,744 | 0.8213% |
| 1891 | #30 | 1,509 | 0.8136% |
| 1890 | #27 | 1,634 | 0.8583% |
| 1889 | #25 | 1,567 | 0.8785% |
| 1888 | #25 | 1,624 | 0.9092% |
| 1887 | #22 | 1,364 | 0.9344% |
| 1886 | #22 | 1,372 | 0.9493% |
| 1885 | #21 | 1,325 | 0.9958% |
| 1884 | #21 | 1,246 | 0.9657% |
| 1883 | #19 | 1,183 | 1.0532% |
| 1882 | #17 | 1,151 | 1.0673% |
| 1881 | #19 | 962 | 1.0462% |
| 1880 | #17 | 1,012 | 1.1122% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | #13,523 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #10,921 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #6,009 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #7,258 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #6,630 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #7,564 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #7,778 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #5,067 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #4,989 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #2,659 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1993 | #2,909 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1992 | #2,715 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1991 | #2,323 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1990 | #1,797 | 44 | 0.0021% |
| 1989 | #1,354 | 66 | 0.0033% |
| 1988 | #1,367 | 58 | 0.0030% |
| 1987 | #1,329 | 56 | 0.0030% |
| 1986 | #1,293 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 1985 | #1,155 | 66 | 0.0036% |
| 1984 | #1,152 | 63 | 0.0035% |
| 1983 | #1,175 | 60 | 0.0033% |
| 1982 | #1,160 | 63 | 0.0035% |
| 1981 | #1,242 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 1980 | #1,253 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 1979 | #1,197 | 58 | 0.0034% |
| 1978 | #1,555 | 37 | 0.0023% |
| 1977 | #1,594 | 35 | 0.0021% |
| 1976 | #1,308 | 46 | 0.0029% |
| 1975 | #1,647 | 31 | 0.0020% |
| 1974 | #1,326 | 42 | 0.0027% |
| 1973 | #1,245 | 44 | 0.0028% |
| 1972 | #1,320 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 1971 | #994 | 67 | 0.0038% |
| 1970 | #1,139 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 1969 | #1,044 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 1968 | #980 | 57 | 0.0033% |
| 1967 | #1,170 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1966 | #1,333 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 1965 | #1,086 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 1964 | #1,209 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 1963 | #926 | 66 | 0.0032% |
| 1962 | #1,208 | 42 | 0.0020% |
| 1961 | #1,377 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 1960 | #1,390 | 33 | 0.0015% |
| 1959 | #1,372 | 33 | 0.0015% |
| 1958 | #1,663 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1957 | #1,611 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1956 | #1,749 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1955 | #1,884 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1954 | #1,614 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1953 | #1,657 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1952 | #1,833 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1951 | #2,199 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1950 | #1,635 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1948 | #1,988 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1947 | #2,316 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1946 | #1,790 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1945 | #3,173 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,999 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #2,235 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1942 | #2,213 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1941 | #2,273 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1940 | #2,041 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1939 | #2,237 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1938 | #2,769 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1937 | #1,606 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1936 | #1,933 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1935 | #1,567 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1934 | #2,340 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1933 | #2,300 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1932 | #1,446 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1931 | #2,054 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1930 | #2,021 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1929 | #2,523 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1928 | #2,333 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1927 | #1,845 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1926 | #1,760 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1925 | #2,518 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1924 | #2,173 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1923 | #2,395 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1922 | #1,796 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1921 | #1,869 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1920 | #3,369 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #2,024 | 16 | 0.0016% |
| 1918 | #2,335 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1917 | #2,047 | 15 | 0.0016% |
| 1916 | #2,835 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1915 | #4,131 | 5 | 0.0006% |
| 1914 | #2,198 | 10 | 0.0015% |
| 1913 | #2,391 | 7 | 0.0014% |
| 1912 | #1,824 | 9 | 0.0021% |
| 1911 | #1,474 | 7 | 0.0031% |
| 1910 | #1,512 | 6 | 0.0031% |
| 1908 | #1,167 | 7 | 0.0045% |
| 1907 | #1,273 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1906 | #1,066 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1905 | #969 | 8 | 0.0060% |
| 1904 | #1,311 | 5 | 0.0039% |
| 1902 | #1,087 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1900 | #1,115 | 7 | 0.0047% |
| 1898 | #592 | 14 | 0.0114% |
| 1897 | #895 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1895 | #1,174 | 5 | 0.0043% |
| 1893 | #877 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1892 | #1,168 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1891 | #910 | 6 | 0.0059% |
| 1890 | #707 | 9 | 0.0081% |
| 1888 | #628 | 11 | 0.0091% |
| 1887 | #878 | 6 | 0.0059% |
| 1886 | #1,044 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1882 | #1,022 | 5 | 0.0044% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
