Girl name · Latin
Laura
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: laurel treeLaura is a girl's name that comes from Latin and means "laurel tree". It is used in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese and more.
- Meaning
- Laurel tree
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #379 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Laura
As a girl's name, Laura comes from Latin and means "laurel tree". It is used in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch.
In Portuguese, say LOW-rah. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Laura on our nature names list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Laura on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Laura on 3 lists.
“Laurel tree; Latin. A 2025 top 10 name. Say LOW-rah”
From Brazilian names, popular Brazilian girl names
“Laurel tree; Latin. Say LOW-rah”
From Italian girl names, classic Italian girl names
“Laurel tree; Latin. A symbol of victory and poetry. Say LOW-rah”
From Spanish girl names, classic female Spanish names
How popular is Laura?
- US rank in 2025
- #379
- 805 babies, 501 per million girls
- Best rank
- #10 in 1969
- Most babies: 18,967 in 1964
- Babies since 1880
- At least 801,811
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 9,756 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 7,397 per million |
| 1900s | 5,305 per million |
| 1910s | 3,745 per million |
| 1920s | 3,011 per million |
| 1930s | 2,353 per million |
| 1940s | 2,421 per million |
| 1950s | 4,966 per million |
| 1960s | 9,536 per million |
| 1970s | 7,650 per million |
| 1980s | 7,837 per million |
| 1990s | 3,735 per million |
| 2000s | 1,355 per million |
| 2010s | 597 per million |
| 2020s | 522 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #346 | #340 | #339 | #337 | #356 | #389 | #363 | #362 | #359 | #379 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Laura
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Laurietraditional short form (English)
Other forms of Laura
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- LabhraLaurel (Latin, girl)
- LaureLaurel tree (Latin, girl)
- LowriLaurel tree (Latin, girl)
Names spelled like Laura
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- LaraRussian short form of Larisa (Latin, girl)
- LunaThe moon (Latin, girl)
- LaylaNight, from Arabic layl (Arabic, girl)
- LaiaWell spoken (Greek, girl)
- LamiaShining, radiant (Arabic, girl)
- LarkEarly-rising songbird (English, girl)
- LataVine, creeper (Sanskrit, girl)
- LaurelBay tree, a symbol of victory (Latin, girl)
- LauriePet form of Laura or Laurence, linked to laurel (Latin, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- OliviaOlive tree (Latin, girl)
- OliverOlive tree (Latin, boy)
- DaphneLaurel tree (Greek, girl)
- HadassahMyrtle tree (Hebrew, girl)
- IlanTree (Hebrew, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- OliveTree of peace (Latin, girl)
- OlivierOlive tree (Latin, boy)
- YvonneYew tree (Germanic, girl)
- AlaniPossibly from Hawaiian ʻalani, orange tree or fruit (Hawaiian, girl)
Middle names for Laura
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- DahliaFlower named for botanist Anders Dahl (Swedish, girl)
- EstelleA star (Latin, girl)
- GraceGrace, divine favor (Latin, girl)
- MagnoliaFlower named for botanist Pierre Magnol (French, girl)
- MargueriteA pearl (Greek, girl)
- PearlPrecious gem from the sea (Latin, girl)
- ValentinaStrong, healthy (Latin, girl)
- WillowWillow tree (Old English, girl)
More girl names from Latin
- CarinaDear, beloved (Latin, girl)
- EmiliaRival, striving to equal (Latin, girl)
- FloraFlower, blossom (Latin, girl)
- MarinaOf the sea (Latin, girl)
- ReginaQueen (Latin, girl)
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- ClaraClear, bright (Latin, girl)
- DianaDivine, heavenly (Latin, girl)
- JulianaFeminine form of Julian, from the Roman family name Julius (Latin, girl)
- LuciaLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
Laura: common questions
What does the name Laura mean?
Laura comes from Latin and means "laurel tree".
Is Laura a boy or girl name?
Laura is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Laura?
Common nicknames for Laura include Laurie.
How popular is the name Laura?
Laura ranked #379 in the US in 2025, with 805 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Laura?
Forms of Laura with the same meaning and origin include Labhra (Scottish), Laure (French) and Lowri (Welsh).
What middle names go with Laura?
Middle names that flow well with Laura include Dahlia, Estelle, Grace, Magnolia and Marguerite. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.