The baby name Laura ought to be considered a classic.
Thanks to Emily for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME LAURA MEAN?
Like many traditional favorites, the baby name Laura has a Latin origin. It comes from the word laurus, meaning laurel.
It might also be related to Laurence, via the feminine form Laurencia. However, chances are that those names ultimately share the same origin.
Either way, it’s not just a straightforward nature name, though. Ancient Romans crowned their victors with wreaths of laurel leaves. The image suggests achievement, even all these centuries later.
9th-century martyr Saint Laura of Cordoba refused to renounce her faith in Muslim-controlled Spain. She met her death in a vat of molten lead.
LAURA IN LITERATURE & HISTORY
Besides the enduring story of the martyred saint, Laura is a famous literary name.
Credit Italian poet Petrarch. Originally trained as a priest, he renounced his vows after seeing a woman in church one day. He called her Laura. She may have been Laura de Noves, a married noblewoman. Or not. It’s simply lost to time.
But the poetry remains.
It’s possible the writer chose Laura as a nod to laurels – excellence. Or it could be a play on l’aura – the wind, an image he uses in his sonnets.
What’s certain is that Laura was already in use as a given name in England, as well as across much of medieval Europe, when Petrarch wrote. Phonetic spelling Lora was also in use.
Famous figures from history include:
- Laura Secord, a Canadian heroine from the War of 1812. She’s known for walking 20 miles to warn the British of an upcoming attack by the Americans.
- Former First Lady Laura Bush.
- Actresses Laura Dern and Laura Linney, to name just two.
But the most famous Laura is arguably the author, historical figure, and television character based on both, Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Born in Wisconsin in 1867, Laura was the daughter of Charles and Caroline Ingalls. The family moved several times, including a stay in Walnut Creek, Minnesota, looking for a permanent place to settle. Ingalls recorded the stories of her childhood, early work as a teacher, and marriage to Almanzo Wilder, is a series of stories. They were first published in 1932.
The third book, Little House on the Prairie, is the most famous. It inspired the successful television series of the same name, which ran from 1974 to 1983. Little House remained a popular re-run for years after.
A Netflix reboot of the series is expected in July 2026, with a second season already ordered.
LAURA IN POP CULTURE
The baby name Laura already ranked in the US Top 100 long before Little House premiered. In fact, the name’s popularity pre-dates the publication of the books.
But the the 20th century saw the name feature in pop culture well beyond Little House.
There’s also:
- Gene Tierney starred in the title role of 1944 film Laura. The title them from the movie is the jazz standard “Laura,” frequently recorded and performed in the decades following. Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra were among the many to interpret the song.
- Ray Peterson recorded “Tell Laura I Love Her” in 1960.
- Singer Laura Branigan recorded the enduring 1980s anthem “Gloria.”
- Christopher Cross’ mournful “Think of Laura,” a ballad about the tragic death of a college student by the name.
- On a very different note, soap opera supercouple became a massive storyline for General Hospital at the close of the 1970s. Their 1981 two-part wedding episode became – and remains – the highest-ever viewed soap opera episode.
- Designer Laura Ashley became a staple in the 1970s and 80s, and remains popular day.
- The ill-fated character whose death starts the events of Twin Peaks answered to the name.
And that just barely scratches the surface.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME LAURA?
When name data is first compiled for the year 1880, Laura ranked in the Top Twenty.
It remains a Top 100 staple into the year 1934. It returns to the Top 100 as of 1945 and stays there until 2001.
Peak popularity came in 1969, when Laura reached #10 in the US.
As of 2025, Laura has faded to a chilly #379. Similar names Lauren and Laurel are even less popular.
In other words, we tend to hear this name as just slightly dated or overused by early 21st century standards.
Instead of Laura, we’ve moved on to Nora, Cora, and Aurora. Same sound, but less expected.
CLASSIC WITH COMEBACK POTENTIAL
Of course, our love of the -ora sound is one reason parents might rediscover this traditional favorite.
It helps that we love nature names.
And with the expected Little House on the Priarie reboot coming in 2026, at least some parents may re-consider this familiar, but neglected classic.
It might be the perfect choice for parents disappointed that Ella, Emma, and Amelia are so very popular now.
What do you think of the baby name Laura?
First published on April 1, 2011, this post was revised on August 7, 2012; April 21, 2012; November 14, 2018; and again on July 2, 2026.
My mum, who has two older sisters with names beginning with the letter L, could have been a Laura. Thankfully some neighbours already had a daughter called Laura, so instead my mum became the much more unique Vera.
I really like Laurel. Laura, however, doesn’t have quite enough… something… for me. I loved Little House on the Prairie books, but it was her Ma, Caroline, whose name I always liked best.
Laura was a character in a Lucy Maude Montgomery series as well, a beloved but very soft and no-edges auntie, and that’s sort of how I picture it, its classicness can’t be denied but it doesn’t have the spunk of some other vintage girls’ names, for me.
I have to say I honestly like Laura. It’s my name, after all. I just feel like it’s not me, half the time. 😀 My brother started calling me Lola because he couldn’t say the ‘r’ in Laura when he was 18 months old. And it stuck even after he could.
I like that it’s clearly feminine, but only a little delicate. I thoroughly dislike writing my name, though. The ‘up, up, up’ gives me fits! (write ‘aur’ 5 times fast and you’ll see why I have fits). 😀
I never thought I’d be glad I was Laura, but honestly? I could’ve been: Rebecca, Lilian or Polly, I think I rather lucked out. Of Pop’s choices, I got the best of the bunch. 😀
Funny, I actually really enjoy writing Laura. I just tried doing so many times in succesion and had a hard time stopping. Now try writing my maiden name — ick, that as a tough one to write in cursive.
@Charlotte Vera: Funny. 😀 My Grandmother’s last name was a huge Polish/Russian thing ending in -iwicz. That one still give me fits writing it, there are 14 letters in all in that surname! I’m glad Pop was a simpler Mac-zie. :P. But my OH laughs at me when I write out Laura. 9 times out of 10, I spell my own name wrong. Maybe I *should* have been Lilian after Grandma. :/
Laura is great, classic.
What a wonderful name! LOL.
I was named after my mother’s childhood love, Little House on the Prairie, as well as her aunt Laura.
Fun fact: Rose was Laura Ingalls Wilder’s daughter.
I know identical twins – in their early 30’s now – who are named Rose and Laura! They’re great names together, I think. 🙂
I love Laura! It helps, no doubt, that I was a *huge* Little House fan back in the day (the books and the tv show). But even more than that, my dearest friend who I’ve known for almost 30 years is a Laura. It’s nothing but wonderful for me, largely because of her.
@Kristin, I understand the pronunciation issues, though. My friend is a LOR-ah (and that’s my preferred pronunciation), but I knew people who said LAHR-ah where I grew up.
Laura is a nice enough name, it’s just always felt a bit down-home country, and a bit doughy to me. My sister was a huge fan of Little House on the Prairie growing up. I was always annoyed by it (I’m five years younger than her, so it was increadibly boring to me.) so that might color my feelings of the name somewhat. Also, Laura has pronunciation issues for me. Where I grew up, it is pronounced LAHR-ah, not LOR-ah.
I love Laura, she seems so timeless! I never considered Loretta as a form of Laura though–I always saw Loretta as a Marian name, but it does make sense now that I think of it.
Its obviously too close to my own name, but on top of that, I get called Laura all the time! Friends and even family jut can’t get my name right. At least it’s not the dreaded Lori. I would warn parents thinking of giving a Laur- name that their child will always get mistaken for another name. There are just too many of us.
Laura was my grandmother. I thought about it for a minute during both my pregnancies. But with the L last name, it was not a forerunner. Had boys anyway. Then I met a Laura who ruined the name for me. Considering I called my grandmother Bubby, and not Laura, when I hear the name, I think of this other woman I knew, who was just an awful person. It’s a shame because it’s such a pretty name.