Laurence

Laurence - A very unique male name

Laurence appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #244. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Laurence and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Laurence? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Laurence. The baby boy name Laurence was given to 27 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2191 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 54,307 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Laurence peaked in popularity 113 years ago in 1913 on position 212.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Laurence, 1-5?

Laurence is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Laurence is currently topping the baby name charts in Washington at position #1,083 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,013.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Laurence is where you live.

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Laurence origin and meaning

Latin, via French

A form of Lawrence, from Latin Laurentius, "man of Laurentum" (associated with laurus, the laurel)

Laurence is the older, more French-flavoured spelling of Lawrence, kept alive in Britain and by its most famous bearer. US use peaked in 1952 and it has been falling since 2020.

Attested etymology

Laurence is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Laurence, pop culture references for the name Laurence and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Laurence

We've found the following names that sound similar to Laurence, sorted by popularity.

Lawrence / Lorenzo / Lorenza / Lawerence / Lawrance / Laurance / Lorenz / Loring / Larence / Lorenso /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Laurence

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Laurence a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Laurence?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LOR-ence · /ˈlɒrəns/

Around the world

• Laurent (French) — The French form of the same name.
• Lorenz (German) — The German form.
• Lorenzo (Italian) — The Italian form.
• Lorenzo (Spanish) — The Spanish form.

Spellings and nicknames

• Lawrence — The more common English spelling — a separate established name.
• Lauren — A related form now used mainly for girls.

Nicknames: LarryLaurie

Famous bearers

• Laurence Olivier — British actor and director, widely regarded as the greatest stage actor of the 20th century (1907–1989) Historical

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Laurence reads as distinguished and literary — a formal name chosen over the more everyday Lawrence spelling.

Worth knowing

• It will often be respelled Lawrence, and confused with the girls' name Lauren.