Laura
From Late Latin saint's name Laura, from the feminine form of laurus (“laurel tree”).
Every Laura since 1880 — 804,390 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Laura
Laura is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #379 in 2025 with 805 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 804,390 American babies have been named Laura. Its peak came in 1964, when 19,008 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Laura stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Laura year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 805 | #379 | — | — |
| 2024 | 872 | #359 | — | — |
| 2023 | 846 | #362 | — | — |
| 2022 | 874 | #363 | — | — |
| 2021 | 807 | #389 | — | — |
| 2020 | 871 | #356 | — | — |
| 2019 | 951 | #337 | — | — |
| 2018 | 947 | #339 | — | — |
| 2017 | 948 | #340 | — | — |
| 2016 | 968 | #346 | — | — |
| 2015 | 1,016 | #320 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,052 | #315 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,029 | #315 | — | — |
| 2012 | 1,146 | #279 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,171 | #273 | 5 | #13,523 |
| 2010 | 1,214 | #271 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,414 | #234 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,595 | #215 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,844 | #183 | — | — |
| 2006 | 2,066 | #172 | — | — |
| 2005 | 2,356 | #146 | 6 | #10,922 |
| 2004 | 2,555 | #129 | 13 | #6,009 |
| 2003 | 2,750 | #124 | — | — |
| 2002 | 3,159 | #105 | — | — |
| 2001 | 3,563 | #86 | 9 | #7,260 |
| 2000 | 3,741 | #85 | 10 | #6,631 |
| 1995 | 6,008 | #56 | 12 | #4,989 |
| 1990 | 10,914 | #29 | 44 | #1,797 |
| 1985 | 16,002 | #14 | 66 | #1,155 |
| 1980 | 12,916 | #21 | 55 | #1,252 |
| 1975 | 10,311 | #20 | 31 | #1,647 |
| 1970 | 16,490 | #13 | 53 | #1,139 |
| 1965 | 16,218 | #17 | 47 | #1,086 |
| 1960 | 17,060 | #25 | 33 | #1,389 |
| 1955 | 9,008 | #41 | 18 | #1,884 |
| 1950 | 5,725 | #63 | 21 | #1,635 |
| 1945 | 3,589 | #77 | 6 | #3,173 |
| 1940 | 2,350 | #108 | 13 | #2,041 |
| 1935 | 2,358 | #101 | 20 | #1,567 |
| 1930 | 2,908 | #89 | 15 | #2,021 |
| 1925 | 3,588 | #75 | 12 | #2,518 |
| 1920 | 4,171 | #63 | 8 | #3,369 |
| 1915 | 3,723 | #61 | 5 | #4,131 |
| 1910 | 1,834 | #53 | 6 | #1,512 |
| 1905 | 1,566 | #49 | 8 | #969 |
| 1900 | 1,824 | #45 | 7 | #1,115 |
| 1895 | 1,643 | #36 | 5 | #1,174 |
| 1890 | 1,634 | #27 | 9 | #707 |
| 1885 | 1,325 | #21 | — | — |
| 1880 | 1,012 | #17 | — | — |
Famous people named Laura
- Laura Bassi Physicist · 1711–1778
- Laura Antonelli Actor · 1941–2015
- Laura Ingalls Wilder Writer · 1867–1957
- Laura de Noves Writer · 1310–1348
- Laura Branigan Singer · 1952–2004
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Laura mean?
From Late Latin saint's name Laura, from the feminine form of laurus (“laurel tree”).
How popular is the name Laura in 2025?
Laura ranked #379 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 805 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Laura?
804,390 babies have been named Laura in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Laura most popular?
Laura peaked in 1964, when 19,008 newborns received the name.
Is Laura a boy or girl name?
Laura is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Laura rising or falling?
Laura has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Laura?
Well-known people named Laura include Laura Bassi (physicist), Laura Antonelli (actor), Laura Ingalls Wilder (writer).