Laura (given name)

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Laura
Laurel wreaths are traditionally a symbol of honor and victory.
PronunciationEnglish: /ˈlɔːrə/ LOR-ə
German: [ˈlaʊʁa]
Italian: [ˈlaura]
Spanish: [ˈlawɾa]
French: [lɔʁa, loʁa]
GenderFemale
Name dayApril 18, October 19
Origin
Word/nameItaly
MeaningLaurus nobilis
Region of originLatin Europe
Other names
Related names
Lauraina, Lauraine, Laure, Lauren, Lauranna, Lauriana (or Laurianna), Laurie, Lori, Laurel, Laurielle, Lara, Lora, Larissa, Laurissa, Laureen
Laurentius
Laura de Noves, the subject of love poetry by Petrarch

Laura is a traditionally feminine given name in Europe and the Americas, of Latin origin, whose meaning ("bay laurel") is a metonym for a victor, and an early hypocorism from Laurel and Lauren.[1][2][3]

Origin and usage

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The name Laura is the feminized form of laurus, Latin for "bay laurel plant", which in the Greco-Roman era was used as a symbol of victory, honor or fame. The name represents the embodiment of victory and strength. The name Daphne, derived from Ancient Greek, carries the same meaning.

Popularity

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Main article: List of most popular given names

In British North America, the name Laura reached 17th most popular in 1880 and 1882, but dropped to #43 in 1899. It was among the top 50 names for female newborns for much of the early 20th century in the United States, but dropped to No. 100–120 between 1930 and 1950; reached No. 10 in 1969, and has since steadily decreased in popularity.

In Europe, Laura remains popular. In 2009 it ranked within the top 10 in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Greenland, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland.

Laura is occasionally conflated with Lara, which has different origins and is listed separately on name popularity lists.

Variants

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Notable people with the name

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Religion

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Academics

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Artists

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Businesspeople

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Celebrities

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  • Laura Anderson, Scottish television personality
  • Laura Anna [ms], better known as Jennifer Diana (2000-2021), Indonesian actress and internet celebrity
  • Laura Ashley (1925–1985), British fashion designer
  • Laura Biagiotti (1943–2017), Italian fashion designer
  • Laura Calder (born 1970), Canadian chef and host of program French Food at Home, from Food Network Canada
  • Laura Deming, American businesswoman
  • Laura Lang, American businesswoman
  • Laura Mercier (born 1960), French make-up artist in the cosmetics business
  • Laura Neri, Italian-Greek director
  • Laura Schlessinger (born 1947), American radio talk show host known as Dr. Laura
  • Laura Schwartz (born 1973), American political commentator
  • Laura Secord (1775–1868), Canadian heroine in the War of 1812

Entertainers

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Law

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Nobility

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Politics

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Science and technology

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Sports

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Writers and journalists

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Others

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Fictional characters

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Name days

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Christian name days for Laura:

  • January 15: Sweden
  • January 18: Estonia, Finland
  • January 22: France
  • April 18: Latvia
  • June 1: Czech Republic
  • June 5: Slovakia, Slovenia
  • June 17: Hungary, Lithuania, Poland
  • August 10: Austria, Germany
  • October 19: Lithuania, Italy, Spain, England

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Albaigès, Josep M.; Olivart, J. M. A. (1993). Diccionario de nombres de personas (in Spanish). Universitat de Barcelona. p. 156. ISBN 84-475-0264-3. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Popular Baby Names". www.ssa.gov.
  3. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Laura". Behind the Name.
  4. ^ "Welsh Government: Popular Welsh names for girls". Retrieved 13 June 2019.
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  • Works related to Laura at Wikisource
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