Lawrence
Lawrence was the 520th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 578 babies. Its best year was 1942, when it ranked 30th; the most babies were born in 1952 (10,302). Over the last ten years it has moved down 21 places. More babies were named Lawrence in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning from Laurentum; associated with laurel · Latin
Say it LOR-unss /ˈlɔrəns/
- Rank in 2025
- #520 boys, up 43 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 578boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 195210,302 babies
- Total since 1880
- 463,357babies recorded
What does the name Lawrence mean?
Lawrence is the usual American spelling of Laurence, from Latin Laurentius. The name means "man from Laurentum," and Wiktionary says that place name may come from laurus, laurel or bay tree; DMNES derives Laurentius directly from laurus. DMNES lists a third-century Italian martyr, Saint Lawrence, among the name's early bearers. DMNES records it in England from the 12th century. Wiktionary notes that Lawrence is the usual US spelling and that Lauren serves as a feminine form.
Laurentius (Latin, “of Laurentum”)laurus (Latin, “laurel, bay tree”)
How sure is this? Probable. Sources agree on Laurentius; whether the Laurentum place name itself comes from laurus is less certain.
Related names: Laurence, Larry, Laurent, Lorenzo, Lars, Lauren.
See also: Latin names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Laurence', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lawrence' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Laurence' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Nicknames for Lawrence
The usual nicknames for Lawrence are Larry and Laurie. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Lawrence in the last five years, 42 were named Larry, against 119 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry | Traditional | #1,085 | 1,154 |
| Laurie · also for Lauren, Laura, Laurel | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Lawrences go by each one.
Lawrence popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 2,187 since 1890, 7 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #520 | 578 |
| 2020 | #563 | 498 |
| 2010 | #457 | 583 |
| 2000 | #322 | 889 |
| 1990 | #174 | 1,780 |
| 1980 | #129 | 2,173 |
| 1970 | #83 | 3,824 |
| 1960 | #64 | 6,380 |
| 1950 | #33 | 10,173 |
| 1940 | #36 | 6,173 |
| 1930 | #36 | 5,639 |
| 1920 | #36 | 5,727 |
| 1910 | #35 | 1,009 |
| 1900 | #40 | 659 |
| 1890 | #52 | 372 |
| 1880 | #65 | 257 |
How popular is Lawrence, counting every spelling?
Lawrence is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #456 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #520 for Lawrence on its own. Together these spellings went to 678 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | 578 | #520 | 2,724 |
| Laurence | 93 | #1,747 | 344 |
| Lorence | 7 | #10,281 | 30 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Lawrence?
578 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lawrence (0.16 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Lawrence born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 15 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lawrence.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lawrence?
About 214,600 people born in the US named Lawrence are alive today, with a median age of 65; half are between 49 and 75. That makes Lawrence a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Lawrence by state
How common Lawrence was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Kansas (2.2×), Wisconsin (2.2×), Iowa (2.1×), Minnesota (1.8×), Nebraska (1.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Idaho, Oklahoma, Kentucky.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lawrence: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lawrence, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Lawrence · Sibling names for Lawrence
Questions about the name Lawrence
What does Lawrence mean?
Lawrence means “from Laurentum; associated with laurel” (Latin origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Lawrence?
Lawrence was the 520th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 578 babies. Its best year was 1942, when it ranked 30th; the most babies were born in 1952 (10,302). Over the last ten years it has moved down 21 places. More babies were named Lawrence in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Lawrence a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Lawrence in the US.
Where is Lawrence most popular?
In 2021–2025, Lawrence was most common in District of Columbia (0.95 per 1,000 boys), followed by Kansas and Wisconsin.