Laura (given name)
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. Origin and usage. 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. In British North America, it is very likely that the  name Laura was extremely popular for female newborns until its rapid decline starting in the late 19th century. The name Laura was among the top 40 names for female newborns for much of the late 19th century in the United States until it dropped off the chart in 1899 at #43. The overall highest known rank for the name Laura in the 19th century was #17 in the years 1880 and 1882 with the male name Samuel. Running up, the name Laura in the 19th century was #19 in 1881 and 1883 with the male name Louis. The name Laura  was among the top 50 names for female newborns for much of the early 20th century in the United States, but dropped to the top 100–120 by the 1930s–40s, then rebounded to the top 20 in 1984–1986, and has since steadily decreased in popularity. The overall highest known rank for the name Laura in the 20th century is #10 in 1969 with the male name Richard. The latest highest known rank for the name Laura in the 20th century is #14 in 1985 with the male name Jason. The name Laura was the most rare in the years 1887, 1888 , 1890, 1891, 1893, 1897, 1898, 1905, 1963, and 1968. In Europe, the name Laura remains as popular as it was in the past. In the early 21st century in the late 2000s, it ranked within the top 10 in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Greenland, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland. The name is occasionally confused or conjoined with the name Lara (pronounced La-ra) which is a totally different name and is listed separately on name popularity lists. Name days. Christian name days for Laura: