Laurel
Laurel is a unisex name of Latin origin meaning “bay laurel tree, symbol of victory.” It ranked #734 in the United States in 2025. Derived from the laurel tree, whose leaves were used to crown victors and poets in ancient Rome and Greece.
how do you pronounce Laurel?
LOR-ul
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Laurel mean?
The name Laurel means “bay laurel tree, symbol of victory.” It comes from the Latin language tradition.
Derived from the laurel tree, whose leaves were used to crown victors and poets in ancient Rome and Greece. The laurel wreath remains a universal symbol of achievement and honor.
where does the name Laurel come from?
Wiktionary and Wikipedia trace Laurel to the Latin laurus, the laurel tree. Wikipedia lists Laura, Lauren, Lori, and Lorraine as related names, and separately notes Lorelei as a distinct Germanic-mythology name meaning 'luring rock,' tied to a German legend of a maiden on a Rhine river rock — a different name, not a variant of Laurel.
the history of Laurel
One retrieved Wiktionary entry is actually about a Batangas municipality named for a Philippine president's surname, which is a separate place-name use and isn't a source for the given name's history, so nothing further is drawn from it.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #734 |
| 2024 | #729 |
| 2023 | #716 |
| 2022 | #711 |
| 2021 | #638 |
| 2020 | #686 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Laurel?
Nicknames
who are famous people named Laurel?
- Laurel and Hardy (comedy duo)
- Stan Laurel (comedian)
what names are similar to Laurel?
what names go well with Laurel?
Sibling names that share Laurel's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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