Laurence
Boy name · #1743 in 2025 · Very rare
Laurence is currently the #1743 boy name in the United States — 93 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2234, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 19,355 boys born in 2025 was named Laurence.
The 145-year story
Laurence first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 25 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1952, when 845 boys were named Laurence — good for #231 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Laurence per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Laurence against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Laurence in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Laurence is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Laurence will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Laurence is most common
State-level data for Laurence is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Laurence
Statistically, parents drawn to Laurence tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Terrence, Lawrence, Terence, Lonnie, and Lance.
TerrenceLawrenceTerenceLonnieLanceVinceDonnieFreddie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Laurence | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 93 | #1743 |
| 2024 | 67 | #2169 |
| 2023 | 68 | #2129 |
| 2022 | 54 | #2517 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2253 |
| 2020 | 72 | #1977 |
| 2019 | 61 | #2265 |
| 2018 | 61 | #2230 |
| 2017 | 72 | #1977 |
| 2016 | 56 | #2335 |
| 2015 | 60 | #2234 |
| 2014 | 59 | #2256 |
| 2013 | 45 | #2623 |
| 2012 | 51 | #2448 |
| 2011 | 48 | #2547 |
| 2010 | 41 | #2874 |
| 2009 | 56 | #2320 |
| 2008 | 53 | #2405 |
| 2007 | 55 | #2337 |
| 2006 | 71 | #1893 |
| 2005 | 61 | #2035 |
| 2004 | 71 | #1763 |
| 2003 | 81 | #1561 |
| 2002 | 74 | #1620 |
| 2001 | 68 | #1699 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Laurence a popular boy name?
Laurence ranked #1743 among boys in 2025 with 93 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2234.
When was the name Laurence most popular?
Laurence peaked in 1952, when 845 American boys received the name (ranked #231 that year). Since 1952 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Laurence?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 19,355 newborn American boys was named Laurence. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.