Laura

See also: laura and Laurą

English

Alternative forms

• Lora (rare)

Etymology

From Late Latin saint's name Laura, from the feminine form of laurus (“laurel tree”). A post-classical name made famous by Petrarch's sonnets to Laura in the fourteenth century.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈlɔɹə/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈlɔːɹə/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːɹə

Proper noun

Laura

1. A female given name from Latin.
   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:

     Now is he for the numbers that Petrarch flowed in; Laura to his lady was but a kitchen-wench; marry, she had a better love to be-rime her;

   • 1960 Peter S. Beagle: A Fine And Private Place. Random House Publishing, 1982:The Fantasy Worlds of Peter Beagle. →ISBN page 258:

     Laura was saying something. A mellifluous name, he thought. I wish she were far away, so I could call her.

   • 2019 February 7, Elly Griffiths, The Stone Circle: The Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries 11, Hachette UK, →ISBN:

     'Mine's Laura'./ 'A beautiful name.'/ Laura has never liked her name. It's too old-fashioned and has, to her mind, a slightly whiny sound, like the twang of a country and western guitar. In fact she was given the name because Michelle liked the song 'Tell Laura I Love Her'.

Usage notes

• Also used as a feminine equivalent of Laurence.

Related terms

• Laurel, Lauren, Lauretta, Laurie, Lol, Loretta, Lori, Lorraine

Translations

female given name

• Catalan: Laura (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 羅娜／罗娜 (Luónà), 蘿拉／萝拉 (Luólā), 勞拉／劳拉 (Láolā)

• Danish: Laura
• Dutch: Laura (nl)
• Esperanto: Laŭra
• Estonian: Laura (et)
• Finnish: Laura (fi)
• French: Laura (fr) f, Laure (fr) f
• Galician: Laura (gl) f
• German: Laura (de)
• Greek: Λαύρα (el) f (Lávra)
• Hebrew: לורה f (lóra), לאורה f (láura)
• Hungarian: Laura (hu)
• Italian: Laura (it) f
• Japanese: ローラ (Rōra)
• Latin: Laura f
• Latvian: Laura f
• Norwegian: Laura (no)
• Polish: Laura (pl) f
• Portuguese: Laura (pt) f
• Romanian: Laura
• Russian: Ло́ра (ru) f (Lóra), Ла́ура (ru) f (Láura)
• Slovene: Lavra (sl) f
• Spanish: Laura (es) f
• Swedish: Laura (sv)
• Welsh: Lowri f

Anagrams

• aural

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈlau̯ra]
• Hyphenation: Lau‧ra

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name

Declension

Declension of Laura (hard feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	Laura	Laury
genitive	Laury	Laur
dative	Lauře	Laurám
accusative	Lauru	Laury
vocative	Lauro	Laury
locative	Lauře	Laurách
instrumental	Laurou	Laurami

Danish

Etymology

From Latin Laura.

Proper noun

Laura

1. a female given name

References

• [1] Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 21 161 females with the given name Laura have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 2000s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɑu̯.raː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Lau‧ra

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name

Estonian

Etymology

From Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɑu̯rɑ/, [ˈlɑu̯rɑ]

Proper noun

Laura

1. a female given name

Faroese

Proper noun

Laura

1. a female given name

Usage notes

Matronymics

• son of Laura: Lauruson
• daughter of Laura: Laurudóttir

Declension

	Singular
	Indefinite
Nominative	Laura
Accusative	Lauru
Dative	Lauru
Genitive	Lauru

Finnish

Etymology

From Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɑu̯rɑ/, [ˈlɑ̝u̯rɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑurɑ
• Syllabification^(key): Lau‧ra

Proper noun

Laura

1. a female given name
   • 1931, Frans Emil Sillanpää, “Nuorena nukkunut”, in Silja ja Ihmiset suviyössä, Suuri Suomalainen Kirjakerho, published 1988, →ISBN, page 63:

     Ja sen jälkeen taas parin vuoden kuluttua tyttö, jonka nimeksi pantiin Laura, sekin Salmeluksen vanhoja perintönimiä.

     And only a couple of years after that a girl, who was given the name Laura, yet another old name inherited from the Salmelus family.

   • 1991, Anna-Leena Härkönen, Akvaariorakkautta, Otava, published 2008, →ISBN, s.183:

     —Tässä on meidän Laura ja tuo pienempi on Suvi, Marita sano.
     Mä ajattelin tylsänä että kiva ku joku sinänsä epäsovinnainen ihminen oli antanu lapsilleen ihan normaalit nimet eikä mitään muotiväännöksiä niin ku monet. Kaikki sampot ja santerit ja tonterit säälittää mua suunnattomasti.

     —This here is our Laura and the smaller one is Suvi, Marita said.
     I thought while bored that nice that someone so nonconformist had given her children such normal names and nothing fashionable like many others. All the sampos and santeris and tonteris really make me feel pity.

   • 2013, Kari Hotakainen, Luonnon laki, Siltala, →ISBN, pages 17–18:

     Sen ojensi hänelle sairaanhoitaja, jonka vasemman rinnan yläpuolella oli nimikyltti: Laura. Nimi toi Rautalan mieleen vanhojen elokuvien palvelijan, joka alistuneesti nyökkäillen sipsuttelee isossa ruokasalissa tarkistamassa, että kaikki on varmasti valmiina mahakkaan tilanomistajan ja hänen rouvansa ruokailuhetkeä varten. Kävi mielessä myös mainoksen Elovena-tyttö, vaikka Lauran hiuksen olivat pikimustat ja hänellä oli korvissaan mustat napit. Hutiin siis meni Rautalan arvaus.

     It was given by the nurse, who had a name tag above her left breast: Laura. The name reminded Rautala of the servants in old firms, who submissively nod and tiptoe around in the large dining hall to check that everything is ready at the dinner table for the landowner and his mistress. The Elovena girl seen in advertisements also came to mind, even though Laura had jet black hair and her ears had black ear buds, so Rautala's guess was wrong.

Declension

Inflection of Laura (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		Laura	Laurat
genitive		Lauran	Laurojen
partitive		Lauraa	Lauroja
illative		Lauraan	Lauroihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Laura	Laurat
accusative	nom.	Laura	Laurat
	gen.	Lauran
genitive		Lauran	Laurojen Laurain rare
partitive		Lauraa	Lauroja
inessive		Laurassa	Lauroissa
elative		Laurasta	Lauroista
illative		Lauraan	Lauroihin
adessive		Lauralla	Lauroilla
ablative		Lauralta	Lauroilta
allative		Lauralle	Lauroille
essive		Laurana	Lauroina
translative		Lauraksi	Lauroiksi
abessive		Lauratta	Lauroitta
instructive		—	Lauroin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Laura (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Laurani Laurani accusative nom. Laurani Laurani gen. Laurani genitive Laurani Laurojeni Lauraini rare partitive Lauraani Laurojani inessive Laurassani Lauroissani elative Laurastani Lauroistani illative Lauraani Lauroihini adessive Laurallani Lauroillani ablative Lauraltani Lauroiltani allative Lauralleni Lauroilleni essive Lauranani Lauroinani translative Laurakseni Lauroikseni abessive Laurattani Lauroittani instructive — — comitative — Lauroineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Laurasi Laurasi accusative nom. Laurasi Laurasi gen. Laurasi genitive Laurasi Laurojesi Lauraisi rare partitive Lauraasi Laurojasi inessive Laurassasi Lauroissasi elative Laurastasi Lauroistasi illative Lauraasi Lauroihisi adessive Laurallasi Lauroillasi ablative Lauraltasi Lauroiltasi allative Laurallesi Lauroillesi essive Lauranasi Lauroinasi translative Lauraksesi Lauroiksesi abessive Laurattasi Lauroittasi instructive — — comitative — Lauroinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Lauramme Lauramme accusative nom. Lauramme Lauramme gen. Lauramme genitive Lauramme Laurojemme Lauraimme rare partitive Lauraamme Laurojamme inessive Laurassamme Lauroissamme elative Laurastamme Lauroistamme illative Lauraamme Lauroihimme adessive Laurallamme Lauroillamme ablative Lauraltamme Lauroiltamme allative Laurallemme Lauroillemme essive Lauranamme Lauroinamme translative Lauraksemme Lauroiksemme abessive Laurattamme Lauroittamme instructive — — comitative — Lauroinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Lauranne Lauranne accusative nom. Lauranne Lauranne gen. Lauranne genitive Lauranne Laurojenne Laurainne rare partitive Lauraanne Laurojanne inessive Laurassanne Lauroissanne elative Laurastanne Lauroistanne illative Lauraanne Lauroihinne adessive Laurallanne Lauroillanne ablative Lauraltanne Lauroiltanne allative Laurallenne Lauroillenne essive Laurananne Lauroinanne translative Lauraksenne Lauroiksenne abessive Laurattanne Lauroittanne instructive — — comitative — Lauroinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Lauransa Lauransa accusative nom. Lauransa Lauransa gen. Lauransa genitive Lauransa Laurojensa Laurainsa rare partitive Lauraansa Laurojaan Laurojansa inessive Laurassaan Laurassansa Lauroissaan Lauroissansa elative Laurastaan Laurastansa Lauroistaan Lauroistansa illative Lauraansa Lauroihinsa adessive Laurallaan Laurallansa Lauroillaan Lauroillansa ablative Lauraltaan Lauraltansa Lauroiltaan Lauroiltansa allative Lauralleen Laurallensa Lauroilleen Lauroillensa essive Lauranaan Lauranansa Lauroinaan Lauroinansa translative Laurakseen Lauraksensa Lauroikseen Lauroiksensa abessive Laurattaan Laurattansa Lauroittaan Lauroittansa instructive — — comitative — Lauroineen Lauroinensa

Statistics

• Laura is the 14^th most common female given name in Finland, belonging to 23,297 female individuals (and as a middle name to 3,403 more), according to February 2023 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin Laura. A Latinate variant of Laure.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɔ.ʁa/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name

German

Etymology

From Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈlaʊ̯ʁa]

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Lau‧ra

Proper noun

Laura (genitive Lauras or Laura)

1. a female given name

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlaw.ra/
• Rhymes: -awra
• Hyphenation: Làu‧ra

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name

Latvian

Etymology

First recorded as a given name of Latvians in 1819. From Latin Laura.

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name

Related terms

• Lauris

References

• Klāvs Siliņš: Latviešu personvārdu vārdnīca. Riga "Zinātne" 1990, →ISBN
• [2] Population Register of Latvia: Laura was the only given name of 8301 persons in Latvia on May 21st 2010.

Lithuanian

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name

Norwegian

Etymology

From Latin Laura.

Proper noun

Laura

1. a female given name

Polish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlaw.ra/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -awra
• Syllabification: Lau‧ra

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Laura

Declension

Declension of Laura

	singular	plural
nominative	Laura	Laury
genitive	Laury	Laur
dative	Laurze	Laurom
accusative	Laurę	Laury
instrumental	Laurą	Laurami
locative	Laurze	Laurach
vocative	Lauro	Laury

Further reading

• Laura in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Laura.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈlaw.ɾɐ/ [ˈlaʊ̯.ɾɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈlaw.ɾɐ/ [ˈlaʊ̯.ɾɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈlaw.ɾa/ [ˈlaʊ̯.ɾa]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈlaw.ɾɐ/

• Homophone: laura
• Rhymes: -awɾɐ
• Hyphenation: Lau‧ra

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name from Latin, equivalent to English Laura

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɫau̯ra/

Proper noun

Laura f (genitive singular Laury, nominative plural Laury, declension pattern of žena)

1. a female given name

Declension

Declension of Laura

	singular	plural
nominative	Laura	Laury
genitive	Laury	Láur
dative	Laure	Laurám
accusative	Lauru	Laury
locative	Laure	Laurách
instrumental	Laurou	Laurami

Derived terms

• Lara
• Lola, Lolka
• Lolina, Lolinka
• Lalina, Lalinka
• Lóra
• Laurika
• Lorka

Further reading

• “Laura”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin Laura.

Proper noun

Laura f

1. a female given name from Latin

Swedish

Etymology

From Latin Laura. First recorded in Sweden in 1737.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Laura c (genitive Lauras)

1. a female given name