Laurel
The English tree name, from Latin laurus. Wreaths of its leaves crowned victors in the classical world.
Laurel in 2025
Laurel was given to 372 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,449th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 8,912 babies born.
The history of Laurel
Laurel reached its highest point in 1956, when 1,197 babies were given the name, ranking 452nd that year.
Across the 143 years of records since 1883, 48,973 babies have been named Laurel. Half of them were born before 1967, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation X.
Laurel by decade
| Decade | Babies named Laurel | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 52 | 1,085 |
| 1890s | 114 | 1,236 |
| 1900s | 142 | 1,113 |
| 1910s | 652 | 1,253 |
| 1920s | 1,958 | 729 |
| 1930s | 1,875 | 596 |
| 1940s | 5,145 | 496 |
| 1950s | 9,603 | 452 |
| 1960s | 6,469 | 580 |
| 1970s | 4,109 | 689 |
| 1980s | 4,958 | 735 |
| 1990s | 4,379 | 955 |
| 2000s | 3,445 | 1,050 |
| 2010s | 3,618 | 1,145 |
| 2020s | 2,454 | 1,233 |
Where Laurel is heading
Laurel has held roughly steady over the past decade, from 369 babies in 2015 to 372 in 2025.
Names like Laurel
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Laurel.