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Home › Baby Names Directory › Laban

Laban

♂ Boy

Pronounced LAY-ban /ˈleɪ.bæn/Medium

Meaning: Laban is a Hebrew name meaning 'white,' from the root 'lavan.' In the Book of Genesis, Laban is the brother of Rebecca and the father of Leah and Rachel, making him the father-in-law of the patriarch Jacob. The name entered English use through the Bible.Medium

In 30 seconds: Laban is a biblical Hebrew name meaning 'white.' It appeared in US records in small numbers across the twentieth century (said LAY-ban).
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Origin MediumHebrew
MeaningLaban is a Hebrew name meaning 'white,' from the root 'lavan.' In the Book of Genesis, Laban is the brother of Rebecca and the father of Leah and Rachel, making him the father-in-law of the patriarch Jacob. The name entered English use through the Bible.
U.S. rank (2021)#13252 ↗ Rising
2021 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1932
Total births (all-time)≈ 596

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199018862021

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Laban comes from the Hebrew 'lavan,' meaning 'white.' In the Book of Genesis he is the brother of Rebecca and father of Leah and Rachel, and so the father-in-law of Jacob; the story of Jacob's years working for Laban is one of the book's most detailed. Carried into English by Bible-reading families, it appeared quietly in American records for generations.

It was never common, appearing in small numbers from the eighteen-hundreds onward and reaching only about fifteen boys in its best year around the early nineteen-thirties. It reads as an old scriptural name rather than a modern trend.

Did you know? Laban is a substantial figure in Genesis: the father of Leah and Rachel and father-in-law of Jacob, remembered for their long, complicated dealings over marriage and flocks.
Overall data confidence 55%
References - Laban — Biblical Hebrew 'white' (lavan); Genesis figure, father-in-law of Jacob

Variations

LavanLabonLabenn

Nicknames

Lab

Famous Bearers

  • ★Laban (biblical era)
    in the Book of Genesis, the father of Leah and Rachel and father-in-law of Jacob

If you like Laban…

Gideon— a like Old Testament boy's name
Levi— a similar Hebrew biblical name
Amos— a comparable scriptural pick
Enoch— a like vintage biblical name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Laban mean?

It means 'white,' from the Hebrew 'lavan'; in Genesis, Laban is the father of Leah and Rachel and father-in-law of Jacob.

How do you pronounce Laban?

It is said LAY-ban /ˈleɪ.bæn/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Laban a boy or girl name?

Laban is used as a boy's name.

Is Laban a popular name?

No; it was never common, appearing in small numbers across the twentieth century.

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