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Home › Baby Names Directory › Lauren

Lauren

♂ Boy

Pronounced LOR-in /ˈlɔːr.ɪn/High

Meaning: Lauren descends from Laurence/Laurent, from Latin Laurentius, 'man from Laurentum' — a town whose name is linked to the laurel, the victor's crown. It was used for boys as a short form of Laurence before shifting decisively to girls in the twentieth century.Medium

In 30 seconds: Lauren traces to Laurence — 'from Laurentum', tied to the laurel crown (said 'LOR-in'). In the U.S. it is far more often a girl's name, which we note.
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Origin MediumLatin, English
MeaningLauren descends from Laurence/Laurent, from Latin Laurentius, 'man from Laurentum' — a town whose name is linked to the laurel, the victor's crown. It was used for boys as a short form of Laurence before shifting decisively to girls in the twentieth century.
U.S. rank (2024)#13371 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1989
Total births (all-time)≈ 5,818

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198918842024

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

Lauren comes from Laurence, from Latin Laurentius, 'man from Laurentum' — a place-name linked to the laurel, symbol of victory. It circulated as a boys' short form (and surname) before the actress Lauren Bacall carried it firmly to the girls' side in the 1940s. Used here for a boy, it is far more often a girl's name, which we note (said 'LOR-in').

For boys it now appears only rarely in the U.S., against heavy girls' use. Rare for boys, classic-rooted, and soft.

Did you know? Before Lauren Bacall made it a star turn for women, Lauren served as a masculine short form of Laurence — the same laurel-crowned root. Today it is strongly a girl's name in the U.S., which we note.
Overall data confidence 55%
References — Lauren — From Laurence/Laurentius; strongly girl-leaning in the U.S.

Variations

LaurenceLorenLorin

Nicknames

LoRen

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Lauren…

Laurence— the parent name it shortens
Lawson— a like L-opening pick with a laurel echo
Logan— a like two-beat, soft-landing choice
Darren— lands in the same popularity range
Luxen— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Lauren

By themelatinclassiccross-sexunisex-lean-girl

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Lauren mean?

Lauren comes from Laurence, from Latin Laurentius, 'man from Laurentum' — a name tied to the laurel, the crown of victory.

How do you pronounce Lauren?

It's said LOR-in /ˈlɔːr.ɪn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Lauren a boy or girl name?

Lauren is used here as a boy's name, but in the U.S. it is far more often a girl's name — we note the lean.

How popular is Lauren?

Lauren is rare for boys in the U.S. and much more common for girls.

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