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Baby names

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Original poster

What's your favourite spelling of Lawrence/Laurence and why?

44 replies

DangerMousey · 13/08/2012 16:44

I am pondering putting Laurence/Lawrence on our shortlist of boys' names, but am not sure which spelling I prefer.

Does anyone have a preference? are there reasons to prefer one above the other that I am missing?? (is one more old fashioned? Are there any famous/infamous Law/Laurences I should be aware of??).

Also, what do you think of this as a boy's name in general? If we go with it, we will probably call him Laurie all the time anyway which I love, but I would rather give him the full name on his birth certificate, so he can use it when he's older, if he prefers...

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LotusClover · 19/05/2020 19:49

⚠️ ZOMBIE THREAD ⚠️

From 2012. This thread is 8 years old.

Spirali · 19/05/2020 19:45

Laurence is much nicer. I don’t like the W in Lawrence. It doesn’t flow as nicely to look at.

Flymetothestars · 19/05/2020 19:14

@Hopeful90 @Singingatmidnight

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Malysh · 19/05/2020 19:14

Well, I know a french Alexis and people thought he was a girl when he lived in the UK, but I never got the impression that it was a huge issue. So I don't think that is a good enough reason to worry about the spelling in and of itself.

That said, I prefer Lawrence. No special reason, I just feel like it looks better.

Singingatmidnight · 19/05/2020 18:57

I prefer Laurence and Laurie. I know a baby called this and he's lovely.

Nothing wrong with Lawrence though!

Hopeful90 · 19/05/2020 18:38

Laurence is the spelling for a first name. Lawrence is the spelling for a last name...

lottiegarbanzo · 16/08/2012 08:31

Btw, we considered Laurence so I like it a lot but one thing that put me off a tiny bit was searching old threads on here and finding the view that 'you can think the nn will be Laurie and use that yourselves but at school they may well become Lol or Loz whether you like it or not.' Depends what the child will accept of course and you can influence that.

lottiegarbanzo · 16/08/2012 07:54

I much prefer Laurie to Larry. Laurie makes me think of Laurie Lee and carefree childhood. Larry of luvvie actors (Olivier) and aggressive oil magnates (Larry Hagman playing JR) and seems much more dated, stuck in the 50s and 60s in my mind.

Famous Lawrences mostly have it as a surname - D.H., of Arabia. Can't think any really negative ones.

I wonder why people think it's bad to have a boy's name that is a girls name in another language. Lots of French boy's names sound feminine to British ears e.g. Dominique, Francois, Olivier but I don't suppose they're bothered. Laurence doesn't actually sound like the girl's name because the emphasis is different.

blonderthanred · 16/08/2012 06:01

I've only known Lawrences (one in his 50s, one 80s so I don't think it's a new/American fad). I am a fan of surnamey names so that doesn't bother me.

Laurence looks weird to me.

Plokahontas · 15/08/2012 22:20

I like the way Laurence looks,much more than Lawrence. Lawrence is very surnamey.
Also, does it matter if its a girls name in France? People call their sons Sam, Chris etc which can also be girls names in this country and nobody bats an eyelid!

thenightsky · 15/08/2012 22:04

But his sister calls him Florence sometimes, just to annoy him.

thenightsky · 15/08/2012 22:04

My DS is Lawrence. He always gets called Lol though.

Sophiesmummie · 15/08/2012 22:01

Lawrence looks stronger and more masculine. I prefer the nickname Larry for a boy, Laurie looks a little girly, sorry.

rachel1970 · 15/08/2012 15:02

Agree that Lawrence is a better much choice with Laurence being a girls' name in Belgium and France. Why take the risk (and create a potential embarassing/annoying situation for your ds if he chooses to spend time there) when you can spell in it Lawrence?

bananaramma · 15/08/2012 14:50

From ONS 2011 baby name list:

Total number of MALE babies named Laurence = 102

Total number of MALE babies named Lawrence = 109

Of course no one in the UK would use Laurence for a girl - it is a FRENCH girls name! Perhaps that is why more people go for Lawrence for a boy, to avoid any confusion of their son living/studying/working in France or other french speaking country.

shouldbedoingtheironing · 15/08/2012 14:44

From ONS 2011 baby names list:

Total number of MALE babies named Laurence = 102

Total number of FEMALE babies named Laurence = 0

I rest my case..

sleepywombat · 14/08/2012 03:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

survivingsummer · 13/08/2012 22:38

My DS is Laurie - his full name is Laurence. He's always known as Laurie though Smile Agree that the full name is good for the birth certificate and for if he fancies using it when he's older.

We get loads of lovely comments about his name!

bananaramma · 13/08/2012 22:31

I prefer Lawrence personally.

lottiegarbanzo · 13/08/2012 22:29

I think Lawrence is a surname that has become a first name in the US (since we're being international) and spread a bit from there. Laurence is the British first name.

poppydaisy · 13/08/2012 22:22

I would spell it Lawrence. Looks more masculine and 'solid' to me.

I know a French (male) Laurent, that is nice too. But it makes sense that Laurence is the female form. Like Florence is to Florent.

Cleo123 · 13/08/2012 21:56

I love, love, love this name. Just recommended it to another mum on her post too ironically! I coudn't care less how it is spelt! But perhaps Laurence with nickname Laurie makes more sense.

Ham69 · 13/08/2012 19:25

Yes, I know it's a girl's name in France. It's a boy's name in UK. If that's where OP is living, i'd definitely go with Laurence. Much nicer spelling IMO. If we worried about how our DC's names were perceived in other countries, we'd never ended up naming them. Go with your gut, OP. I'd go with LaUrence (have I mentioned that already?)!

maddiemostmerry · 13/08/2012 19:17

I prefer Laurence.

I have a unisex name and it has never bothered me, so what if it is a girls name in France you don't get many laurence girls in the uk

shoobidoo · 13/08/2012 18:58

I like Larry as well!