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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Laurence

35 replies

Sanjifair · 12/05/2013 05:48

I like it (DH less sure) but I am not sure what I would use as a nickname. Laurie is the obvious one but when said it would sound like 'Lori' e.g. short for Lorainne and people might think he was a girl when a baby.

Any other nicknames for Laurence?

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1944girl · 14/05/2013 01:01

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squoosh · 14/05/2013 00:54

Lar is the usual nickname for Laurence in Dublin. There are a fair few of them actually, muct be because of St Laurence O'Toole.

Lorcan is the Irish for Laurence.

dementedma · 13/05/2013 21:18

Laurence - with a u - is a lovely name.don't shorten it to anything

itsnothingoriginal · 13/05/2013 20:15

DS is Laurence but always known as Laurie Smile

I've had loads of positive comments from people about his name and he loves it! It has local associations as we live close to where Laurie Lee was born. I also know quite a few little boys who are just called Laurie without having the full name Laurence/Lawrence.

wigglesrock · 12/05/2013 19:11

I know 3 Lawrences and none of them are shortened Smile

Decoy · 12/05/2013 18:44

I've only heard Laurie and Loz.

shoobidoo · 12/05/2013 18:39

In France Laurence is a girls name, the female version of Laurent.
Like Florence is to Florent.

I prefer Lawrence, nickname Lawrie.

Mellymog · 12/05/2013 18:26

I knew a woman called Laurie (not a nn), now in her 30's. I think it's unisex.

MsJupiterJones · 12/05/2013 17:57

DS is Lawrence. We don't shorten it but my brother calls him Law - this might not work with the u spelling as much but as the pronunciation is the same maybe it would?

Not a fan of Loz or Lol but I daresay that might happen at school (not for a while yet as he's 6mo).

I want to shorten it to Ren but DH thinks I'm crazy so I'm quite excited that two others on here know Rens.

A woman at airport security said, oh he's happy as Larry isn't he? which made me laugh. I said, yes, he really is!

Bumbez · 12/05/2013 14:21

I have an uncle Lawrence, as a small toddler I could never pronounce his name and always called him Florence, this got shortened to Flo.

He is now in his seventies everyone calls him Flo except my Aunty.

Good name though.

Still18atheart · 12/05/2013 14:17

I really like it because I love Laurie as a nn

miffybun73 · 12/05/2013 14:15

Love it, but also prefer the spelling Lawrence.

I know one who shortens it to Loz :)

lurcherlover · 12/05/2013 14:12

My grandad was called Lal by everyone. His spelling was Lawrence though, which I prefer - to me it's more manly.

FruitOwl · 12/05/2013 14:12

Great name. I have a lovely friend called Lawrence; we call him Ren. I knew one at school who everyone called Lozza, not such a nice nn!

Jamdoughnutfiend · 12/05/2013 13:57

OP I know what you mean - for DD1 we had Luke for a boy, but obviously was a girl, so when we were having DD2 we had used our number 1 pick for a girl and didn't want to reuse the boys names we didn't use - when she was a girl we were a bit stumped!

Limelight · 12/05/2013 13:52

I have a relative called Laurence and we've always called him Lor. It's a lovely name I think.

Original poster
Sanjifair · 12/05/2013 13:50

Ha ha jamdoughnut! To be fair we don't know which sex we are having, but I have a long list of girls names, and a much shorter one of boys. We had a short list of 5 that we picked DS1's name from, but I don't want to use one of the 'rejected' names if we have a DS2, IYSWIM, which narrows it down further. Glad to hear most people like Laurence though!

OP posts:
Jamdoughnutfiend · 12/05/2013 13:45

doh - if she was a boy I meant!

Jamdoughnutfiend · 12/05/2013 13:44

we were going to call DD2 Laurence - I think it is gorgeous

OkayHazel · 12/05/2013 13:42

I have known a female Laurie and a male Lori!

I wouldn't worry about the gender tilt OP, I think it is a truly unisex nickname. And is the top of my boys list too.

Use it!

Original poster
Sanjifair · 12/05/2013 13:25

Quite like Lor. Not sure Lorenzo would work with our surname which is very British!

OP posts:
Laquila · 12/05/2013 13:23

Love Laurence but possibly partially because it's a male variant of my name...

I would second Laurie as a nickname (was also my nickname so again, am biased!) and add that I know a baby boy called Laurie as his full name and it just suits him down to the ground...and he's definitely not girly! Actually I knew a male Laurie (full name) at school too and as far as I know he didn't have problems with it being thought of as a girl's name. I think it's due a renaissance, actually.

Other that that, inevitable nicknames will be Loz, Lozza and maybe Lol.

chattychattyboomba · 12/05/2013 13:16

Love Laurence but have you also considered Lorenzo? I have met a couple since having DD and they use Enzo as a NN.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 12/05/2013 13:14

Laurie is a lovely nn, I despise Larry!

Wouldntyouliketoknow · 12/05/2013 13:12

What about Lor?

Or just call him Laurence? Not all names have to be shortened.