Whatever happened to Laura?

[SharpieHarpie]

I am a mid 30s Laura, and I never hear the name used for children, babies or even anyone under 30. It was SO popular when I was at school, I hated it! There were at least 2-3 Lauras in every class from reception to 6th form, all differentiated by our surname initials. However as I got older it seemed to die out super abruptly in a way that Charlotte, Claire etc (probably as popular in the mid 80s?) never did. And as I’ve got older I like it more and more as it’s kind of unusual now.

So, would you consider Laura as a name for your daughter? If so why/why not? Are you a Laura, do you have a Laura, or know a baby Laura? I’d love to hear.

It was on our shortlist last year 🙂

We picked a different name in the end but I still think it would have suited DD.

I’m nearly 50… Laura Claire Louise… my mother used to call me London Council Lavatories! Nice! Huge sarcasm….

I wouldn't use it, I think it's very bland and I've known too many unpleasant ones (sorry!)

@Blossomandbee you must have a had a bad time! I’ve never ever met one single Laura. I don’t think it’s a common name.. that you have met so unpleasant same named ladies, I do apologise on behalf of us all.

It's a nice name but if, like me, you were born in the 80's, Laura's were everywhere! It's not a particularly exciting or unique name.

Also, and I don't knos if this happens to anyone else but I can't pronounce the name Laura without doing a big yawn afterwards. My mouth makes the same shape when I say the 'aur' part of the name as it does when I do a yawn, and it triggers some aort of yawn reflex!

I LOVE the name Laura, and would definitely consider it for a future daughter. It's timeless and beautiful

I thought I would add that every person I have ever met called Laura has been lovely. I don't think I've ever met a bad Laura.

I love it. I was going to call my daughter Laura but the midwife said it was a boring name! So I chose another name. Which was a bit stupid.

@SaintCharlie it's certainly wasn't an uncommon name growing up in the 80's and 90's so I've known many.

I am a 40+ Laura. I loved my name till I joined mn few years ago.
Growing up my best friend who was named after her grandma, had what we considered to be a super old fashioned name -think Evelyn, Sadie type names.
She always felt her name was dreadful. Now there are loads of little old lady name babies and her name is considered tres chic.
I feel a bit sad that Laura will become dated and so unusable like Sandra, Barbara, Susan etc.
I think it's still quite popular in some parts of Europe...

I’m a 40+ Laura, and my niece is a 20+ Laura. I hated it as a child, so pedestrian. But as an adult I love it. I’ve lived abroad a lot and it works in so many languages. And now I see it as a dignified and lovely name, for a child or an adult. The country I most recently lived in has a lot of toddler Lauras.

My grandmother had a friend called Laura who would have been in her 90s now, and I was at school with a handful, but like you I don't know any little Lauras. It is really pretty, for me though it wasn't an option for any dd I may have had because my ex left me for a Laura

My Laura is 21, she has a couple of Lauras as friends so it was a millenium baby option

I know a 10 year old Laura but it's true that there aren't many around. I recon it'll make a come back eventually though.

I have a baby (under 1) called Laura. I love it!

I like Laura but didn't know many growing up. Every other child at my school was a Joanna or an Emma with a sprinkling of Clares.
I think Lauras were a bit younger than us.
Emma seems fairly timeless along with Catherine and Charlotte but I agree that the others have fallen out of fashion.
They'll be back when we are great grandparents!