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Laurel

Girl name · 23 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Laurel: 23 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 6 births in 2014.

The name Laurel comes from the Latin *laurus*, the evergreen laurel tree, whose leaves were woven into wreaths to crown victors and poets in ancient Greece and Rome—making it a timeless symbol of triumph and honour. Famous bearers include Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian who coined the phrase “well-behaved women seldom make history,” and Laurel Clark, a NASA astronaut who tragically perished aboard the Space Shuttle *Columbia*. Numerous towns across the United States bear the name Laurel, though none directly honour a specific bearer. As a variant of Laura, Laurel shares that name’s botanical roots but carries a distinct, nature-inspired freshness, and has been a steady, understated choice for girls in Scotland since the 1970s.