Laurence is in modern use as an English masculine and a French feminine given name. The modern English masculine name is a variant of Lawrence and originates from a French form of the Latin Laurentius, a name meaning "man from Laurentum".
The French feminine name Laurence is derived from the same source and is used in French-speaking countries as a form of the masculine Laurent. The name was used in the Middle Ages for both males and females in honor of Saint Laurence, one of the seven deacons of Rome. In England, it was also given in reference to Saint Laurence of Canterbury.
In other languages: Lorenzo (Italian, Spanish), Lorenz (German). In Ireland, Laurence has traditionally been used as an Anglicization of the Irish masculine name Lorcan or Lorcán.
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Usage
Laurence, used as a spelling variant of the more popular Lawrence, was in regular use for boys in the Anglosphere since the medieval era. It was most popular for boys in English-speaking countries during the late 19th century and during the first half of the 20th century.
As a feminine name, Laurence was at the height of popularity in France between 1965 and 1971, when it was among the top 10 names for French girls. It was among the top 100 names for French girls between 1953 and 1984. In French-speaking Quebec, Canada, Laurence has been among the top 100 names for French Canadian girls between 1984 and 2023, and was among the top 10 names for girls between 2002 and 2005 and again in 2008. The name has been in rare, occasional use for girls in English-speaking countries, where Laurence remains a primarily masculine name. Twelve American newborn girls were given the name Laurence in 1961, the year that 16-year-old American Olympic figure skater Laurence Owen died with the entire United States figure skating team in the crash of Sabena Flight 548 in Belgium. No more than four newborn American girls were named Laurence in either 1960 or 1962. Laurence Owen was named in honor of her Canadian paternal grandmother.
Given name
Men
Laurence of Canterbury, the second Archbishop of Canterbury
Laurence Burt (1925–2015), British sculptor and educator
Laurence Neil Creme, known professionally as Lol Creme, British musician
Laurence L. Doggett (1864–1957), president of International YMCA College (modern Springfield College)
Laurence Ilsley Duncan (1906–1982), justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court
Laurence Ekperigin (born 1988), British-American basketball player in the Israeli National League
Laurence Fishburne (born 1961), American actor
Laurence Fox (born 1978), British actor
Laurence S. Geller, British-born, US-based real estate investor
Laurence Ginnell, Irish politician
Laurence Godfrey (archer), British athlete
Laurence Godfrey (physics lecturer), regular and controversial contributor to the Usenet newsgroups 'soc.culture.British' and 'soc.culture.Canada'
Laurence Golborne, Chilean mining and energy minister
Laurence Harvey, Lithuanian-born actor
Laurence Hussey, English lawyer and diplomat
Laurence Keitt (1824–1864), Confederate general
Women
Laurence Broze (born 1960), Belgian applied mathematician, statistician, and economist
Laurence des Cars (born 1966), French curator and art historian
Laurence Equilbey (born 1962), French conductor
Laurence Fournier Beaudry (born 1992), Canadian ice dancer
Laurence Gayte (born 1965), French politician
Laurence Leboeuf (born 1985), Canadian actress
Laurence Ndong (born 1971), Gabonese politician
Laurence Owen (1944–1961), American Olympic figure skater
Laurence Rochat (born 1979), Swiss cross-country skier who has competed since 1996
Laurence Sailliet (born 1973), French politician
Laurence Tubiana (born 1951), French Ambassador responsible for COP21
Laurence Vichnievsky (born 1955), French politician and magistrate
Surname
Ashley Laurence (born 1966), American actress and visual artist
Christopher Laurence (1929–2025), British Anglican priest
Duncan Laurence (born 1994), Dutch singer, representing Netherlands in Eurovision Song Contest 2019
Elizabeth Laurence (born 1949), English classical mezzo-soprano singer
Frederic Laurence (1896–1982), British air ace
Frederick Laurence (1884–1942), British composer and orchestral manager
French Laurence (1757–1809), English lawyer and politician, brother of Richard
Henry Laurence, multiple people
Jacqueline Laurence (1932–2024), French-born Brazilian actress and theatre director
John Zachariah Laurence (1829–70), English ophthalmologist
Margaret Laurence (1926–1987), Canadian novelist and short story writer
Oona Laurence (born 2002), American actress
Peter Laurence (sport shooter) (born 1931), Kenyan sports shooter
Richard Laurence (1760–1838), English Hebraist and Anglican churchman, brother of French
Samuel Laurence (1812–84), British portrait painter